Prof Nazari's Blog

Bajet 2012: Syariah diketepikan?

2011-10-16T14:26:00.003+08:00

SABTU, 15 OKTOBER 2011 16:02 PROF DR NAZARI ISMAIL

Dalam sejarah awal Islam, isu belanjawan negara bukan isu yang penting. Bahkan agak sukar untuk mencari kisah dalam sejarah Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam yang mana umat Islam menunggu dengan penuh antisipasi ucapan Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam berkenaan perancangan kewangan negara Islam pertama Madinah. Salah satu faktor utama kenapa keadaan tersebut tidak pernah berlaku ialah kerana kerajaan Islam dahulu berbentuk 'small government'.

Dalam bentuk tersebut, kerajaan tidak campur tangan secara aktif dalam aspek kewangan awam (public finance) berbanding sekarang. Sebagai contoh, perkhidmatan pendidikan dan kesihatan tidak dibekalkan oleh kerajaan tetapi oleh institusi waqaf atau oleh individu persendirian. Oleh sebab itu kerajaan pada zaman Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam tidak memerlukan perbelanjaan yang besar dan dengan itu juga tidak perlu mengutip cukai daripada rakyat. Negara Islam hanya mewajibkan rakyat membayar zakat kepada golongan yang layak menerima zakat.

Tambahan pula, disebabkan rakyat sangat gemarkan pahala, rakyat sering mengifaqkan harta mereka kepada kerajaan dan semasa pemerintahan Khalifah Umar, harta negara di Baitulmal melebihi perbelanjaan.

Tetapi sekarang di Malaysia keadaan adalah sangat berbeza. Bukan sahaja acara pembentangan bajet adalah acara yang penting, harta kerajaan tidak mencukupi untuk menampung perbelanjaan. Kedua-dua aspek ini akan saya huraikan dengan lebih terperinci.

Pembentangan bajet adalah antara acara-acara tahunan yang ditunggu-tunggu oleh semua lapisan masyarakat. Ia disebabkan semua pihak menyedari kemungkinan kehidupan mereka akan terkesan dengan hebat akibat daripada keputusan-keputusan yang terkandung dalam belanjawan yang bakal dibentangkan. Kerajaan sekarang sudah menjadi 'Big Government'. Kalau dahulu perbelanjaan kerajaan Islam tersangat kecil dan tidak memberi kesan kepada rakyat jelata, sekarang ia berjumlah berbilion ringgit dan memang telah memberi impak kepada banyak pihak.

Bajet 2012 yang telah dibentangkan oleh Datuk Seri Najib Razak baru-baru ini berjumlah RM232.8 bilion. Disebabkan KNK negara pada tahun 2011 dianggarkan berjumlah RM827.7 billion pada tahun 2011, maka perbelanjaan kerajaan dianggarkan 28.1% peratus dari KNK negara pada tahun ini, satu jumlah yang sangat besar.

Hampir kesemua golongan rakyat Malaysia tersenyum mendengar ucapan beliau. Hal ini tidak menghairankan kerana pelbagai bantuan diberikan kepada berbagai-bagai kumpulan, dari peruntukan membaik pulih rumah nelayan berjumlah RM300 juta kepada peruntukan berjumlah berbilion ringgit untuk membekalkan perkhidmatan jalan raya dan air bersih kepada penduduk luar bandar, daripada peruntukan pembinaan hospital kanak-kanak dan wanita berjumlah RM700 juta kepada pengecualian caj hospital kerajaan kepada warga emas berumur 60 ke atas.

Tetapi sepatutnya bagi seseorang yang menghayati Islam sepenuhnya, semua penilaian berkenaan apa-apa sekalipun mestilah berdasarkan kaca mata Islam atau Syariah. Oleh itu persoalan yang mesti didalami oleh kita semua ialah adakah Bajet 2012 baik atau buruk dari pandangan Syariah?

Malangnya jawapannya ialah tidak dan ia tidak susah untuk diterangkan. Bajet ini ialah bajet yang memerlukan kerajaan berbelanja lebih daripada pendapatan yang diperoleh pada kadar 4.7 peratus dari KNK. Ia bermakna kerajaan akan terpaksa berhutang sebanyak RM45.9 billion. Sementara itu hutang kerjaan terkumpul setakat ini adalah RM437 billion dan menurut Laporan Bank Negara yang terkini, jumlah hutang negara diramalkan meningkat sebanyak 11.9 peratus kepada RM455.75 billion pada akhir tahun 2011.

Dalam erti kata yang lain, Bajet 2012 ini akan membuat keadaan kewangan kerajaan lebih tenat kerana beban hutang kerajaan yang semakin meningkat.

Peratus hutang awam terkumpul berbanding KNK (atau public debt as % of GDP) Malaysia sekarang tidak berganjak pada 52.2% walaupun jumlah KNK diramalkan meningkat pada kadar 4.4%. Ini bermakna pertambahan ekonomi negara tidak membantu dalam usaha mengurangkan beban hutang kerajaan.

Jelaslah bahawa jika kerajaan tidak melakukan sesuatu terhadap masalah ini dengan segera, Malaysia tidak mustahil akan berhadapan dengan masalah ekonomi yang rumit dalam masa terdekat, seperti yang sedang dialami oleh negara-negara di Eropah seperti Greece, Sepanyol, Ireland dan Itali.

Di samping itu, apa yang sangat-sangat menyedihkan kita ialah hampir kesemua hutang kerajaan melibatkan amalan riba dan oleh itu ia adalah HARAM dari kaca mata Islam. Adakah pemimpin dan rakyat negara kita langsung tidak peka dengan implikasi apabila beramal dengan amalan yang dibenci oleh Allah? Adakah kita semua sudah lupa dengan firman Allah di dalam surah al-A’raf, ayat 96 yang bermaksud:

“Dan (Tuhan berfirman lagi): Sekiranya penduduk negeri it, beriman serta bertakwa, tentulah Kami akan membuka kepada mereka (pintu pengurniaan) yang melimpah-limpah berkatnya, dari langit dan bumi. Tetapi mereka mendustakan (Rasul Kami), lalu Kami timpakan mereka dengan azab seksa disebabkan apa yang mereka telah usahakan.”

Oleh yang demikian, amatlah penting bagi kita semua menyeru kerajaan supaya mengambil langkah segera dari sekarang untuk memastikan bahawa segala perbelanjaan yang dirancang adalah dari sumber yang tidak memerlukan kerajaan berhutang.

Kita juga perlu menyeru kepada parti pembangkang supaya bertindak dengan cara yang bertanggungjawab, supaya tekanan dan kritikan yang diberikan bukan bermatlamatkan kepentingan politik kepartian jangka pendek sahaja, tetapi hendaklah memfokuskan kepada isu `Maqasid Syariah’ serta `Kepatuhan Syariah’. Dengan cara ini tekanan dan kritikan yang diberikan tidak akan memaksa kerajaan untuk menambahkan hutangnya untuk mendapat keuntungan politik dan sokongan rakyat tetapi sebaliknya akan membawa kerajaan balik kepada landasan Syariah.

Akhir sekali, kita semua mesti giat berdoa kepada Allah semoga diberi hidayah oleh-Nya terhadap semua pemimpin kita. Mudah-mudahan Allah akan memelihara masyarakat dan negara kita yang tercinta ini supaya kita semua dapat hidup dalam keadaan aman, bahagia dan sejahtera.

Subsidi – Adakah patut diteruskan atau diberhentikan?

2011-08-01T12:56:00.001+08:00

Oleh Prof. Dr. Mohd Nazari Ismail

Pada bulan Mei 2010, rakyat Malaysia telah dikejutkan oleh Idris Jala, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, apabila beliau mengatakan bahawa Malaysia akan mengalami nasib seperti Greece, yakni mungkin menjadi muflis, jika subsidi kerajaan tidak dipotong dengan segera. Tambah beliau, hutang kerajaan juga akan meningkat menjadi 100% berbanding KDNK negara. Oleh kerana itu, beliau mengatakan rakyat terpaksa menerima hakikat bahawa kos elektrik, tol, perkhidmatan kesihatan kerajaan, pelajaran, minyak petrol, dan makanan perlu dinaikkan demi menjamin kestabilan persekitaran sosial dan politik negara di masa hadapan. Untuk mengukuhkan hujah beliau, Idris Jala memberikan beberapa fakta. Antara lain, jumlah subsidi kerajaan pada tahun 2009 ialah RM74 billion atau RM12,900 setiap isi rumah yang dipecahkan seperti berikut - Sosial (RM42.8bil), Petrol (RM23.5bil), Infrastruktur (RM4.6bil) dan makanan (RM3.1bil). Akhir sekali Idris Jala memberi amaran tentang defisit belanjawan kita yang tersangat tinggi iaitu RM47 billion. Oleh itu beliau meramalkan bahawa jumlah hutang negara akan meningkat menjadi RM1,158 bilion pada tahun 2019 jika kadar defisit itu dikekalkan.
Gambaran yang diberikan oleh Idris Jala meresahkan ramai pihak termasuk di kalangan penyokong kerajaan sendiri. Ada yang terpinga-pinga dan tertanya-tanya. Adakah keadan begitu teruk sehinggakan tidak ada alternatif lain? Adakah betul punca kepada masaalah kita ialah fenomena ketagihan subsidi di kalangan rakyat atau adakah ianya kerana kerajaan gagal mengurus kewangan kita dengan baik?
Respon pihak parti pembangkang dalam hal ini sangat mudah. Mereka mengatakan bahawa punca utama masalah ialah kegagalan kerajaan mengurusan kewangan negara. Oleh itu penarikan subsidi tidak boleh dibenarkan kerana akan membebankan rakyat. Mereka juga mengatakan bahawa jika pemerintahan negara di tangan mereka, subsidi tidak akan ditarik balik kerana mereka mampu menguruskan kewangan negara dengan lebih cekap dan efisyen.
Siapakah yang lebih betul dalam hal ini? Adakah perlu bagi rakyat untuk mengganti kerajaan BN dengan kerajaan PR supaya subsidi akan terus dikekalkan untuk rakyat?
Untuk memahami isu-isu ini dengan lebih mendalam ada baiknya kita memahami konsep subsidi dahulu dengan lebih mendalam. Subsidi adalah satu bentuk bantuan kewangan yang diberikan kepada sesebuah sektor perniagaan. Banyak kes subsidi melibatkan bantuan kerajaan kepada pengeluar di dalam sesebuah industri untuk membantu memajukan industri tersebut. Contoh terbaik ialah bantuan kerajaan kepada Proton dalam industri kereta. Ada juga bentuk subsidi yang diberikan kepada sesebuah industri untuk menghalang harga dari naik. Contoh terbaik ialah subsidi minyak petrol dan subsidi makanan. Terdapat juga bentuk subsidi untuk memastikan perkembangan sektor tertentu seperti subsidi baja dalam sektor pertanian.
Isu subsidi juga adalah isu yang hangat dibincangkan di dalam bidang perniagaan antarabangsa. Ia dilihat sebagai tindakan protectionist atau perlindungan dan oleh itu merupakan satu bentuk sekatan kepada perdagangan antarabangsa. Ini kerana subsidi menjadikan harga keluaran tertentu dalam negeri menjadi murah berbanding harga keluaran yang diimport dan seterusnya akan mengurangkan dayasaing barangan yang diimport. Bayangkan jika ahli perniagaan Malaysia ingin mengeksport batik kita ke negara Indonesia tetapi berhadapan dengan batik yang lebih murah di sana hanya semata-mata kerana pengusaha batik Indonesia mendapat bantuan kerajaan dan bukan kerana mereka adalah lebih cekap atau lebih efisyen. Sudah tentu pengeluar batik Malaysia akan berasa tidak berpuas hati. Maka itulah juga perasaan pengeskport kereta dari negara lain terhadap Proton. Sebagai contoh, syarikat kereta dari Korea atau China adalah lebih efisyen berbanding Proton. Namun mereka sukar mengalahkan Proton di dalam pasaran Malaysia kerana harga kereta Proton adalah lebih murah disebabkan subsidi yang diberikan oleh kerajaan Malaysia. Dalam hal ini, subsidi telah menyumbang kepada distortions (pembelokan) di dalam pasaran di mana pengeluar yang lebih efisyen tidak dapat mengalahkan pengeluar yang tidak efisyen kerana campur tangan pihak kerajaan. Di samping itu, subsidi seperti ini juga melibatkan kos yang sangat tinggi kepada kerajaan dan rakyat.
Sebenarnya baik buruk subsidi yang diberikan oleh kerajaan adalah bergantung kepada perspektif golongan mana yang terlibat. Sebagai contoh, dalam kes subsidi yang diberikan kepada Proton, ianya sudah tentu adalah baik bagi pemilik syarikat Proton, pekerja Proton dan juga syarikat yang menjadi pembekal kepada Proton (Proton Vendors) serta pekerja mereka. Tetapi dari perspektif rakyat Malaysia secara umum, bukan semua akan menikmati kebaikan ini. Bagi golongan rakyat Malaysia yang tidak ada kaitan dengan Proton dan tidak berminat untuk membeli kereta Proton, tidak banyak kebaikan yang mereka perolehi walaupun mereka juga menanggung kos bantuan yang diberikan kepada Proton. Jika subsidi kepada Proton ini adalah untuk membantu menjual kereta Proton dengan harga yang rendah di pasaran luar negara, ini bermakna golongan yang beruntung adalah pengguna luar negara tersebut yang telah mendapat bantuan kewangan dari rakyat Malaysia.
Bagaimana pula dengan subsidi yang lain, seperti subsidi tol? Sekali lagi golongan yang paling beruntung ialah golongan yang menggunakan jalan bertol setiap hari serta pengguna dari Singapura dan Thailand yang langsung tidak membayar cukai pendapatan kepada kerajaan. Golongan yang paling tidak mendapat keuntungan dari subsidi tol adalah golongan yang langsung tidak menggunakan jalan bertol kerana mereka masih terpaksa menyumbang secara tidak langsung kepada kos pembinaan dan penyeliaan jalan bertol tersebut.
Keadaan ketidakadilan ini juga jelas berlaku dalam kes subsidi minyak petrol (yang berjumlah RM23.5 bilion pada tahun 2009) kerana wujudnya ketidakseimbangan pengagihan kosnya kepada semua rakyat. Sebenarnya golongan yang paling beruntung dalam kes ini ialah orang asing yang menggunakan kenderaan di Malaysia kerana mereka tidak membayar apa-apa cukai pendapatan kepada kerajaan. Golongan kaya juga beruntung kerana kenderaan yang mereka gunakan adalah besar dan menggunakan banyak petrol. Walaupun perbelanjaan kos petrol bulanan mereka mungkin tinggi, namun jumlah subsidi yang diterima oleh mereka juga adalah tinggi. Sebaliknya golongan miskin secara relatif mendapat manfaat yang sedikit sahaja dari subsidi ini, terutama sekali di kalangan yang memakai motosikal kapcai sedangkan mereka juga menanggung kos subsidi yang besar ini dalam bentuk cukai pendapatan yang dibayar kepada kerajaan.
Satu cara mengatasi kesan ketidakadilan di atas adalah dengan kerajaan mengambil langkah diskriminasi dalam pengagihan subsidi iaitu dengan memberikannya kepada golongan yang paling memerlukan bantuan. Kaedah `targeted subsidies’ ini sudah lama diamalkan di beberapa negara termasuk negara kita sendiri di mana bantuan kerajaan ditujukan khas kepada golongan miskin. Contoh-contoh bentuk bantuan kepada golongan ini ialah pengecualian pembayaran bil air jika penggunaanya sedikit, boucer atau stamp makanan (food stamps), biasiswa, bantuan buku teks, bantuan kos perumahan, perkhidmatan kesihatan dan lain-lain. Namun kos pentadbiran skim bantuan yang berbentuk diskriminasi ini adalah sangat tinggi dan kadangkala tidak praktikal untuk digunakan dalam kes tertentu seperti subsidi minyak petrol.
Dari manakah kerajaan memperolehi sumber kewangan untuk membayar kos subsidi? Jawabannya adalah dari segala pendapatan kerajaan sama ada dari cukai atau dari sumber lain seperti pendapatan dari Petronas dan keuntungan syarikat-syarikat milik kerajaan yang lain. Jika pendapatan sesebuah kerajaan adalah tinggi maka kita akan mendapati bahawa kemungkinan subsidi yang diberikan kepada rakyatnya juga adalah tinggi. Sebagai contoh, di Saudi Arabia, subsidi diberikan kepada rakyat dalam berbagai sektor termasuk petrol, perkhidmatan kesihatan dan pelajaran. Tambahan pula rakyatnya langsung tidak membayar apa-apa bentuk cukai pendapatan. Ini adalah kerana kerajaan Arab Saudi memperolehi pendapatan yang tinggi dari sumber minyaknya. Pada tahun 2010 pendapatan kerajaan Arab Saudi adalah USD185.1 billion sementara perbelanjaannya hanyalah USD173.1 billion. Oleh kerana itulah kerajaan Arab Saudi tidak merasa tertekan dengan perbelanjaan subsidi kepada rakyat walaupun rakyat tidak menyumbang kepada pendapatan negara melalui cukai pendapatan.
Di Malaysia, perbelanjaan kerajaan pada tahun 2010 ialah RM205,468 bilion sementara pendapatan hanya RM162,131 bilion. Inilah yang menghasilkan keadaan di mana defisit belanjawan kita ialah RM43,337 bilion dan akan ditambahkan lagi kepada hutang yang terkumpul dari tahun-tahun yang lepas.
Bagaimanakah kerajaan boleh mengurangkan defisit tersebut di atas? Satu cara ialah dengan menambahkan pendapatan melalui penambahan cukai pendapatan atau cukai-cukai lain. Tetapi ini adalah satu kaedah yang tidak popular dan akan menyebabkan sokongan kepada kerajaan merosot.
Satu lagi cara ialah dengan mengurangkan perbelanjaan kerajaan, baik dalam aspek operasi dan juga aspek pembangunan. Di dalam aspek operasi, salah satu elemen kos utama ialah penggajian. Adalah amat sukar untuk mengurangkan kos penggajian kerana sebarang usaha untuk memotong gaji akan membuat kerajaan langsung tidak popular. Satu lagi cara ialah dengan mengurangkan perbelanjaan pembangunan. Ini bermakna projek-perojek pembangunan seperti jalan raya, kampus universiti dan bangunan sekolah baru diberhentikan atau dipotong. Ini juga akan membuat ramai golongan tidak akan berpuas hati kerana ramai yang mendapat pendapatan melalui projek seperti ini, terutama sekali dari kalangan kontraktor Bumiputera dalam industri pembinaan serta juga sub-kontraktor mereka dari kalangan bumiputera dan juga bukan bumiputera. Apabila, Datuk Abdullah Badawi cuba untuk mengurangkan perbelanjaan dalam Rancangan Malaysia Ke-9 dengan mengurangkan perbelanjaan kerajaan dalam bidang pembinaan, ramai peniaga-peniaga Melayu dari berbagai golongan – baik dari pembekal makanan ke tapak pembinaan mahupun kontraktor binaan dan arkitek, merasa tidak senang hati dan ini telah menggugat kedudukan politik beliau. Akhirnya beliau terpaksa menarik balik keputusan tersebut dan menambahkan perbelanjaan dalam bidang pembinaan melalui dana yang dipinjam dan seterusnya menyebabkan defisit dan hutang terkumpul kerajaan semakin meningkat.
Satu cara lagi bagi kerajaan untuk mengurangkan perbelanjaan ialah dengan mengurangkan ketirisan dalam perbelanjaan. Ini boleh dilakukan dengan melaksanakan langkah penjimatan. Sebagai contoh jabatan kerajaan boleh mengurangkan perbelanjaan yang tidak perlu seperti mengurangkan majlis di hotel-hotel, mengurangkan kos hadiah dan cenderamata yang diberikan dalam majlis-majlis tersebut, mengurangkan lawatan keluar negara oleh pemimpin dan pegawai tinggi kerajaan dan lain-lain perbelanjaan yang tidak perlu. Di samping itu, perbelanjaan boleh dikurangkan jika peraturan proses pemberian kontrak kerajaan diperketatkan untuk mengurangkan rasuah. Kita semua tahu bahawa sering terdapat fenomena ‘cost inflation’ dalam pemberian kontrak kerajaan. Bahkan ini adalah cara bagi sesetengah ahli politik memperolehi sumber dana untuk membiayai aktiviti politik mereka.
Malangnya dalam suasana masyarakat yang mementingkan diri sendiri dan tertekan akibat beban hutang, langkah penjimatan di atas sering dibangkang oleh rakyat sendiri. Sebagai contoh langkah untuk tidak mengadakan majlis atau seminar kerajaan di hotel-hotel telah dikutuk oleh persataun pemilik hotel tempatan kerana menurut mereka ini tidak akan membantu perkembangan sektor perhotelan. Begitu juga langkah mengurangkan pemberian cenderamata dan hadiah akan melembapkan sektor-sektor yang terlibat. Langkah mengurangkan lawatan ke luar negara akan mengurangkan pendapatan agen penjualan tiket serta pendapatan syarikat penerbangan MAS dan Air Asia. Mereka semua akan menentang langkah penjimatan tersebut yang akan mengurangkan pendapatan bagi firma-firma mereka.
Di samping itu, apabila kebanyakan ahli masyarakat tidak mempunyai etika yang tinggi dan juga tidak bertaqwa, adalah amat sukar untuk menghapuskan masalah ‘cost inflation’ di dalam projek-projek pembangunan kerajaan. Hakikatnya ialah sebahagian besar rakyat sering melihat pemimpin politik mereka sebagai sumber untuk memperolehi bantuan kewangan. Bagi mereka pemimpin politik yang sering menghulurkan wang tunai kepada rakyat adalah pemimpin yang layak mendapat sokongan mereka walau pun pemimpin itu mungkin tidak bermoral. Pemimpin politik yang berprinsip dan bermoral tetapi tidak sering menghulurkan wang tunai kepada rakyat adalah pemimpin yang `kedekut’ dan tidak layak mendapat undi mereka.
Jelaslah langkah untuk menghapuskan masalah ‘cost inflation’ serta rasuah akan mengambil masa yang panjang. Penghapusan rasuah memerlukan pentarbiahan ahli masyarakat dari bawah hingga ke atas. Kalaupun kerajaan yang sedia ada dapat ditumbangkan kerana rakyat sudah muak dengan penyalahgunaan kuasa serta amalan rasuah yang berleluasa, namun adalah amat `naïve’ untuk kita mengharapkan bahawa amalan rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa tersebut akan hilang dengan sekelip mata.
Oleh kerana sulitnya bagi kerajaan untuk mengurangkan perbelanjaan dengan cara-cara di atas, maka kerajaan sekarang sedang memikirkan alternatif lain iaitu dalam bentuk mengurangkan subsidi seperti yang disebut di awal artikel ini yang berjumlah RM74 billion pada tahun 2009. Tetapi seperti yang diketahui, langkah ini juga adalah sangat tidak popular kerana ianya akan menambahkan beban perbelanjaan kepada rakyat. Setiap kali kerajaan bercakap tentang keperluan untuk mengurangkan subsidi, ia akan membuat pihak pembangkang senyum kerana ini akan membuat kerajaan hilang populariti di kalangan pengundi. Pembangkang seterusnya akan menggunakan isu ini sebagai modal kempen politik mereka. Kerajaan yang memerintah sekarang juga sedar akan hakikat ini dan oleh itu sebenarnya tidak akan sewenang-wenangnya memotong subsidi.
Oleh kerana semua langkah penjimatan perbelanjaan adalah sukar dilakukan dan tidak popular di kalangan rakyat, maka sebenarnya apa yang sentiasa berlaku ialah kerajaan akan terus mengalami belanjawan defisit dan menampung defisit tersebut dengan cara meminjam dari berbagai-bagai sumber termasuk dari institusi kewangan dan pelabur individu dari dalam dan luar negara. Inilah sebenarnya jalan yang paling mudah dan ‘selamat’ (dari segi politik) bagi pihak kerajaan dalam jangka masa pendek. Tidak seperti di Amerika di mana ada golongan, terutama sekali dari kalangan penyokong parti Republikan yang sangat bencikan amalan kerajaan menambahkan hutang, di Malaysia tidak wujud golongan yang lantang menentang amalan kerajaan menambahkan hutang. Hatta, di kalangan pendakwah dan penyokong Islam sekalipun, ramai yang tidak tahu menahu langsung tentang amalan kerajaan berhutang ini dan hampir kesemua mereka tidak tahu jumlah hutang terkumpul kerajaan. Ramai di kalangan mereka, termasuk dari kalangan gerakan Islam yang Syumul (yakni yang memahami Islam sebagai agama yang mempunyai skop yang luas termasuk dalam bidang ekonomi) lebih lantang menentang rancangan kerajaan untuk mengurangkan subsidi berbanding dengan rancangan kerajaan menambahkan hutang untuk membiayai subsidi tersebut. Ini mungkin kerana mereka kurang sedar tentang elemen riba dalam hutang kerajaan serta jumlah beban hutang terkumpul kerajaan. Mereka juga mungkin tidak peka tentang implikasi jangka panjang kepada kestabilan politik dan sosial negara akibat dari masalah hutang tersebut.
Oleh kerana itulah walaupun kerajaan sering menyatakan hasrat untuk mengurangkan subsidi bagi mengurangkan perbelanjaan negara, namun hakikatnya ialah besar kemungkinan kerajaan tidak akan mengurangkan subsidi yang diberikan kepada rakyat. Ini terutama sekali dalam tahun-tahun yang berdekatan dengan pilihanraya. Subsidi, walaupun memang akan melibatkan kos yang tinggi kepada kerajaan, namun ia akan terus dikekalkan supaya rakyat dapat hidup dengan `selesa dan senang’ demi untuk mengurangkan modal politik pihak pembangkang dan seterusnya menjamin kemenangan kerajaan di dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang. Hanya beberapa individu sahaja yang akan memarahi tindak tanduk kerajaan yang tidak bertanggungjawab ini, yang memindahkan beban membayar hutang negara kepada generasi akan datang yakni anak-anak dan cucu-cucu kita. Namun demikian, besar kemungkinan individu-individu ini akan dimarahi pula oleh rakyat yang lain yang merasakan bahawa isu hutang kerajaan ini tidaklah penting berbanding dengan isu keperluan untuk memastikan subsidi akan terus dikekalkan demi keselesaan kehidupan mereka sekarang.
Sebenarnya langkah jangka panjang untuk menyelesaikan masalah di atas ialah dengan mewujudkan satu suasana di mana rakyat mempunyai darjah ketaqwaan yang tinggi serta mempunyai thiqah (kepercayaan) yang juga tinggi kepada pemimpin yang dilantik dari kalangan mereka. Dalam suasana seperti itu, besar kemungkinan ramai dari kalangan rakyat akan menjadi penderma sukarela kepada kerajaan. Inilah yang berlaku di zaman Nabi Muhammad s.a.w di mana sahabat baginda dengan sukarela mensedeqahkan harta mereka kepada negara dengan jumlah yang banyak. Di zaman itu dan zaman berikutnya, amalan rakyat ‘mewaqafkan’ harta mereka kepada kerajaan Islam adalah lumrah dan oleh itu fenomena kerajaan terpaksa meminjam adalah jarang berlaku. Dalam erti kata yang lain, tumpuan rakyat yang lebih kepada kehidupan yang selesa di akhirat kelak berbanding dengan kehidupan dunia yang sementara ini akan membuat mereka lebih cenderung untuk `memberi’ berbanding dengan `meminta’ dari kerajaan. Sebaliknya kalau diperhatikan sekarang ini tidak ramai golongan yang berminat untuk mewaqafkan harta mereka kepada kerajaan sehinggakan kebanyakan masjid yang dibina adalah dari sumber kerajaan dan bukan secara langsung dari derma rakyat.
Berbalik kepada persoalan samada subsidi pada ketika itu patut diteruskan atau diberhentikan sebenarnya bergantung kepada keadaan pendapatan dan perbelanjaan negara pada masa itu. Jika pendapatan kerajaan masih melebihi perbelanjaan walaupun terdapat perbelanjaan subsidi, maka sudah tentu subsidi harus dikekalkan terutamanya kepada golongan miskin. Tetapi jika pendapatan adalah tidak mencukupi (atas beberapa sebab seperti kurangnya hasil minyak pada masa itu) besar kemungkinan kerajaan akan memberhentikan subsidi kerana mahu mengelakkan dari meminjam dari sumber yang tidak halal.
Berdasarkan hujah di atas maka jelaslah bahawa isu-isu rasuah, penyalahgunaan kuasa dan hutang kerajaan adalah sebenarnya bukan punca utama masalah masyarakat. Isu-isu tersebut hanyalah simptom kepada penyakit utama masyarakat iaitu kekurangan sikap taqwa kepada Allah. Hanya apabila setiap ahli dalam masyarakat bertaqwa kepada Allah, maka kita akan dapat mewujudkan suasana di mana rasuah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa, ketirisan dan pembaziran dapat dihapuskan, dan perbelanjaan kerajaan juga akan dapat ditampung oleh pendapatan negara yang ada. Pada masa itu juga, besar kemungkinan isu ‘subsidi’ langsung tidak akan menjadi topik perbincangan.
Wallahua’lam.

Masalah `Siling Hutang’ di Amerika: Apakah iktibarnya?

2011-07-28T22:06:00.000+08:00

Satu istilah yang sedang hangat diperbincangkan sekarang di serata dunia ialah Debt Ceiling atau ‘Siling Hutang’. Istilah ini merujuk kepada jumlah hutang maksimum yang dibenarkan oleh Kongres Amerika yang boleh dipinjam oleh badan eksekutif kerajaan Amerika yang sekarang dipimpin oleh Presiden Obama.

Untuk memahami masalah yang dihadapi oleh Presiden Obama sekarang berkaitan isu ini, adalah perlu bagi kita terlebih dahulu memahami satu ciri penting sistem politik Amerika yang tidak terdapat di kebanyakan negara lain seperti Britain dan Malaysia. Ciri penting ini dikenali sebagai konsep Separation of Powers atau ‘Pemisahan Kuasa’. Menurut konsep ini, terdapat pemisahan yang jelas antara tiga institusi pemerintahan negara iaitu badan Eksekutif (Executive), Legislatif (Legistlative yang berbentuk parlimen di Malaysia) dan Kehakiman (Judiciary). Ia berbeza dengan sistem politik yang diamalkan di Britain dan Malaysia di mana TIDAK terdapat pemisahan kuasa antara badan-badan legislatif dan badan eksekutif. Hal ini kerana di Malaysia, parti yang memenangi pilihan raya akan menjadi majoriti dalam parlimen dan pada masa yang sama akan membentuk badan eksekutif yang dipimpin oleh seorang Perdana Menteri. Oleh yang demikian, segala perancangan oleh badan eksekutif tidak akan menghadapi masalah untuk mendapat kelulusan daripada parlimen.

Keadaan seperti ini tidak berlaku di Amerika kerana pilihan raya pesiden (ketua badan eksekutif di Amerika) adalah terasing daripada pilihan raya bagi keahlian Kongresnya. Oleh yang demikian, wujud kemungkinan bahawa presiden yang dipilih adalah dari parti yang berbeza daripada parti yang menjadi majoriti dalam Kongres. Sebenarnya inilah yang sedang berlaku di Amerika di mana presidennya iaitu Barack Obama adalah dari parti Demokrat sedangkan Kongres, khususnya House of Representative adalah di bawah kawalan parti Republikan.

Apa yang berlaku sekarang ialah pemimpin parti Republikan di Kongres sedang menyekat usaha Obama untuk memperoleh sumber dana dengan cara menambahkan jumlah hutang kerajaan. Sebenarnya tindakan meminjam oleh kerajaan Amerika bukanlah perkara yang ganjil atau tidak pernah berlaku. Bahkan disebabkan sumber pendapatan Amerika daripada pencukaian sentiasa tidak mencukupi untuk membiayai perbelanjaan kerajaan (yakni belanjawan defisit), maka kerajaan Amerika telah lama terpaksa bergantung kepada pinjaman. Namun apa yang telah berlaku ialah pinjaman kerajaan Amerika sudah mencapai tahap yang terlalu tinggi. Dalam masa 12 bulan dari Jun 2010 sehingga Jun 2011, kerajaan Amerika telah meminjam sebanyak USD1.3 trilion sementara jumlah hutang terkumpul sudah meningkat menjadi USD14.3 trilion. Jumlah ini merupakan ‘siling hutang’ yang telah ditetapkan oleh Kongres Amerika sebelum ini dan oleh itu kelulusannya untuk meningkatkan siling hutang ini adalah perlu jika kerajaan Amerika ingin melaksanakan rancangannya untuk menambahkan pinjaman.

Namun pemimpin parti Republikan di Kongres telah memaklumkan kepada Obama bahawa syarat utama yang mesti dipatuhi sebelum kebenaran diberikan untuk siling ini ditingkatkan ialah tiada penambahan kepada cukai yang dikenakan kepada rakyat serta pengurangan perbelanjaan kerajaan secara radikal. Sudah tentu ia adalah syarat yang sukar diterima oleh pentadbiran Obama kerana salah satu daripada perjuangan parti Demokrat adaah untuk memastikan terdapat pengagihan kekayaan daripada golongan kaya kepada golongan miskin melalui proses percukaian.

Jika Kongress Amerika masih tidak membenarkan siling hutang dinaikkan dan dengan itu menyekat kerajaan Amerika daripada memperoleh sumber dana, maka menurut Jabatan Perbendaharaan Amerika, pada 2 Ogos nanti, kerajaan Amerika akan kehabisan dana untuk membayar bil yang berjumlah USD134 bilion (atau 44% daripada jumlah semua bil) pada masa yang telah dijanjikan. Menurut penganalisis kewangan, jika perkara ini berlaku akan terdapat kesan yang besar kepada ekonomi Amerika. Ini disebabkan kerajaan Amerika akan mengalami kes ‘Debt Default’ yang akan mengurangkan keyakinan pasaran kewangan kepada keupayaan kerajaan Amerika untuk membayar hutangnya pada masa hadapan. Kos pinjaman (atau bunga) kepada hutang akan meningkat dan dengan itu rakyat Amerika akan terpaksa berkerja lebih kuat untuk membantu kerajaannya menjelaskan hutang-hutang akan datang. Ekonomi Amerika juga besar kemungkinan akan meleset dan oleh yang demikian lebih banyak firma akan menghadapi masaalah kewangan dan lebih ramai lagi rakyatnya akan dibuang kerja.

Tetapi adakah masalah ini semua akan dapat dielakkan jika ‘siling hutang’ dibenarkan oleh Kongres untuk ditingkatkan? Sudah tentu tidak. Hakikatnya ialah hutang kerajaan Amerika sekarang adalah tersangat tinggi dan peningkatan ’siling hutang’ hanya bermakna bahawa jumlah hutang kerajaan Amerika akan dapat dipertingkatkan dengan mudah. Ia juga bermakna beban hutang kerajaan (yang juga bermakna beban hutang rakyat) akan menjadi bertambah besar pada masa hadapan.

Jelaslah kepada kita bahawa perdebatan dan perbincangan berkenaan masalah ‘siling hutang’ hanya menarik perhatian masyarakat Amerika daripada masalah yang lebih besar iaitu beban hutang yang besar, yang sudah tentu tidak akan mampu dibayar oleh mereka. Di samping itu juga, perbincangan masalah ‘siling hutang’ lebih menarik perhatian daripada perbincangan berkenaan punca utama kepada masalah iaitu amalan riba dan industri hutang yang masih berleluasa. Sebenarnya selagi amalan riba tidak dihapuskan oleh masyarakat Amerika dan industri hutang dibiarkan hidup dan maju, masalah hutang negara tersebut tidak akan dapat diselesaikan.

Persoalannya, adakah masyarakat Malaysia peka tentang apa yang berlaku di Amerika dan mampu untuk memperoleh iktibar atau pengajaran yang betul? Sedarkah kita bahawa belanjawan kita tiap-tiap tahun, seperti di Amerika, juga sentiasa dalam keadaan defisit? Sedarkah kita bahawa hutang terkumpul kerajaan sentiasa meningkat dari tahun ke tahun? Sedarkah kita bahawa hutang kerajaan yang pada tahun 1970 berjumlah hanya lebih kurang RM1 bilion telah bertambah dengan begitu cepat dan sekarang hampir mencecah RM500 bilion?

Akhir sekali kita juga harus sedar bahawa disebabkan badan legislatif Malaysia (yakni Parlimen) tidak akan menyekat badan eksekutif kerajaan Malaysia daripada menambah hutangnya, maka besar kemungkinan hutang kerajaan Malaysia akan terus meningkat dari tahun ke tahun tanpa kawalan. Tambahan pula kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) sekarang sedang diasak teruk oleh pihak pembangkang dan oleh yang demikian adalah sangat perlu bagi kerajaan BN meningkatkan pinjaman untuk memastikan ia mempunyai dana yang cukup untuk `menyelesakan’ kehidupan rakyat sekali gus menumpulkan hujah-hujah pembangkang. Dengan cara ‘menyelesakan kehidupan’ rakyatlah parti pemerintah akan terus popular dan akan terus menang dalam pilihan-pilihan raya yang akan datang. Cuma hutangnya sahaja akan terus bertambah-tambah.

Walaupun isu ‘siling hutang’ tidak akan timbul di negara kita, namun masalah atau krisis hutang yang besar ini juga akan dihadapi oleh kita dan sudah tentu juga akan menjadi terlampau rumit untuk diselesaikan. Sudah tentu satu hari nanti kita semua akan menyedari betapa seriusnya masalah yang kita hadapi. Yang menjadi kebimbangan ialah pada ketika itu keadaan sudah mencapai tahap ‘nasi sudah menjadi bubur’.

Keadilan yang menyeluruh prasyarat keamanan negara

2011-07-23T13:09:00.000+08:00

Baru-baru ini bandar raya KL telah menyaksikan satu suasana yang jarang-jarang dilihat. Puluhan ribu rakyat turun membanjiri jalan dan lorong untuk menunjukkan ketidakpuasan hati mereka tentang proses pilihan raya di negara kita dengan menyokong perhimpunan aman yang dianjurkan oleh BERSIH 2.0. Gas pemedih mata diletupkan dan air yang mengandungi kimia disembur oleh pihak polis untuk memaksa penunjuk perasaan bersurai.

Namun ramai yang tetap degil dan enggan meninggalkan lokasi. Lebih daripada seribu orang ditangkap. Insiden ini berlaku walaupun pihak berkuasa beberapa hari sebelum itu telah cuba sedaya upaya untuk menakutkan penunjuk perasaan supaya tidak hadir dengan cara mengeluarkan notis amaran kepada pekerja kerajaan dan pelajar serta orang awam dengan menguar-uarkan perhimpunan tersebut sebagai haram.

Jelaslah bahawa jika sebahagian besar rakyat merasakan bahawa keadaan yang tidak adil wujud dalam masyarakat, maka sukar bagi pemerintah untuk mengawal mereka. Jika pihak Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) tidak melakukan tindakan untuk memenuhi lapan permintaan BERSIH 2.0 itu, maka persepsi negatif terhadap proses pilihan raya akan terus kekal dan sudah pasti kita akan menyaksikan BERSIH 3.0 pula.

Pihak kerajaan perlu sedar bahawa adalah amat penting untuk memastikan rakyat keseluruhannya merasakan bahawa mereka telah mendapat keadilan dalam kehidupan mereka. Perasaan marah yang muncul apabila merasakan bahawa diri telah dizalimi adalah naluri tabiat manusia. Cuma ada yang berjaya mengawal dengan baik supaya tindak balas mereka tidak melampau batasan agama dan undang-undang sementara ada yang lain tidak berjaya. Jika golongan yang tidak berjaya ini besar, maka kemungkinan keganasan dan tindak-tanduk liar berlaku adalah sangat tinggi dan ini akan merugikan semua pihak.

Sebenarnya perkara ini bukannya susah untuk disedari. Keadaan sebegini sudah acap kali berlaku di negara-negara lain termasuk di Iran pada tahun 2010 yang mengorbankan lebih kurang 150 nyawa (berdasarkan laporan CNN). Mereka yang merusuh adalah penyokong Mir Hossein Mousavi yang merasakan bahawa kekalahan calon yang mereka sokong adalah hasil daripada penipuan parti pemerintah di bawah pimpinan Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

Di Kenya keadaan yang sama turut berlaku pada tahun 2008 yang melibatkan kematian berjumlah lebih kurang 800 orang. Apa yang menarik perhatian ialah jumlah kematian yang begitu tinggi di Kenya. Faktor utamanya ialah sentimen perkauman yang sangat kuat khususnya kebencian yang meluap-luap terhadap kaum Kikuyu yang dianggap mempunyai pengaruh yang berlebihan.

Namun bukan semua rusuhan berlaku kerana tanggapan keadilan dalam proses pilihan raya sahaja. Sebagai contoh, di Rwanda, insiden keganasan yang berlaku pada tahun 1994 tidak langsung berkait dengan proses pilihan raya, tetapi akibat dariada beberapa faktor lain. Akhirnya telah berlaku pembunuhan beramai-ramai (genocide) yang mengorbankan hampir 1 juta nyawa atau lebih kurang 20% daripada jumlah penduduk negara Rwanda.

Punca utama tragedi itu ialah tanggapan wujudnya ketidakadilan dari segi pengaruh politik dan ekonomi kaum minoriti Tutsi berbanding kaum majoriti Hutu. Sudah tentu mangsa yang terkorban adalah kebanyakannya dari kaum Tutsi. Namun ramai dari bangsa Hutu sendiri yang tidak bersetuju dengan keganasan yang dilakukan terhadap kaum Tutsi turut menjadi mangsa pembunuhan kerana dilihat sebagai pembelot kepada bangsa.

Kita mungkin merasakan bahawa rusuhan yang berkaitan dengan suasana ketidakadilan ini hanya berlaku di negara mundur atau kurang maju di Afrika, Amerika Selatan, Timur Tengah dan Asia. Namun ia sebenarnya tidak benar.

Sebagai contoh, semenjak tahun lepas hingga sekarang, berlaku rusuhan yang ganas di Greece walaupun proses pilihan rayanya dianggap sebagai telus dan adil. Rusuhan yang berlaku itu pula tiada kaitan langsung dengan semangat perkauman kerana di Greece tidak wujud suasana konflik antara kaum yang ketara.

Punca utama rusuhan ialah tanggapan wujudnya suasana ketidakadilan terhadap rakyat umum oleh golongan yang berkuasa atau berpengaruh. Hal ini timbul kerana keadaan kegawatan ekonomi yang teruk sedang melanda Greece akibat hutang kerajaan yang sangat tinggi, yang sekarang ini berjumlah lebih daripada US485 bilion.

Ketidakupayaan kerajaan Greece menanggung beban hutang ini memaksanya mengambil langkah penjimatan yang drastik, yang antara lain melibatkan peningkatan berbagai jenis cukai, pemotongan pelbagai jenis perbelanjaan sektor awam termasuk pemotongan gaji pekerja sektor awam, pemotongan subsidi kesihatan, pemotongan peruntukan untuk sekolah-sekolah dan pemotongan bantuan kewangan kepada golongan miskin.

Kerajaan Greece juga telah membuang pekerja kontrak sementara secara serta-merta serta menjual aset-aset negara. Sudah tentu langkah-langkah ini menyebabkan ramai yang hilang perkerjaan di samping mengalami kesengsaraan yang dahsyat. Inilah yang membuatkan mereka marah kepada kerajaan dan kepada golongan yang pernah berkuasa di Greece sebelum ini. Pada tanggapan mereka, rakyat biasa yang tidak berdosa telah menjadi mangsa kepada kerakusan golongan tersebut.

Suasana di Greece juga sedang berlaku di Sepanyol, di Ireland dan mungkin juga di Portugal dalam masa yang terdekat kerana semua kerajaan negara tersebut sedang menghadapi beban hutang yang tinggi.

Sebagai rumusan, adalah tersangat penting bagi kerajaan memastikan bahawa rakyat mempunyai persepsi bahawa proses pilihan raya di Malaysia adalah adil dan telus. Namun ini sahaja tidak mencukupi. Kesejahteraan masyarakat bukan sahaja bergantung kepada proses pilihan raya yang adil semata-mata tetapi juga kepada sistem politik yang adil, sistem perundangan yang adil, sistem sosial yang adil, sistem ekonomi yang adil, sistem kekeluargaan yang adil, sistem pendidikan yang adil dan berbagai-bagai lagi sistem lain yang adil.

Oleh itu amat jelaslah kepada kita bahawa penyelesaian jangka panjang tidak lain dan tidak bukan adalah melaksanaan syariah Islam secara menyeluruh kerana hanya dengan cara itulah sahaja kita dapat menjamin semua perkara yang disebutkan di atas akan berlaku. Tambahan pula langkah permulaan proses perubahan yang panjang ini adalah mewujudan individu-individu Muslim yang ramai, yang telah dididik (ditarbiah) supaya mereka bukan sahaja mempunyai keinginan yang kuat untuk melihat pelaksanaan syariah dalam masyarakat, tetapi juga mempunyai jiwa yang ikhlas, yang sentiasa memeriksa diri supaya tidak menzalimi diri sendiri dengan melakukan dosa, serta sentiasa beramal secara adil kepada ibu bapa, ahli keluarga, jiran, kawan dan kepada masyarakat umum, hatta termasuk juga kepada pemerintah yang tidak berlaku adil kepada mereka.

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KE MANA HALA TUJU DASAR PEMBANGUNAN EKONOMI NEGARA?

2011-04-21T13:49:00.001+08:00

KE MANA HALA TUJU DASAR PEMBANGUNAN EKONOMI NEGARA?

PROF. MOHD NAZARI ISMAIL
FAKULTI PERNIAGAAN DAN PERAKAUNAN
UNIVERSITI MALAYA

Kertas pembentangan di Persidangan Meja Bulat “Jawapan Ummat Islam Kepada Keruntuhan Sistem Ekonomi Kapitalisme” pada 26 April 2011 di Dewan Besar IKIM, Kuala Lumpur.
Pengenalan
Semenjak sebelum merdeka lagi, kerajaan telah merangka rancangan-rancangan pembangunan ekonomi untuk pembangunan negara.Perancangan terawal telah dilakukan oleh kerajaan penjajah British.Objektif utama usaha rancangan pembangunan ekonomi negara pada masa itu adalah untuk mencapai pertumbuhan ekonomi dalam rangka membentuk satu sistem ekonomi pasaran bebas di negara kita.Tambahan pula sistem ekonomi pasaran bebas yang diperkenalkan kepada masyarakat negara kita oleh penjajah adalah diimportterus dari Britain. Sistem tersebut adalah berdasarkan falsafah liberalisma, iaitu satu falsafah yang membenarkan ahli masyarakat menganut agama tetapi pada masa yang sama menghadkan amalan agama tersebut kepada beberapa perkara ritual sahaja. Oleh yang demikian, sistem ekonomi yang diperkenalkan kepada masyarakat Malaysia adalah langsung tidak berdasarkan prinsip-prinsip ‘Maqasid Syariah’.Di samping itu, peraturan-peraturan Islam dalam aspek muamalah seperti pengharaman amalan riba, gharar dan lain-lain langsung diketepikan di dalam sistem ekonomi negara.
Dasar dan objektif pembangunan ekonomi negara yang membelakangkan prinsip dan peraturan Syariah Islam ini diteruskan dalam dekad-dekad berikutnya walaupun kemerdekaan negara telah dicapai.Walaupun pemimpin kerajaan silih berganti, namun dasar dan objektif pembangunan ekonomi negara ini terus dikekalkan. Kalaupun wujud beberapa perbezaan dalam rancangan-rancangan pembangunan ekonomi negara dari masa ke semasa, namun perbezaan-perbezaan tersebut bukanlah dalam aspek dasar tetapi hanyalah dalam bentuk cara pelaksanaan sahaja.
Dalam kertas ini saya akan berusaha untuk menerangkan secara ringkas, dari perspektif Islam, sejarah dasar dan rancangan pembangunan ekonomi negara dari awal sejarah Malaysia sehingga kini serta implikasinya. Saya juga akan membentangkan beberapa kes berkenaan keadaan ekonomi dan sosial negara-negara maju dan berpendapatan tinggi untuk dijadikan pengajaran bagi kita. Saya akan seterusnya berhujah bahawa dasar pembangunan ekonomi negara perlu dikaji semula kerana selagi hala tujunya membelakangkan prinsip dan ajaran Syariah, maka sebenarnya perancangan pembangunan ekonomi negara tidak akan berjaya menghasilkan suasana yang sejahtera untuk rakyat Malaysia dalam jangka panjang.

Sejarah Pelaksanaan Dasar Pembangunan Ekonomi Negara
Sejarah pelaksanaan rancangan pembangunan negara pada umumnya boleh dibahagikan kepada 3 fasa seperti berikut;
1. Zaman sebelum merdeka
2. Zaman selepas merdeka sehingga 1970
3. Zaman selepas pelaksanaan Dasar Ekonomi Baru bermula 1971
Zaman sebelum merdeka sebenarnya adalah zaman perletakan ‘batu asas’ kepada pelaksanaan program perancangan pembangunan negara.Ianya bermula dengan satu perwakilan dari Bank Dunia membuat beberapa perakuan kepada kerajaan tentang rancangan pembangunan ekonomi negara. Perakuan-perakuan ini telah digunakan oleh kerajaan untuk menghasilkan ‘Rancangan Malaya Pertama (RM1: 1956-1960)’. Matlamat utama rancangan pembangunan tersebut ialah untuk membangunkan ekonomi dengan memberikan penekanan yang lebih kepada sektor luar bandar .
Rancangan Malaya Pertama (RM1) ini disusuli dengan Rancangan Malaya Kedua (RM2:1961-1965).Walaupun negara kita sudah pun merdeka semasa rancangan ini digubal dan dilaksanakan, namun pemikiran dan pendekatan yang digunakan oleh pihak penjajah untuk menentukan dasar pembangunan RM1 terus dikekalkan di dalam Rancangan Malaya Kedua (RM2).Apa yang membezakan antara RM1 dan RM2 hanyalah jumlah peruntukan yang diberikan serta wujudnya proses kajian yang lebih menyeluruh dalam proses perancangan. Namun dari segi dasar dan matlamat, RM1 dan RM2 adalah tidak banyak berbeza.Prinsip-prinsip dan peraturan Syariah masih juga diketepikan.
Sebenarnya sikap membelakangkan prinsip Syariah dalam proses perancangan pembangunan ekonomi negara tidaklah menghairankan. Ini kerana hampir kesemua kakitangan tertinggi kerajaan yang terlibat di dalam aspek perancangan ekonomi negara pada masa itu adalah mereka-mereka yang tidak terdedah kepada pendidikan Syariah.Sebaliknya hampir kesemua mereka telah dididik di dalam institusi pendidikan yang dibangunkan oleh pihak penjajah sama ada di peringkat awal, menengah dan juga tinggi. Ramai juga pemimpin dan kakitangan kerajaan kita telah meneruskan pendidikan tinggi mereka di universiti-universiti di Britain dalam bidang undang-undang dan ekonomi. Mungkin kerana itulah, persoalan sama ada sistem kewangan dan ekonomi negara selari atau tidak dengan Syariah Islam langsung tidak menjadi isu kepada perancang-perancang tersebut. Sebagai contoh, tidak langsung wujud perdebatan sama ada sistem perbankan berasaskan amalan riba yang telah diperkenalkan dan dilaksanakan di negara kita semasa era penjajahan patut dikekalkan atau tidak di dalam sistem ekonomi kita walaupun amalan riba adalah jelas haram dan dianggap sebagai satu dosa yang besar dari perspektif Islam.
Rancangan Malaya Kedua (RM2: 1961-1965) disusuli pula oleh Rancangan Malaysia Pertama (RMP: 1966-1970).RMP ini sebenarnya juga tidaklah berbeza dari rancangan-rancangan sebelumnya dari segi dasar.Sekali lagi, perbezaan yang wujud hanyalah berkenaan jumlah peruntukan yang lebih besar di bawah RMP.Di samping itu terdapat juga penekanan aspek integrasi di kalangan rakyat Malaysia dari berbagai kawasan geografi seperti integrasi rakyat Semenanjung dan rakyat dari Sabah dan Sarawak.
Pada Mei 1969, rusuhan perkauman telah berlaku yang melibatkan ramai jiwa terkorban.Akibatnya, kerajaan telah menggubal Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) yang menjadi asas kepada Rancangan Malaysia Kedua (RMD: 1971 -1975). Aspek terpenting yang ditekankan oleh DEB ialah usaha perpaduan negara melalui strategi serampang dua mata, iaitu membasmi kemiskinan dengan meningkatkan pendapatan dan menambah peluang-peluang pekerjaan untuk semua rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira kaum; dan menyusun semula masyarakat supaya dapat mengurangkan dan seterusnya menghapuskan pengenalan kaum mengikut fungsi ekonomi.Walau bagaimana pun, pada dasarnya, dari kacamata Syariah, DEB tidak berbeza dari dasar-dasar di dalam rancangan-rancangan sebelum ini iaitu menjadikan pembangunan ekonomi sebagai objektif utama usaha pembangunan negara. Dasar ini diteruskan di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Ketiga (RMT: 1976-1980), Rancangan Malaysia Keempat (RME:1981 -1985) dan Rancangan Malaysia Kelima (RMK:1986-1990).
Terdapat sedikit keunikan Rancangan Malaysia Kelima (RMK) berbanding dengan rancangan-rancangan sebelumnya kerana pada tahun 1985, kerajaan Malaysia telah memperkenalkan satu dasar baru yang dinamakan `Dasar Penerapan Nilai-Nilai Islam Dalam Pentadbiran’.Dasar ini telah dilaksanakan kerana kerajaan pada masa itu merasakan terdapat kesedaran baru di kalangan masyarakat tentang `kemurnian Islam dan peranan yang boleh dan patut dimainkannya dalam hal ehwal negara dan peribadi’. Ini telah mendorong kerajaan persekutuan untuk mengambil usaha-usaha baru mengenai hal ehwal Islam termasuklah penubuhan sekolah-sekolah menengah agama berasrama penuh, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, Bank Islam, Syarikat Insurans Islam dan pengukuhan Bahagian Hal-Ehwal Islam, Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Namun dasar ini langsung tidak merubah dasar dan pendekatan negara dalam aspek pembangunan ekonomi.Sistem perbankan berasaskan amalan riba terus dikekalkan dan pembangunan ekonomi masih menjadi matlamat utama usaha-usaha pembangunan.
Tempoh DEB telah berakhir pada tahun 1990 dan telah digantikan dengan beberapa initiatif pembangunan lainseperti berikut:
i) Wawasan 2020
ii) RRJP2 dan Dasar Pembangunan Nasional (DPN) dan
iii) Rancangan Malaysia Keenam (RM6: 1991-1995).
Di dalam kesemua inisiatif di atas, pertumbuhan ekonomi sebagai objektif utama usaha pembangunan negara masih lagi dikekalkan.Cuma ianya diperincikan lagi menurut sektor. Disamping itu juga, terdapat penekanan kepada sektor pembuatan dimana sumbangan sektor ini kepada KDNK diunjurkan meningkat dari 27% menjadi 37% pada tahun 2000 dan juga penekanan kepada usaha penswastaan dan pengurangan sektor awam. Seterusnya Rancangan MalaysiaKetujuh, Rancangan Malaysia Kelapan dan Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan juga meneruskan perkara-perkara di atas.
Di bawah pentadbiran Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, dasar pembangunan ekonomi negara diterjemahkan melalui dua bentuk inisiatif iaitu Model Ekonomi Baru (MEB) dan Rancangan Transformasi Kerajaan (Government Transformation Program – GTP). MEB dikatakan berbeza dengan rancangan-rancangan yang lepas kerana memberi penekanan kepada perkara-perkara berikut:
a) Memfokuskan kepada kualiti pelaburan dan modal insan
b) Memberi penekanan kepada inisiatif dari sektor swasta
c) Proses yang lebih ‘decentralised’
d) Membenarkan pertumbuhan yang tidak seimbang dari segi geografi
e) Menawarkan insentif hanya kepada sektor yang boleh menambah nilai
f) Memperkukuhkan hubungan dengan negara rantau Asia dan Timur Tengah
g) Menarik minat pekerja asing yang berkemahiran
GTP pula adalah suatu usaha untuk membuatkan kerajaan lebih efektif dengan mengenal pasti beberapa National Key Result Areas (NKRAs). Dari aspek ekonomi, matlamat GTP adalah jelas iaitu menjadikan Malaysia sebuah negara kaya atau berpendapatan tinggi dengan pendapatan per kapita sebanyak USD15,000 atau RM48,000 pada tahun 2020.
Jelas kepada kita bahawa walaupun terdapat beberapa perbezaan kecil dari segi penekanan diantara rancangan-rancangan pembangunan ekonomi kerajaan semenjak sebelum merdeka sehingga sekarang, namun matlamat serta dasar dan pendekatan pembangunan ekonomi negara adalahtidak berubah.Objektifnya ialah untuk mempertingkatkan jumlah pendapatan negara secepat mungkin supaya negara boleh dikategorikan sebagai sebuah negara membangun dan berpendapatan tinggi.Dasar dan pendekatan yang digunakan ialah melalui pasaran bebas dan berpandukan amalan liberalisma.

Adakah Berpendapatan Tinggi Menjamin Kesejahteraan Negara?
Satu persoalan yang mungkin ditanya oleh mereka yang mengkaji sejarah negara ini ialah kenapakah perancang dan pemimpin negara Malaysiabegitu gigih sekali berusaha untuk memastikan negara kita mencapai taraf ‘negara membangun dan berpendapatan tinggi’?Jawapan kepada soalan tersebut agak mudah iaitu kerana mereka berkeyakinan penuh bahawa kesejahteraan negara dan rakyatnya hanya akan terjamin apabila negara kita mencapai taraf ‘negara membangun dan berpendapatan tinggi’. Oleh kerana itulah maka dasar pembangunan ekonomi negara kita dari dulu hingga sekarang langsung tidak berubah.Namun sebenarnya dasar dan strategi pembangunan ekonomi negara kita bukanlah unik.Sebenarnya hampir kesemua negara di dunia mempunyai dasar dan matlamat yang sama.Cuma ada yang telah berjaya mencapai taraf ‘membangun dan berpendapatan tinggi’ dan ada, termasuk negara kita, yang masih belum walaupun sudah berusaha selama lebih dari separuh abad setelah merdeka.
Negara-negara yang telah mencapai taraf tersebut adalah kebanyakannya dari benua Eropah Barat, benua Amerika Utara (kecuali Mexico) dan beberapa negara di Asia iaitu Singapura, Jepun dan Korea Selatan.
Persoalan yang harus ditanya ialah adakah kesemua negara-negara tersebut sedang menikmati keadaan politik, sosial dan ekonomi yang sejahtera? Di bawah ini saya akan bincangkan beberapa negara yang termasuk di dalam kategori ‘membangun dan berpendapatan tinggi’ tetapi pada masa yang sama telah melalui krisis dan masalah ekonomi. Adalah diharapkan agar kita mendapat beberapa pengajaran dari pengalaman mereka.
Jepun
Jepun adalah negara pertama di Asia yang mencapai taraf negara maju dan berpendapatan tinggi dan juga negara Asia pertama yang menjadi ahli kelab OECD (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development iaitu kelab negara-negara kaya) dan juga G7.Mungkin ramai yang menyangka bahawa Jepun adalah negara yang ‘berjaya’ dan layak dicontohi. Namun sebenarnya Jepun telah mengalami masalah kemelesetan ekonomi yang sangat teruk semenjak tahun 1989 lagi.Masalah tersebut masih lagi berterusan sehingga sekarang.
Keadaan kemerosotan ekonomi yang dialami oleh Jepun ini sering disebut sebagai ‘The Lost Decades’ (Dekad-dekad yang hilang). Ianya bermula apabila pasaran aset terutama sekali dalam sektor hartanah dan pasaran saham jatuh menjunam pada tahun 1989.Apa yang paling penting untuk diberi perhatian ialah bahawa salah satu faktor yang menyumbang kepada masalah Jepun ialah ‘kejayaan’ ekonominya sendiri selama dua dekad sebelum itu. Pada tahun 1970an Jepun mula mencabar negara-negara Eropah dan Amerika dalam bidang pembuatan. Pada tahun 1980an Jepun adalah negara pengeskpot yang paling berjaya di dunia dan dengan itu, sistem kewangan negara tersebut telah menerima dana dalam jumlah yang sangat besar dari luar.
Dana yang masuk ke negaraberkenaan terus mengalir masuk ke dalam sistem perbankan kewangan Jepun dan ini menggalakkan sektor perbankannya memberi pinjaman yang sangat besar kepada individu dan syarikat-syarikat di Jepun.Akibatnya, Jepun mengalami pertambahan mendadak di dalam aktiviti-aktiviti spekulasi terutamanya dalam pasaran hartanah dan saham.Harga aset melambung tinggi dan jumlah hutang dikalangan individu dan organisasi perniagaan juga turut meningkat berkali ganda. Ini kerana bank-bank Jepun teleh memberi pinjaman sebanyak 353 trillion yen kepada syarikat-syarikatJepun dalam sektor-sektor pembinaan, peruncitan, hartanah, dan perkhidmatan kewangan.Keadaan ini seterusnya telah menghasilkan satu ‘bubble’ atau belon kewangan yang besar.
Keadaan sebegini tidak dapat dikekalkan dan apabila pasaran menyedari bahawa harga yang tinggi itu sebenarnya hanya cerminan aktiviti spekulasi dan bukannya permintaan sebenar maka harga hartanah dan saham telah jatuh menjunam. Inimenyebabkan ramai penghutang tidak dapat membayar hutang mereka sehingga banyak syarikat dan individu-individu diisytiharkan menjadi muflis. Keadaan ini akhirnya telah menyebabkan ekonomi Jepun mengalami proses pengecutan sehingga sekarang.
Amerika Syarikat
Di dalam kes Amerika Syarikat pula, sebuah negara kaya yang berada di kedudukan ke-5 dan GNP per kapita lebih dari USD33,000 (lebih kurang 10 kali ganda Malaysia) telah menghadapi beberapa kali krisis ekonomi dalam sejarahnya semenjak kurun ke-18 lagi. Krisis ekonomi yang paling masyhur ialah pada tahun 1930an dan juga yang berlaku baru-baru iniiaitu pada tahun 2008. Kisah krisis pada tahun 2008 sama sahaja, iaitu negara tersebut telah mengalami prestasi ekonomi yang baik pada awal dan pertengahan tahun 2000an. Hakikat sebenar yang berlaku pada masa itu ialah kewujudan spekulasi yang besar dalam sektor hartanah di negara berkenaan.Namun yang anehnya ialah walaupun semua mengetahui bahawa spekulasi itu sedang berlaku tetapi oleh kerana harga hartanah sedang meningkat naik, kebanyakan syarikat dan individu telah tidak dapat menahan diri dari terjebak sama di dalam aktiviti spekulasi tersebut. Sikap tamak ini didorong oleh kemudahan dana yang senang diperolehi dari sektor perbankan. Penggunaan instrumen kewangan yang canggih telah membantu membuat keadaan ini bertambah teruk dan apabila ianya berakhir, lebih dari USD16 trillion telah hilang dari pasaran saham dalam tempoh di antara 1 September 2008 hingga 25 Oktober 2008.Jumlah hutang dikalangan masyarakatnya juga begitu tinggi. Ekonomi Amerika jatuh merudum dalam tahun 2008 dan kes muflis di negara tersebut pada tahun 2008 melepasi jumlah 1 juta kes.
Iceland
Bagaimana pula dengan Iceland, yang mempunyai GNI per kapita sebanyak USD27,473 atau lebih dari 9 kali ganda GNI per kapita Malaysia?
Menurut satu laporan, ekoran dari krisis kewangan yang melanda negara itu pada tahun 2008, sistem perbankan Iceland sudah ranap dan GNP negara itu merosot sebanyak 65%. Banyak syarikat dinegara tersebut muflis dan ramai ahli perniagaannya yang bercadang untuk memindahkan operasi mereka ke negara lain. Hampir satu pertiga rakyat juga bercadang untuk berhijrah ke negara lain. Pada masa ini kerajaan Iceland sedang menghadapi tekanan kuat dari kerajaan Britain dan Belanda untuk membayar pampasan kepada rakyat mereka yang telah meletakkan duit mereka di dalam bank-bank Iceland yang telah muflis.
Greece
Bagaimana pula dengan Greece yang mempunyai pendapatan GNI per kapita hampir 4 kali ganda Malaysia?Pada 23 April 2010 kerajaan Greece terpaksa meminta bantuan kewangan dari EU dan IMF. Bantuan itu berjumlah USD61 billion.Pada bulan Mei 2010 pula, kerajaan Greece mengumumkan langkah berjimat cermat supaya dapat meyakinkan kerajaan German agar dapat memberi pinjaman kepada Greece.Langkah jimat cermat ini telah dikutuk oleh rakyat Greece dan pada 5 Mei 2010 satu mogok awam di seluruh negara telah diadakan.Mogok itu dilaporkan menjadi ganas dan menyebabkan 3 nyawa terkorban.

Ireland
Bagaimana pula dengan Ireland, yang mempunyai GNI per kapita lebih dari 7 kali ganda Malaysia?Pada awal dan pertengahan dekad pertama abad baru ini, Ireland telah menunjukkan prestasi yang begitu membanggakan.Ireland dikatakan ekonomi yang paling berjaya di Eropah.Malangnya kejayaan ini tidak kekal.Pada tahun 2008, Ireland telah mula mengalami krisis ekonomi yang teruk yang memaksa kerajaannya mengumumkan secara rasmi pada bulan September 2008 bahawa negara itu sedang mengalami kemelesetan ekonomi. Kadar pengangguran naik mendadak pada bulan-bulan berikutnya.Ramai pekerja hilang pekerjaan dan perasaan marah terhadap kerajaan Ireland meluap-luap.
Namun demikian, kerajaan Ireland terpaksa mengumumkan langkah penjimatan kerana keadaan kewangan kerajaan terlampau lemah. Jabatan kewangannya melaporkan bahawa defisitnegara berjumlah €4.5 billioniaitu 6.6% dari belanjawan kerajaan. Bank pusat negara berkenaan juga melaporkan bahawa negara itu sedang mengalami penguncupan keluaran yang tidak pernah dialami dalam sejarah negara itu dengankadar kejatuhan GDP sebanyak 6% serta kadar pengangguran sebanyak 11%. Pada 21 Februari 2009, sejumlah 100,000 orang telah mengadakan tunjuk perasaan di ibukota Dublin dan pada 22 Januari 2011 Perdana Menterinya telah terpaksa meletakan jawatan.
Bagaimana pula dengan negara-negara berpendapatan tinggi lain di rantau Asia seperti Korea Selatan dan Singapura? Korea Selatan mempunyai GNI per kapita berjumlah USD19,231sementara Singapura mempunyai jumlah GNI per kapita sebanyak USD20,000.Adakah mereka negara-negara contoh untuk kita?
Korea Selatan
Dalam kes Korea Selatan, pada tahun 1960an negara tersebut adalah jauh di belakang Malaysia dari aspek prestasi ekonomi dan pendapatan per kapita.Pada tahun 1962, GNI per kapitanya hanya USD87 sementera GNI per kapita Malaysia adalah USD304.Namun demikian di bawah pentadbiran Presiden Park Chung Hee, negara tersebut telah mengalami pertumbuhan ekonomi yang sungguh pesat. Purata kadar pertumbuhan GNI negara itu dari tahun 1962 hingga ke 1989 ialah lebih dari 8%. Pada tahun 1989, GNI per kapita Korea mencecah USD4,830 berbanding USD2,071 dalam kes Malaysia.Sektor pembuatan negara tersebut juga berkembang pesat dari 14.3%GNP pada tahun 1962 menjadi 30.3% pada tahun 1987. Akibat dari pertumbuhan ekonomi yang pesat itu, kerajaan Malaysia di bawah pimpinan Dr. Mahathir telah berusaha untuk mencontohi KoreaSelatan dan telah merangka ‘Industrial Master Plan’nya pada tahun 1986 dengan dibantu oleh seorang perunding dari Korea Selatan.
Walau bagaimanapun, pada tahun 1997 Korea Selatan telah mengalami krisis ekonomi yang teruk yang mengakibatkan negara berkenaan terpaksa memohon pinjaman dari IMF yang akhirnya berjanji membekalkan USD60 billion untuk membantu negara tersebut mengatasi masalah yang dihadapi. Apa yang telah berlaku ialah di dalam proses membangunkan ekonominya, Korea Selatan telah meminjam dana dari luar negara dengan banyak. Apabila matawang Korea Selatan iaitu won jatuh pada tahun 1997 semasa krisis ekonomi melanda Asia Tenggara dan Korea Selatan, hutang tersebut telah meningkat dan ini menyebabkan syarikat-syarikat Korea Selatan yang berhutang telah tidak dapat membayar hutang tersebut. Jika syarikat-syarikat tersebut tidak mendapat bantuan kewangan, sudah tentu mereka akan jatuh muflis dan ini akan menyebabkan jutaan pekerja akan kehilangan kerja dan seterusnya besar kemungkinana akan mengakibatkan masalahsosial. Bagi mengelakkan dari berlakunya keadaan ini, Korea Selatan telah terpaksa memohon pinjaman dari IMF sebanyak USD60 billion dan menerima syarat-syarat ketat yang dikenakan oleh institusi tersebut termasuk membenarkan pemilikan ekuiti lebih dari 55% dan beberapa syarat-syarat lain. Walaupun mendapat pinjaman dari IMF, namun jumlah pengangguran di Korea Selatan tidak dapat dielakkan dan pada tahun 1998, kadarnya meningkat dari 2.5% sebelum krisis ke 6.5 % selepas krisis .Satu lagi aspek yang membimbangkan tentang Korea Selatan ialah peningkatan jumlah hutang dikalangan rumahtangga (household debt).Pada tahun ini, hutang rumahtangga berbanding dengan pendapatan tolak cukai (disposable income) ialah 150%, iaitu yang tertinggi di dunia selepas Britain. Pada tahun 2008, kadar hutang rumahtangga berbanding GDP di Korea Selatan ialah 300% (berbanding 76% pada tahun 2009 di Malaysia). Tekanan sosial akibat dari krisis ekonomi serta peningkatan kadar hutang di dalam negara dapat dilihat daripada kenaikan dalam kadar bunuh diri dikalangan rakyat Korea Selatan. Diantara tahun 1990 sehingga 2006, jumlah bunuh diri dikalangan lelaki Korea Selatan dilaporkan bertambah tiga kali ganda dan sekarang ini Korea Selatan adalah negara yang mempunyai kadar bunuh diri tertinggi bukan sahaja di Asia bahkan juga di kalangan negara-negara kaya OECD.
Singapura
Satu lagi negara yang tinggi dari aspek kadar bunuh diri di kalangan negara-negara Asia ialah Singapura. Pada tahun 2006, adalah dilaporkan bahawa kadar bunuh diri di Singapura adalah 10.3 per 100,000, iaitu kadar yang tertinggi di kalangan negara-negara Asia Tenggara. Perlu diambil perhatian juga bahawa Singapura adalah negara pertama di kalangan negara-negara Asia Tenggara yang mencapai taraf negara membangun.GNI per kapita negara tersebut adalah lebih dari USD20 ribu.Satu lagi fakta yang menarik berkenaan Singapura ialah terdapat agak ramai dikalangan rakyatnya yang hendak meninggalkan negara tersebut. Sebagai contoh, satu kajian yang dilakukan pada tahun 2002 menunjukkan sebanyak 20% rakyatnya, kebanyakannya dari kumpulan professional dan berkelayakan dan berpendapatan tinggi, mahu meninggalkan negara tersebut. Peratus ini telah meningkat secara mendadak berbanding hanya 14% berdasarkan kajian yang sama yang dilakukan hanya sembilan bulan sebelum itu. Hasil kajian berkenaan, yang tidak berbeza dengan kajian-kajian lain yang dilakukan sebelum itu, menunjukkan bahawa faktor utama ialah kos kehidupan yang tinggi serta sistem pendidikan yang terlampau ‘menekan’ (stressful) yang dihadapi oleh anak-anak mereka. Satu kajian yang dilakukan pada tahun 2010 pula menunjukkan bahawa 1 dari 2 orang dikalangan golongan muda di Singapura berniat untuk meninggalkan negara tersebut di masa hadapan. Di antara alasan-alasan yang diberikan termasuklah kos kehidupan yang tinggi, cara hidup yang terlampau cepat (hectic) dan tidak wujud keseimbangan dalam aspek kehidupan dan kerja (work-life balance).

Pengajaran dari Pengalaman Negara Kaya
Apakah yang boleh kita pelajari dari kisah-kisah ekonomi di negara-negara di atas yang hampir kesemuanya telah melalui krisis ekonomi yang teruk, bahkan lebih teruk dari negara kita?
1. Kekayaan sesebuah negara tidak menjamin kesejahteraan.
Apa yang telah kita lihat dengan jelas dari pengalaman negara-negara tersebut di atas ialah walaupun mereka kesemuanya mempunyai kadar GNI per kapita yang lebih tinggi dari negara kita, namun mereka telah tidak dapat mengelak dari mengalami krisis ekonomi yang teruk yang melibatkan jutaan rakyat mengalami kesengsaraan. Masalah kemiskinan dikalangan golongan bawahan di dalam masyarakat akan bertambah dan ini bermakna jutaan kanak-kanak kecil, wanita dan orang-orang tua yang berada dalam keluarga miskin tersebut akan hidup di dalam keadaan yang tertekan dan perit. Jurang perbezaan antara miskin dan kaya akan bertambah dan ini akan menghasilkan berbagai masalah sosial seperti perceraian dan jenayah.
2. Negara yang beramal dengan sistem kewangan berasaskan riba akan menghadapi kemelut kewangan
Hampir kesemua negara yang disebutkan sebelum ini menghadapi krisis ekonomi yang teruk kerana mengamalkan sistem ekonomi riba. Bahkan jika dikaji, kita akan mendapati bahawa amalan riba yang berleluasa di dalam masyarakat merekalah yang menjadi faktor penyumbang utama kepada krisis yang berlaku. Dalam erti kata yang lain, jika sesebuah negara mengalami pertumbuhan ekonomi yang pesat serta berjaya meningkatkan pendapatan berkali ganda sekali pun, tetapi jika ekonomi negara tersebut adalah berdasarkan amalan riba, maka lambat laun negara tersebut akan tetap mengalami krisis.
3. Kadar pertumbuhan yang memberansangkan adalah petanda akan berlakunya krisis
Di dalam sesebuah negara yang mengamalkan sistem riba, prestasi ekonomi yang bagus langsung tidak bermakna bahawa krisis ekonomi tidak akan melanda negara tersebut pada masa hadapan. Bahkan seperti kita lihat di dalam kes negara-negara di atas, khususnya Iceland dan Ireland, prestasi ekonomi yang memberangsangkan adalah faktor utama kepada krisis ekonomi mereka. Dalam erti kata yang lain, prestasi ekonomi yang memberangsangkan adalah seolah-oleh petanda kepada suasana krisis yang akan menyusul.
4. Suasana kesejahteraan sesebuah negara besar kemungkinan diganti dengan suasana kacau bilau dan kesengsaraan dinegara-negara yang mencapai GNI per kapita yang tinggi melalui polisi ekonomi yang bertunjangkan kepada amalan riba
Pengalaman negara-negara tersebut di atas jelas menunjukkan bahawa kesejahteraan yang dialami adalah sementara dan lambat laun akan diganti dengan suasana kesengsaraan yang dasyat apabila suasana pertumbuhan ekonomi diganti dengan suasana kemelesetan ekonomi yang mendadak. Apa yang membuat keadaan lebih teruk lagi ialah apabila kemelesetan ekonomi itu berkait rapat dengan fenomena tahap hutang yang tinggi di kalangan organisasi dan individu. Ini semua adalah perkara yang pasti akan berlaku jika polisi pembangunan negara dilaksanakan dalam sistem sistem ekonomi yang bertunjangkan kepada amalan riba.

Rumusan
Pada masa ini kepimpinan negara kita sedanggiat melakukan usaha mentransformasikan masyarakat. Salah satu dari usaha yang dilakukan dan menjadi fokus utamanya ialah mentransformasikan ekonomi negara kita supaya ianya menjadi negara kaya atau negara berpendapatan tinggi dengan GNI per kapita mencapai USD15,000, iaitu 5 kali ganda GNI per kapita sekarang. Namun hakikatnya, seperti yang terbukti di dalam beberapa kes contoh negara kaya lain di atas, kesejahteraan jangka panjang masyarakat langsung tidak akan terjamin dengan usaha-usaha yang berbentuk itu. Bahkan apa yang mungkin berlaku ialah negara akan menghadapi krisis ekonomi yang teruk di masa hadapan.
Ini adalah kerana model pembangunan yang digunakan oleh negara kita adalah sama dengan yang telah digunakan oleh negara lain yang telah mengalami krisis ekonomi dan kewangan yang teruk. Salah satu faktor penyumbang kepada masalah mereka ialah wujudnya unsur riba yang kuat dalam sistem ekonomi mereka.Akibat dari itu timbullah masalah hutang yang teruk di pelbagai peringkat iaitu individu, organisasi perniagaan dan juga kerajaan. Negara-negara tersebut masih tidak sedar bahawa dasar dan matlamat pembangunan ekonomi mereka adalah di atas landasan yang salah dan oleh itu mereka tidak akan dapat menyelesaikan masalah yang mereka hadapi. Kalaupun ada ‘improvement’ di dalam ekonomi mereka, keadaan itu sebenarnya adalah bersifat sementara sahaja. Lambat laun negara-negara tersebut akan menghadapi masalah kembali dan mungkin dalam kadar yang lebih teruk.
Sebenarnya nasib yang sama akan melanda negara kita jika kita terus menggunakan dasar dan matlamat pembangunan ekonomi yang sama. Kemelesetan ekonomi yang telah kita alami dengan teruk pada tahun 1997 akan datang kembali. Satu perkara yang kita harus sedar ialah di dalam negara kita yang berbilang bangsa dan kaum, suasana politik adalah sangat berkait rapat dengan semangat perkauman.Oleh itu kemelesetan dan kesengsaraan ekonomi mempunyai potensi yang kuat untuk menjadi pencetus kepada konflik perkauman yang dasyat dan berdarah.Oleh itu, adalah sangat penting bagi kita mencari model pembangunan yang betul-betul boleh menjamin keharmonian dan kesejahteraan yang berpanjangan.
Oleh kerana majoriti penduduk negara kita adalah beragama Islam yang yakin akan kebenaran Islam dan kebijaksanaan Allah s.w.t., sepatutnya tidaklah menjadi masalah untuk mencari model pembangunan tersebut. Sepatutnya semua dikalangan majoriti penduduk Islam dari berbagai lapisan sedar bahawa caraatau model atau pendekatan sebenar untuk mentransformasikan negara bagi mencapai kesejahteraan masyarakat jangka panjang ialah dengan cara yang telah diajarkan dan ditunjukkan kepada kita oleh Ar-Rasul s.a.w. Mungkin salah satu sebab kenapa ianya tidak berlaku ialah kerana ramai dikalangan penduduk Islam di negara kita tidak betul-betul sedar tentang perkara ini. Jika itulah punca masalahnya, maka tidak ada jalan lain yang mesti kita tempuhi melainkan meningkatkan kefahaman dan ilmu di kalangan umat Islam di negara ini tentang ajaran Islam yang sebenar. Semoga kertas ini dan kertas-kertas lain yang akan dibentangkan di dalam seminar ini akan menyumbang ke arah usaha-usaha berkenaan dan akan diberi ganjaran oleh Allah s.w.t..
Akhir sekali, saya ingin mengingatkan kita semua kepada dua potong ayat di dalam Al-Quran yang merujuk kepada tajuk yang kita bincangkan iaitu:
لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ (١٩٦) مَتَـٰعٌ۬ قَلِيلٌ۬ ثُمَّ مَأۡوَٮٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ‌ۚ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمِهَادُ (١٩٧) لَـٰكِنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ رَبَّهُمۡ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٌ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا نُزُلاً۬ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٌ۬ لِّلۡأَبۡرَارِ (١٩٨)
Maksudnya :
Jangan sekali-kali engkau (wahai Muhammad) terpedaya oleh usaha gerakan orang-orang yang kafir di dalam negeri (yang membawa keuntungan-keuntungan kepada mereka). (Semuanya) itu hanyalah kesenangan yang sedikit, (akhirnya akan lenyap), kemudian tempat kembali mereka Neraka Jahanam dan itulah seburuk-buruk tempat ketetapan. Tetapi orang-orang yang bertakwa kepada Tuhan mereka, mereka beroleh Syurga-syurga yang mengalir di bawahnya beberapa sungai, mereka kekal di dalamnya, sebagai tempat sambutan tetamu (yang meriah dengan nikmat pemberian) dari Allah dan (ingatlah) apa jua yang ada di sisi Allah adalah lebih bagi orang-orang yang berbakti (yang taat, yang banyak berbuat kebajikan). (Surah Al Imran 196-198)

وَيَـٰقَوۡمِ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ يُرۡسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيۡڪُم مِّدۡرَارً۬ا وَيَزِدۡڪُمۡ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمۡ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوۡاْ مُجۡرِمِينَ

Dan wahai kaumku! Mintalah ampun kepada Tuhan kamu, kemudian kembalilah taat kepadaNya, supaya Dia menghantarkan kepada kamu hujan lebat serta menambahkan kamu kekuatan di samping kekuatan kamu yang sedia ada dan janganlah kamu membelakangkan seruanku dengan terus melakukan dosa! (Surah Hud: 52)

Challenges facing the Islamic Movement in Egypt

2011-01-31T11:15:00.003+08:00

If the Mubarak regime collapses, the group thag will be in charge of Egypt will have a big challenge The country's public debt is USD172.8 billion (80% of GDP). Foreign debt is more than USD30 billion. The price of bread and other food is currently heavily subsidised and most of the subsidies is financed through foreign aid given by the US government (BTW, Egypt is reportedly the second largest receipient of foreign aid from the US, the largest being Israel). If the future Egyptian government is not going to borrow money from Riba sources and the US government refuses to give any more aid, then most likely the subsidies cannot continue. Therefore price of food will rise drastically and most likely the people will get angry again. If the government is lead by the Islamic movement i.e the Muslim Brotherhood, the ensuing difficulties may not necessarily cause discontent and anger among its members. This because the prerequisite training (or Tarbiyah) which all Brotherhood members have to undergo would have prepared them to face any eventualities. After all, some members of the Muslim Brotherhood have spent years in Egyptian prisons and those types of hardhips are much worse than hardships associated with rise in food prices and unemployment. But what about the rest of the Egyptian society? Are they going to quietly accept the pain and sufferings that may come when food prices go up? Or are they going to get angry at the government and say that Muslim brotherhood leaders are not capable of running the economy? Will they then say that Islam is only good on paper but not so in reality? Will that force the future government to temporarily seek loans from Riba institutions or aid from the US government? What will be the reaction of Muslims when they see the Muslim Brotherhood government borrowing money from Riba sources?
The Muslim Brotherhood must NOT be seen to be too eager to be in power. It must clarify to the Egyptian people that the current economic problems faced by the country is largely due to the country's adoption of riba-based economic and financial systems and that as long as the systems are in place there is no quick solution to the problem. Therefore, the main task facing the country is to free itself from the systems. However this process cannot be achieved overnight. So the people must be patient and must work together with the government to dismantle the non-functional and destructive Riba-based systems.

Kepentingan Kejelasan Objektif Perjuangan Islam

2011-01-16T11:56:00.004+08:00

Menurut laporan Star hari ini (16 Jan 2011), kerajaan selangor telah meminta MPSJ supaya menarik balik arahan dan seterusnya membenarkan orang berugama Islam berkerja di pusat hiburan yang menyediakan minuman keras. Ahli politik Pas pula berselisih faham tentang perkara ini.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/1/16/nation/7810858&sec=nation

Saya berasa sungguh sedih dengan perkembangan tersebut di atas. Terutama sekali melihat pertelingkahan pendapat dikalangan pemimpin politik Pas di dalam perkara ini. Malaysia sekarang sangat memerlukan kepada sebuah organisasi Islam yang meletakkan usaha 'penegakkan syariah' di atas segala2 nya. Sekarang ini apa yang berlaku ialah kebanyakkan organisasi politik meletakkan kepentingan politik mereka di atas kepentingan Islam.
Episod diatas juga membuktikan kepada kita bahawa jika rakyat masih jahil tentang Islam dan tidak menghayatinya, maka jika sesebuah parti Islam beroleh kuasa, maka lambat laun parti tersebut akan menghadapi masaalah dengan rakyat sendiri.
Oleh itu jelaslah bahawa bagi sesebuah organisasi Islam, tak kira lah sama ada organisasi itu adalah sebuah NGO (seperti IKRAM) atau sebuah parti politik (seperti PAS) tugas mereka yang paling utama ialah mendidik masyarakat tentang Islam dan memupuk kesedaran di kalangan mereka tentang keperluan utk semua menghayatinya sepenuhnya. Kemenangan pilihanraya adalah bukan objektif utama gerakan Islam. Ia tidak boleh mengorbankan tugas utama tersebut. Itulah strategi dan gerak kerja Ikhwan Muslimin di Mesir dan juga Hamas di Gaza. Dan itulah yang mesti dilakukan oleh IKRAM. Janganlah IKRAM terbawa2 dengan isu2 politik masakini dan janganlah ia menjadi lebih takut kepada kehilangan sokongan rakyat lebih dari takutnya kepada Allah azza wajalla.
Wallahua'lam.

PENGHAPUSAN RIBA: SYARAT PENTING EKONOMI BERKEADILAN

2010-08-09T08:25:00.004+08:00

Kertas ini telah dibentangkan di Seminar Maqasid Syariah: `Menggagas Model Ekonomi Berkeadilan' sempena Ijtima’ Harakiy Pertama anjuran ABIM, WADAH dan PKPIM
Tarikh: 7 Ogos 2010 M
Bersamaan: 26 Sya’ban 1431 H
Hari: Sabtu
Masa: 8:00 pagi hingga 4:30 petang
Tempat: Dewan Gemilang Mercu Idaman, German-Malaysian Institute, Kajang, Selangor

Pengenalan

Baru-baru ini kerajaan telah mengumumkan Model Ekonomi Baru sebagai langkah untuk memastikan Malaysia akan mencapai objektif-objektif yang telah disasarkan sebelum tahun 2020. Beberapa langkah telah dikenalpasti di samping beberapa sektor yang akan diberi perhatian yang serius. Namun, satu aspek penting yang telah gagal diberi perhatian ialah penghapusan amalan riba di dalam sistem ekonomi negara. Sebenarnya sebagai seorang Islam yang percaya bahawa Allah adalah Maha Bijaksana dan Maha Mengetahui, kita patut yakin, sedar dan insaf bahawa mana-mana model ekonomi yang beramalkan dengan riba tidak akan berjaya menghasilkan suasana ekonomi yang sejahtera dan berkeadilan. Bahkan sistem ekonomi tersebut akan lambat laun menghadapi suasana krisis yang akan mewujudkan kesengsaraan kepada semua ahli masyarakat.
Di dalam kertas ini, saya akan mengimbas kembali sejarah krisis ekonomi dan kewangan di dalam sistem ekonomi di beberapa tempat di dunia termasuk Eropah dan Amerika Syarikat untuk menghuraikan perkara tersebut dengan lebih lanjut.

Kegagalan Pakar Ekonomi
Paul Krugman, seorang profesor di dalam bidang ekonomi dari Amerika Syarikat yang juga pemenang Hadiah Nobel 2008 dalam bidang ekonomi telah mengaku bahawa beliau telah gagal meramalkan betapa seriusnya krisis ekonomi sub prima Amerika Syarikat yang bermula pada tahun 2008. Begitu juga Alan Greenspan, bekas pengerusi Federal Reserve Board di Amerika Syarikat yang pernah dikatakan sebagai pakar di atas segala pakar dalam bidang ekonomi, juga telah mengaku bahawa beliau gagal meramalkan krisis ekonomi sub prima tersebut. Termasuk juga dalam senarai adalah Prof Jeffrey Sachs dari Columbia University yang pernah memuji kehebatan ekonomi di Asia Tenggara pada tahun 1996 sejurus sebelum semua ekonomi negara-negara di Asia Tenggara jatuh menjunam pada tahun 1997. Jelaslah bahawa pendapat ramai `pakar-pakar’ bidang ekonomi dari barat tidak semuanya boleh dipercayai dan diterima bulat-bulat oleh kita.
Satu lagi perkara yang harus disedari ialah krisis ekonomi yang sekarang melanda Amerika Syarikat dan Eropah sedang berlaku di negara yang dikatakan `maju’. Tambahan pula negara-negara tersebut dikatakan mempunyai sektor kewangan yang paling hebat dan canggih, sistem kawalan dan peraturan yang paling rapi, institusi pengajian tinggi yang paling terkemuka dalam bidang ekonomi dan kewangan, serta jumlah pakar ekonomi dan pemenang hadiah Nobel dalam bidang ekonomi yang paling ramai. Tidakkah ini satu keganjilan yang harus difikirkan dengan mendalam?
Satu perkara yang harus kita memperingatkan diri kita ialah pakar-pakar ekonomi barat langsung tidak merasakan bahawa amalan riba adalah amalan yang buruk. Walhal Allah s.w.t. telah berfirman:
“Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, bertaqwalah kamu kepada Allah dan tinggalkanlah saki baki riba itu jika benar kamu orang yang beriman. Oleh itu kalau kamu tidak juga melakukan (perintah meengenai larangan riba itu) maka ketahuilah kamu: akan adanya peperangan Allah dan Rasulnya, (akibatnya kamu tidak menemui selamat).Dan jika kamu bertaubat, maka hak kamu ialah pokok asal harta kamu.(Dengan yang demikian) kamu tidak berlaku zalim kepada sesiapa, dan kamu juga tidak dizalimi oleh sesiapa.” (Al-Baqarah: 278-279)

Sebenarnya, manusia yang sanggup menolak amaran Allah yang sangat jelas itu bagi kita orang tersebut adalah orang yang bodoh dan sesat walau berapa banyak anugerah Nobel yang diterimanya sekalipun.

Ekonomi Berkeadilan
Apakah yang dimaksudkan sebagai ekonomi berkeadilan? Ada yang merasakan bahawa ekonomi berkeadilan adalah di mana semua orang akan mempunyai pendapatan yang sama. Bagi mereka keadilan ekonomi ialah keadaan di mana tidak wujudnya dua golongan dalam masyarakat – iaitu satu golongan pemodal yang kaya dan satu lagi golongan pekerja yang miskin. Oleh itu bagi mereka, keadilan ekonomi yang hakiki adalah di mana semua orang akan mempunyai pendapatan yang sama dan ini hanya boleh dicapai apabila modal tidak dimiliki oleh individu secara peribadi tetapi dimiliki secara kolektif. Mereka merasakan apabila terhapusnya kumpulan pemodal maka terhapuslah juga penindasan ke atas kumpulan pekerja. Ini adalah pendapat kumpulan sosialis dan komunis yang diasaskan oleh Karl Marx.

Pada pandangan Islam pendapat di atas tidak boleh diterima kerana adalah salah untuk menghalang seseorang individu dari memiliki modal dan seterusnya menggunakannya untuk berniaga dan mendapat keuntungan darinya. Semenjak dari zaman Rasulullah s.a.w. lagi di dalam masyarakat Islam, individu dibenarkan memiliki modal dan berniaga dan seterusnya mengaut keuntungan. Golongan pemodal ini seterusnya ada yang mengupah pekerja untuk membantu dalam perniagaan mereka. Namun suasana penindasan ke atas pekerja yang ditakuti akan berlaku oleh kumpulan sosialis telah tidak wujud di dalam masyarakat Islam. Oleh itu isu keadilan sosial atau keadilan ekonomi tidak langsung menjadi topik perbincangan. Cuma apabila masyarakat Islam meninggalkan ajaran Islam sebenar, yakni apabila mereka mula mencedok ilmu dari masyarakat barat dan seterusnya menjalankan kehidupan mereka berlandaskan sistem barat barulah timbul isu keadilan sosial dan ekonomi. Di Malaysia, episod ketidakadilan sosial dan ekonomi ini pernah menghasilkan suasana keganasan yang berdarah yaitu pada 13 Mei 1969. Akibatnya kerajaan Malaysia telah memperkenalkan DEB dalam usaha untuk memastikan perkara seperti itu tidak berlaku lagi. Malangnya selepas berpuluh tahun pelaksanaannya, suasana ketidakadilan ekonomi masih dapat dirasakan. Malah mungkin dalam beberapa aspek ia bertambah teruk. Sekarang kita sering mendengar cerita di mana majikan gagal membayar gaji ratusan pekerja yang malang kerana syarikat sudah muflis dengan hutang berjuta ringgit. Kita juga sering mendengar kisah ratusan, malah ribuan pekerja yang dibuang oleh syarikat walaupun mereka telah berpuluh tahun memberi sumbangan yang setia kepada syarikat. Kemiskinan dan kemelaratan di dalam masyarakat masih berleluasa tanpa mengira bangsa. Akibatnya kadangkala ada yang terpaksa melakukan jenayah untuk memberi makan kepada ahli keluarga. Ada yang menjadi pencuri, ada yang menjadi peragut beg tangan, ada yang menjadi pengedar dadah dan ada yang menjadi pelacur.
Kerajaan menyedari akan keadaan kebajikan yang menyedihkan di kalangan setengah golongan masyarakat. Oleh itu kerajaan telah memperkenalkan dasar baru untuk menangani masalah yang dihadapi. Tetapi malangnya dari segi dasar tidak ada perubahan yang mendadak berbanding dengan dasar-dasar yang dilaksanakan sebelum ini. Kesemuanya masih lagi berasaskan pemikiran dan sistem barat di mana amalan riba tidak dilihat sebagai satu masalah yang serius. Ini mungkin kerana mereka yang bertanggungjawab merangka polisi ekonomi negara ini tidak menyedari kepentingan kepatuhan kita kepada ajaran Allah sepenuhnya dalam semua aspek kehidupan kita termasuk di dalam bidang ekonomi. Mungkin juga mereka tidak menyedari akan bagaimana amalan riba adalah salah satu dari punca utama kepada berlakunya ketidakadilan ekonomi.

Oleh yang demikian ada baiknya bagi kita mengkaji hubungan amalan riba dan fenomina `ketidakadilan ekonomi’ dengan lebih mendalam. Untuk tujuan itu, kes yang paling baik untuk dikaji ialah apa yang telah berlaku di Eropah bermula pada kurun ke 18 dan 19. Ini adalah kerana keadaan ketidakadilan yang berlaku di Eropah pada masa itu adalah di antara yang paling serius sehinggakan ia telah memberi implikasi yang luas dan mendalam kepada perkembangan sejarah sosio-politik di seluruh dunia, termasuk di negara kita sendiri .

Penindasan Dan Ketidakadilan Ekonomi Di Eropah
Kisah penindasan dan ketidakadilan ekonomi kepada golongan bawahan dan pekerja di Eropah pada kurun ke-18 dan kurun ke-19 adalah sangat masyhur dan diketahui umum. Pada masa itu, Eropah juga sedang mengalami satu perubahan yang mendadak dari segi sosio-politik yang dikenali sebagai proses `Revolusi Industri’. Di bawah adalah laporan berkenaan keadaan ekploitasi pekerja dan kanak-kanak di Britain pada masa itu:
“In the factories, people had to work long hours under harsh conditions. Factory owners and managers paid the minimum amount necessary for a work force, often recruiting women and children to tend the machines because they could be hired for a much lower wage. Soon, critics attacked this exploitation, particularly the use of child labor.”

“Workers also had to labor for many hours, often more than 12 hours a day, sometimes more than 14, and people worked six days a week. Factory workers faced strict rules and close supervision by managers and overseers.”

“…vast differences existed between the rich and the poor…”

“Although the overall health and material conditions of the population improved, critics continued to point to urban crowding and the harsh working conditions in the factories. The youngest children in the textile factories were usually employed as scavengers and piecers. Piecers had to lean over the spinning-machine to repair the broken threads. Scavengers had to pick up the loose cotton from under the machinery. This was extremely dangerous as the children were expected to carry out the task while the machine was still working”.

“Children were sometimes hit with a strap to make them work faster. In some factories children were dipped head first into the water cistern if they became drowsy. Children were also punished for arriving late for work and for talking to the other children. Apprentices who ran away from the factory were in danger of being sent to prison. Children who were considered potential runaways were placed in irons. They would also have weights tied to their necks if they weren't working quick or well enough.”

“One of the main concerns about the number of textile workers was the safety of the factories. Unguarded machinery was a major problem for children working in factories. There were reports that every year there was nearly a thousand people treated for wounds and mutilations caused by machines in factories. Workers were often abandoned from the moment the accident occurred.”

Akibat dari keadaan ekploitasi di atas yang begitu dasyat yang berlaku pada masa itulah maka pemikir terkenal Karl Marx telah mencadangkan satu pendekatan atau falsafah politik baru untuk manusia yang terkenal sebagai fahaman Komunisma.

Karl Marx dan Komunisma
Di dalam sebuah makalah bertajuk Ökonomisch-philosophische Manuskripte aus dem Jahre 1844 (Economic and Political Manuscripts of 1844), Karl Marx menceritakan bagaimana proses kapitalisma membawa kesengsaraan kepada kehidupan manusia. Menurut beliau, sistem kapitalis menjadikan golongan pekerja menjadi `objek’ atau alat pengeluaran seperti sumber-sumber yang lain juga. Ini menghasilkan keadaan `alienation’ (pemisahan) di mana sumbangan kerja seseorang buruh menjadi terpisah dari individu buruh itu sendiri sebagai seorang manusia. Seseorang buruh dihargai semata-mata berdasarkan sumbangan tenaganya dan tidak lagi berdasarkan dirinya sebagai manusia. Dalam erti kata yang lain, nilai atau harga diri buruh adalah semata-mata berdasarkan keupayaannya menyumbang kepada proses pengeluaran. Akibatnya, pekerja menjadi komoditi seperti komoditi-komoditi pengeluaran yang lain yang wujud hanya untuk kegunaan proses pengeluaran supaya golongan pemodal dapat meraih keuntungan. Akibatnya buruh akan semakin tertindas dan terdesak. Pada pendapat Karl Marx, sejarah sosial dunia di masa lampau dan akan datang adalah semata-mata berkenaan konflik antara golongan atau kelas yang menindas dan golongan atau kelas yang ditindas. Di dalam konteks suasana perindustrian di Eropah, ia adalah di dalam bentuk kumpulan `bourgeoisie’ (atau mereka yang memiliki tanah, sumber, kilang dan lain2 sumber pengeluaran) menentang kumpulan `proletariat’ (mereka yang bekerja untuk mendapat upah). Kumpulan `bourgeoisie’, dalam usaha mereka untuk menjadi lebih kaya akan sentiasa mencari-cari sumber-sumber pengeluaran. Kejayaannya melakukan perkara demikian akan menghasilkan pertambahan modal. Dia juga akan sentiasa berusaha untuk membina kilang-kilang dan bandar-bandar yang lebih besar, mengeluarkan produk-produk yang baru serta memperolehi komoditi pengeluaran (termasuk buruh) dengan harga yang lebih murah. Sementara itu, nilai sumbangan kerja kumpulan `proletariat’ akan semakin kurang nilainya di mata pihak `bourgeoisie’. Oleh kerana itu pengaruh politik mereka di dalam masyarakat akan semakin lemah.
Namun, ada jalan keluar bagi mereka. Menurut Marx, oleh kerana mereka adalah ramai dan menjadi majoriti dalam masyarakat, sebenarnya mereka mempunyai potensi untuk melakukan perubahan kepada nasib mereka. Caranya ialah dengan mencabar dan menjatuhkan kumpulan `bourgeoisie’ dari tapak kuasa dan mewujudkan sistem baru berbentuk `Komunisma’ yang akan menjamin keadilan kepada semua ahli masyarakat. Di dalam suasana baru itu, semua individu termasuk golongan pekerja tidak akan lagi ditindas.

Tetapi malangnya Karl Marx telah tersilap di dalam analisis beliau. Sebenarnya, seperti yang kita sebut di atas, bentuk penindasan yang berlaku di hadapan mata beliau dan yang telah memberi kesan yang begitu mendalam kepada beliau hanya berlaku di Eropah. Di tempat lain, penindasan adalah dalam bentuk yang lain manakala di setengah tempat, khususnya di dalam masyarakat Islam ianya tidak berlakunya langsung walau pun terdapat golongan pemodal dan golongan buruh. Hakikat ini sangat penting disedari kerana masyarakat Islam sejak zaman Rasululllah s.a.w. lagi telah membenarkan aktiviti ekonomi dijalankan di bawah suasana di mana terdapat golongan pemodal dan juga golongan pekerja yang diupah. Tambahan pula, masyarakat Islam telah berjaya menjana aktiviti-aktiviti keilmuan dan inovasi yang telah memberikan sumbangan yang tidak ternilai kepada perkembangan peradaban Eropah. Sumbangan tersebutlah yang akhirnya membantu Eropah meninggalkan zaman kegelapan Eropah ( European dark ages) dan seterusnya mewujudkan proses `Revolusi Perindustrian’.

Suasana di Dalam Masyarakat Islam
Semasa Eropah melalui era Renaissance dan Revolusi Perindustrian, pada masa yang sama di dalam masyarakat Islam juga berlaku aktiviti ekonomi yang pesat. Walaupun kadar pertumbuhan aktiviti-ekonomi ekonomi tersebut tidak setinggi kadar yang berlaku di Eropah semasa era Revolusi Perindustrian (kerana satu faktor penting yang akan diterangkan nanti di dalam kertas ini), namun satu perbezaan yang ketara di antara masyarakat Islam dan masyarakat perindustrian Eropah ialah tidak wujudnya permasalahan jurang perbezaan pendapatan di antara golongan miskin dan yang kaya. Memang betul ada perbezaan pendapatan di antara golongan yang kaya dan golongan yang miskin yang mendapat bantuan zakat dan sebagainya. Namun ianya tidak berlaku pada tahap yang menimbulkan masalah dan konflik antara mereka. Di samping itu, di dalam masyarakat Islam juga tidak wujud suasana penindasan dan penganiayaan terhadap golongan pekerja. Oleh itu penggunaan istilah `bourgeoisie’ dan `proletariat’ bagi dua kumpulan penting yang berkonflik di dalam masyarakat seperti yang digunakan oleh Karl Marx tidak langsung digunakan oleh pemikir Islam kerana ianya tidak relevan langsung. Sebaliknya di dalam masyarakat Islam, konflik yang ditekankan adalah di antara kumpulan `Hak’ dan kumpulan `Batil’, di antara Hisb-Allah dan Hisb-AsySyaitan, di antara kumpulan Mukmin terhadap Thagut dan penyokongnya. Dalam erti kata yang lain perjuangan yang ditekankan bukannya perjuangan untuk menggulingkan kumpulan pemodal di dalam masyarakat tetapi adalah pejuangan untuk memastikan kebenaran risalah Islam terserlah dan syariah disebarkan dan dilaksanakan di seluruh pelusuk bumi. Untuk tujuan itu, golongan yang kaya berkerjasama dengan golongan yang miskin, bersatu dengan erat di bawah semangat iman dan jihad.
Kenapakah suasana begitu berbeza di antara masyarakat Islam dan Eropah pada masa itu? Sudah tentu terdapat berbagai faktor yang bertanggungjawab. Ini termasuk perbezaan dari sikap ahli masayarakat terhadap kehidupan dunia, terhadap harta dan kekayaan dan terhadap sesama sendiri. Faktor-faktor tersebut adalah penting tetapi memerlukan kupasan di dalam makalah yang lain. Di dalam kertas ini, faktor pembeza yang akan dikaji ialah faktor `amalan riba’. Semasa amalan riba sedang mengalami perkembangan yang pesat di Eropah, di dalam masyarakat Islam industri riba langsung tidak wujud kerana ajaran Islam adalah sangat jelas tentangnya iaitu satu dosa yang besar yang sama beratnya dengan dosa besar yang lain seperti zina. Umat Islam diajar oleh ulamak mereka bahawa tiada dosa yang disebut di dalam ayat Al-Quraan yang juga diiringi dengan amaran bahawa sesiapa yang beramal dengan dosa tersebut adalah layak diperangi oleh Allah dan Rasulnya. Oleh kerana itulah industri riba tidak wujud langsung di dalam masyarakat Islam selama lebih dari seribu tahun selepas wafatnya Rasulullah s.a.w..
Sebenarnya suasana yang serupa juga wujud di tempat-tampet yang lain kerana agama-agama lain termasuk Yahudi, Kristian, Hindu, dan Buddha juga mengutuk keras amalan riba ini. Di kalangan orang Yahudi, ia dibenarkan hanya jika peminjam adalah bukan orang Yahudi, terutamanya orang Kristian kerana Rabbi mereka mengatakan bahawa dengan cara mengenakan bunga kepada peminjam Kristian, maka mereka akan dapat melemahkan musuh mereka. Kita kena sedar pada masa itu, orang Yahudi ditekan dengan hebat oleh orang Kristian. Begitu juga ramai ahli falsafah seperti Aristotle dan Thomas Aquinas sangat menentang amalan riba ini. Namun, pada kurun ke-16 orang Kristian Eropah telah mengubah ajaran asal agama Kristian yang tidak membenarkan bunga dikenakan ke atas pinjaman. Ia bermula dengan usaha seorang paderi bernama John Eck yang pada tahun 1515 berhujah selama 5 jam di Universiti Bologna mengatakan pendapat Aristotel dan Thomas Aquinas yang menentang amalan riba adalah salah. John Eck, ditaja oleh sebuah keluarga kaya `The Fuggers of Augsburg’. Beliau disusuli pada tahun 1536 oleh seorang lagi paderi Protestan bernama John Calvin. Pendapat dan pandangan mereka telah berjaya mempengaruhi ramai paderi Kristian yang lain dan amalan riba mula berleluasa di dalam masyarakat.
Lama kelamaan ia berkembang dan menjadi industri apabila golongan kaya Kristian merasakan bahawa cara itu adalah lebih senang dan kurang risiko berbanding dengan cara berdagang. Dengan wujudnya secara sah sekumpulan ahli perniagaan yang menjadikan aktiviti memberi hutang sebagai industri mereka, maka ahli perniagaan mula meminjam wang untuk menambahkan modal perniagaan mereka. Akibat dari wujudnya peluang untuk memperolehi wang dari pinjaman ini, maka aktiviti perniagaan dan perindustrian di Eropah mula berkembang dengan lebih cepat berbanding dengan tempat yang lain di mana aktiviti memberi hutang sebagai satu industri tidak dibenarkan. Tambahan pula apabila orang yang berhutang ini kebanyakkannya terdiri dari golongan ahli perniagaan, persepsi amalan riba sebagai sesuatu yang negatif dan satu bentuk `eksploitasi’ semakin berkurangan. Oleh itu, bukan sahaja ekonomi dan perindustrian berjalan cepat, malahan industri riba juga berkembang pesat.

Di samping itu, telah timbul juga beberapa pemikir liberal kapitalis seperti Jeremy Bentham dan Adam Smith yang menyokong kuat amalan riba ini. Jeremy Bentham telah menulis buku `In Defense of Usury’ di mana beliau mengatakan bahawa riba atau (`usury’ dalam bahasa Inggeris) merujuk kepada keadaan : "The taking of a greater interest than the law allows... (or) the taking of greater interest than is usual”.
Dalam erti kata yang lain, pengenaan bunga kepada pinjaman semata adalah bukannya riba. Yakni, jika kadar bunga yang dikenakan adalah `tidak terlampau tinggi’ dan peminjam bukannya seorang miskin yang melarat, maka pada pandangan beliau pinjaman dalam bentuk ini bukanlah riba.
Begitu juga Adam Smith, di dalam bukunya yang masyhur bertajuk ‘Wealth Of Nations’ yang diterbitkan pada tahun 1776, mengatakan bahawa:
"The interest or the use of money…is the compensation which the borrower pays to the lender, for the profit which he has an opportunity of making by the use of the money. Part of that profit naturally belongs to the borrower who runs the risk and takes the trouble of employing it; and part to the lender, who affords him the opportunity of making this profit."
Hujah di atas oleh Adam Smith menjadi dasar kepada kaedah atau konsep `kos melepas’ atau `opportunity costs’ dan `kos modal’ atau `cost of capital’ yang biasa diajar dalam mata pelajaran ekonomi dan kewangan sehingga ke hari ini, termasuk di Malaysia tanpa dimaklumkan kepada mereka bahawa dari pandangan Islam semuanya adalah salah. Ini kerana pada pandangan Islam, lebihan yang dikenakan ke atas jumlah asal hutang, walau sekecil mana pun asalkan ia adalah lebihan atau tambahan kepada jumlah pinjaman asal adalah haram dan ianya adalah riba.

Oleh kerana masyarakat Eropah sudah tidak lagi menyanjung tinggi pendapat golongan paderi berbanding dengan pendapat pemikir sekular seperti Adam Smith dan Jeremy Bentham, maka Eropah telah menerima amalan riba dengan penuh kerelaan hati tanpa sedikit pun merasakan ianya satu amalan yang keji dan salah. Yang anehnya ialah kegagalan di kalangan masyarakat Eropah untuk menyedari bahawa konsep yang dikupas oleh Adam Smith di atas mengandungi elemen `kepentingan diri sendiri’ yang sangat jelas. Adam Smith mengandaikan bahawa segala usaha perniagaan pasti akan menghasilkan keuntungan kepada pengusaha yang meminjam wang dan oleh sebab itulah peminjam mesti membayar balik hutangnya beserta dengan bunga tanpa mengira sama ada pengusaha sebenarnya mungkin telah mengalami kerugian akibat dari usahanya. Risiko kerugian adalah mesti ditanggung oleh pengusaha sepenuhnya. Pemiutang langsung tidak mahu tahu apakah sebab pengusaha mengalami kerugian. Pemiutang juga enggan langsung berkongsi beban kerugian tersebut. Pemiutang langsung tidak berminat untuk mengetahui kisah-kisah kesengsaraan si penghutang. Keutamaanya hanya satu iaitu pembayaran balik jumlah prinsipal beserta bunga.

Satu kisah benar yang berlaku pada tahun 2004 menjadi contoh yang terbaik untuk menerangkan aspek di atas. Ia berlaku apabila seorang pegawai tinggi Asian Development Bank ditanya sama ada bank beliau akan memaafkan hutang nelayan miskin Indonesia yang telah hilang sumber pendapatan apabila bot mereka dimusnahkan oleh ombak tsunami yang telah mengorbankan ribuan nyawa. Jawaban beliau ringkas dan jelas : “ Pemaafan hutang adalah istilah yang tidak wujud dalam daftar istilah (vocabulary) kami. Tetapi kami sanggup membantu mereka dengan memberikan hutang tambahan”.

Sikap ini mungkin memeranjatkan sesetengah orang tetapi bagi mereka yang bekerja di dalam bidang kewangan ini langsung tidak memeranjatkan.
Satu lagi aspek yang gagal difahami oleh ramai orang ialah bahawa konsep bunga dan riba adalah sebenarnya tidak praktikal dari segi jangka panjang. Perkara ini dijelaskan oleh seroang peguam Amerika bernama John Whipple di dalam bukunya “The Importance of Usury Laws – An Answer to Jeremy Bentham’ yang ditulis pada tahun 1836. Di dalam buku tersebut John Whipple menerangkan bagaimana amalan riba jika menjadi sebahagian dari sistem kewangan wang logam adalah tidak munasabah. Menurut beliau:
"If 5 English pennies ... had been ... at 5 per cent compound interest from the beginning of the Christian era until the present time, it would amount in gold of standard fineness to 32,366,648,157 spheres of gold each eight thousand miles in diameter, or as large as the earth."
Di samping itu John Whipple juga menerangkan hujah Aristotle yang pada pandangan beliau tidak difahami oleh Adam Smith dan Jeremy Bentham. Menurut John Whipple:
"…the purpose of money is to facilitate exchange. It was never intended as an article of trade, as an article possessing an inherent value in itself, (but) as a representative or test of the value of all other articles. It undoubtedly admits of private ownership but of an ownership that is not absolute, like the product of individual industry, but qualified and limited by the special use for which it was designed...."

Namun pendapat John Whipple tidak diendahkan oleh masyarakat Eropah. Amalan riba menjadi berleluasa dan akhirnya berkembang menjadi sebuah industri yang dinamakan industri perbankan. Sebahagian dari ahli masyarakat yang kaya yang sebelum itu mencari sumber hidup melalui aktiviti perdagangan mengambil keputusan untuk menjadi pemberi hutang atau money lenders, kerana bukan sahaja pulangannya yang lumayan bahkan risikonya juga jauh lebih rendah. Risiko dan usaha ditanggung oleh usahawan yang menjadi peminjam kepada bank yang mereka. Maka bermulalah era perbankan di Eropah pada kurun ke-16

Inovasi Yang Menyumbang Kepada Perkembangan Industri Riba
Terdapat beberapa inovasi yang berlaku di Eropah yang menyumbang kepada perkembangan yang pesat di dalam sektor perbankan dan kewangan ini.

Pertama ialah penggunaan wang kertas untuk menggantikan wang komoditi atau logam (emas atau perak). Penggunaan wang kertas ini di bawah sistem Fractional Reserve System membolehkan pihak bank memberi pinjaman pada jumlah yang berganda dari jumlah wang logam yang dipegang oleh mereka. Dengan cara ini pihak bank akan dapat memaksimakan keuntungan bunga yang diperolehi. Apabila jumlah wang kertas menjadi begitu besar dan sektor kewangan gigih untuk memperkembangkan industri mereka, wang komoditi emas dan perak hanya digunakan sebagai `piawaian’ sahaja dan sistem ini dikenali sebagai sistem `Gold Standard’ atau `Piawaian Emas’. Tetapi apabila industri perbankan terus berkembang, emas juga tidak berupaya menjadi piawaian dan akhirnya juga telah digugurkan dari sistem kewangan Eropah.
Oleh itu tidak hairanlah kenapa sektor ini tidak stabil kerana pemilik bank yang tamak dan ingin cepat kaya akan memberikan jumlah hutang yang berganda lebih besar dari jumlah deposit di dalam banknya. Dan ketidakstabilannya jelas kelihatan dari awal lagi kerana krisis perbankan dan kewangan sentiasa berlaku di Eropah semenjak kurun ke-17 lagi. Sebabnya ialah apabila memberi hutang menjadi satu industri yang dibenarkan, dua kumpulan akan wujud iaitu kumpulan yang rakuskan pendapatan bunga melalu aktiviti memberi pinjaman dan kumplan yang rakus untuk membesarkan perniagaan mereka dan tidak takut untuk berhutang dengan jumlah yang besar.

Dalam suasana yang sedemikian, sudah tentu keadaan terlebih hutang dan terlebih memberi hutang senang berlaku. Apabila ianya berlaku, maka berlakulah krisis perbankan atau kewangan. Apabila industri ini semakin besar, maka krisis semakin kerap berlaku dan semakin serius. Mangsanya juga semakin ramai dan mula melibatkan orang ramai yang tidak mempunyai kaitan secara langsung dengan amalan riba ini, terutama sekali di kalangan pekerja bawahan dan di kalangan yang miskin dan lemah. Ini kerana apabila sesebuah syarikat menghadapi keadaan yang tenat akibat krisis kewangan di dalam sistem ekonomi, mereka akan membuang pekerja dan biasanya yang dibuang adalah pekerja yang kurang mahir. Jika perniagaan itu bersaiz besar, maka pekerja yang dibuang mungkin berjumlah ribuan.

Inovasi kedua ialah konsep syarikat. Pada mulanya aktiviti perniagaan di Eropah dan di mana-mana tempat adalah dilakukan oleh individu. `Cottage Industry’ atau industri kampung berleluasa di dunia termasuk di Eropah. Kadangkala beberapa individu akan berpakat dan menubuhkan satu `perkongsian’ atau `partnership’ untuk melakukan aktiviti perniagaan. Cara berniaga adalah satu kebiasaan di dalam banyak masyarakat selama ribuan tahun dan tidak langsung menimbulkan apa-apa masaalah. Ini termasuk masyarakat Melayu kampung di Tanah Melayu. Namun demikian, di dalam suasana di mana aktiviti memberi hutang menjadi satu aktiviti yang lumrah dan penting, cara ini boleh menimbulkan beberapa masalah. Masalah utama ialah individu yang meminjam wang dari bank mungkin meninggal dunia dan di bawah akta undang-undang, jika seseorang individu (atau seorang rakan kongsi) yang terlibat dalam sesuatu kontrak perniagaan (termasuk kontrak pinjaman) meninggal dunia, maka maka kontrak tersebut akan secara automatik menjadi batal. Ini menimbulkan masalah jika kontrak tersebut adalah di dalam bentuk `pinjaman wang’ kerana peminjam akan mengalami kerugian. Oleh itu firma kewangan lama-kelamaan akan merasa keberatan untuk memberi pinjaman yang berjumlah besar kepada individu atau kepada perkongsian. Maka jika industri kewangan ingin berkembang maka satu inovasi perlu dilakukan untuk menyelesaikan masaalah ini. Inovasi tersebut adalah dengan mewujudkan satu `entiti’ yang akan terus wujud walaupun individu yang terlibat telah meninggal dunia. Entiti tersebut ialah joint stock corporation atau `syarikat’. Yang meminjam wang dari bank bukan lagi seorang individu tetapi sebuah entiti guaman yang tidak mati walaupun pemilik entiti tersebut sudah meninggal dunia. Dengan berlakunya inovasi ini maka aktiviti ekonomi di Eropah berubah dari dijalankan oleh individu dalam skala yang kecil yang disebut sebagai cottage industries tadi kepada yang dijalankan oleh `syarikat’ dalam skala yang semakin besar. Syarikat boleh meminjam dalam jumlah yang banyak untuk tempoh masa berpuluhan tahun. Dan untuk memperolehi penjimatan kos, maka motivasi untuk mewujudkan skala pengeluaran yang besar adalah sangat tinggi. Dengan berkembangnya jumlah syarikat di dalam sistem ekonomi Eropah, maka berkembanglah revolusi industri di Eropah. Itulah sebabnya kenapa Eropah berjaya meninggalkan negara Islam dari segi pertumbuhan ekonomi dan perindustrian.

Implikasi Negatif
Jelas bahawa faktor penyumbang utama kepada perkembangan perindustrian ekonomi Eropah yang pesat adalah sistem kewangan berteraskan riba. Terdapat dua implikasi negatif utama dari sistem ekonomi di atas: Pertama adalah penindasan kepada golongan pekerja dan yang kedua adalah berlakunya episod krisis kewangan.
Berkenaan aspek penindasan dan eksploitasi, kita telah melihat beberapa gambaran di awal kertas ini yang memovitasikan pemikir seperti Karl Marx untuk mencadangkan penghapusan pihak pemodal. Entiti perundangan baru yang dicipta yang seolah-olah mempunyai `nyawanya sendiri’ iaitu `syarikat’ mula bersaing sesama sendiri untuk menjana keuntungan dengan beberapa cara yang menghasilkan keadaan ekploitasi dan penindasan. Seperti yang disebut sebelum ini, salah satu cara yang penting ialah operasi pada skala yang besar (large scale operation) untuk memperolehi penjimatan kos dari aspek `ekonomi skala’. Kilang akan dibuat pada saiz yang sebesar mungkin. Dengan itu, untuk menambahkan daya saing masing-masing, syarikat-syarikat mula menjadi semakin besar dengan jumlah hutang yang semakin besar. Pada masa yang sama adalah penting bagi mereka menurunkan kos mereka untuk memaksimakan jumlah untung. Faktor tersebutlah yang memaksa syarikat meminimakan kos upah yang diberikan kepada pihak pekerja.
Keadaan ini berterusan sehingga hari ini dengan keadaan persaingan yang semakin sengit. Apa yang kita hadapi sekarang ialah keadaan persaingan melampau atau `hyper-competition’ di antara syarikat gergasi antarabangsa. Syarikat gergasi ini pula kesemuanya mempunyai hutang yang juga gergasi besarnya. Sebagai contoh, hutang syarikat General Motors dari Amerika Syarikat pada tahun 2008 sejurus sebelum syarikat itu menghadapi situasi `insolvency’ ialah US$172.81 billion sementara di dalam dalam sektor kewangan hutang Lehman Brothers, syarikat kewangan gergasi dari Amerika Syarikat ialah USD613 billion. Kedua-dua syarikat tersebut terpaksa ditolong oleh kerajaan Amerika. Ini adalah kerana jika kedua-dua syarikat itu menggolong tikar, maka seluruh ekonomi negara Amerika akan menghadapi masalah yang lebih teruk yang mengakibatkan berjuta orang akan kehilangan kerja. Tetapi adakah masalah di Ameirka selesai dengan langkah yang diambil oleh kerajaan Amerika itu? Tentu sekali tidak! Ini kerana kerajaan Amerika sendiri sekarang telah menanggung hutang sebanyak lebih dari USD13 trillion.
Di dalam keadaan hutang sektor korporat dan awam begitu tinggi, maka terpaksalah badan yang terlibat memastikan bahawa kos operasi dapat dikurangkan. Oleh kerana itu di Amerika Syarikat sekarang, jutaan orang telah dibuang kerja dan dalam keadaan yang merana. Mereka tiada lagi sumber pendapatan dan tidak ada organisasi yang mahu mengambil mereka sebagai pekerja. Jika mereka membeli rumah dengan berhutang dan tidak lagi mampu membayar hutang tersebut, maka rumah mereka akan dirampas dan mereka akan dihalau keluar. Mereka akan menjadi `orang yang tiada tempat tinggal’ atau `homeless people’. Sekarang ini dianggarkan kumpulan homeless people ini adalah dianggarkan berjumlah antara 2.3 hingga 3.5 juta . Adalah dianggarkan sekurang-kurangnya seramai 37,000 individu tanpa tempat tinggal (termasuk 16,000 kanak2) tinggal di kediaman sementara di bandaraya New York setiap malam.
Kenapakah keadaan ini boleh terjadi di sebuah negara yang dikatakan negara termaju dan berdaya saing tinggi? Tidak lain dan tidak bukan kerana negara tersebut telah beramal dengan riba dan menjadikannya sebagai salah satu dari industri yang terpenting di dalam sistem ekonominya.
Tetapi bukan Amerika Syarikat sahaja yang beramal dengan riba. Sekarang ini riba telah diamalkan dengan meluas dan menjadi industri penting di seluruh dunia. Akibatnya ialah kesengsaraan, kacau bilau dan penganiayaan golongan lemah dan miskin di serata tempat di dunia.
Sebagai contoh, baru-baru ini kita melihat bagaimana negara Greece tersungkur. Kerajaannya berhutang dengan banyak daripada institusi riba dari Eropah, terutama sekali dari German. Kerajaan Greece berhutang sebanyak USD442 billion dan telah tidak mampu membayar hutang tersebut. Tetapi salah satu sebab utama hutang kerajaan Greece itu adalah begitu tinggi ialah kerana kerajaannya menjalankan projek-projek mahal yang kadangkala tidak perlu untuk menyalurkan duit itu kepada kumpulan elit `oligarchy’ dalam masyarakat Greece. Akhirnya kerajaan Greece menanggung beban hutang yang tinggi sementara golongan elit menjadi bertambah kaya. Beban hutang masih tetap perlu dibayar dan perbelanjaan kerajaan perlu dikurangkan. Akhirnya yang menanggung keperitan dan kepayahan hidup akibat dari perkara ini adalah golongan bawahan.
Inilah yang berlaku di merata-rata tempat termasuk di negara-negara Islam. Sepatutnya masalah ini tidak berlaku di dalam negara Islam. Malangnya kebanyakan negara Islam adalah Islam dari segi nama sahaja tetapi tidak beramal sepenuhnya dengan ajaran Islam. Oleh yang demikian, kita sekarang mendapati bahawa negara Islam hampir kesemuanya beramal dengan sistem riba dan terdapat industri riba di dalam masyarakat.
Walhal masyarakat Islam mengakui bahawa ajaran Islam adalah ajaran yang sempurna kerana datang dari Yang Maha Mengetahui yang juga telah mengajar kita di dalam kitabnya yang suci:
Surah al Baqarah 275.
Tetapi malangnya walaupun terdapat ancaman yang keras ditujukan kepada mereka yang beramal dengan riba namun, amaran ini diketepikan oleh masyarakat Islam. Untuk mengetahui bagaimana ini boleh terjadi kita perlu menyingkap kembali sejarah bagaimana industri riba menjadi industri yang penting di dalam masyarakat Islam.

Riba Datang Ke Negara Islam
Seperti yang dinyatakan sebelum ini, negara Eropah mula beramal dengan amalan riba pada kurun ke-15. Sejurus selepas itu ekonomi mereka berkembang dengan pesat. Namun demikian, ekonomi yang berkembang dengan pesat memerlukan kepada resources atau sumber termasuk sumber bahan mentah. Sumber sebenarnya boleh diperolehi dengan membelinya, tetapi ini memerlukan pembayaran. Namun, kerajaan Eropah keberatan untuk membeli sumber-sumber tersebut kerana ini akan bermakna stok duit di dalam bentuk gold coins akan bertambah kurang. Pada masa itu, pemikiran atau pendekatan yang dominan dalam aspek perdaganganan antarabangsa ialah merchantilism. Oleh itu, negara Eropah tidak suka menggunakan stok duit syiling emasnya untuk tujuan memperolehi sumber. Mereka lebih suka memperolehi sumber dengan cara percuma dan ini hanya boleh berlaku jika negara di mana sumber boleh diperolehi dapat dijajah dan ditakluki. Maka oleh kerana itulah satu proses penjajahan secara besar-besaran telah berlaku di dalam sejarah manusia di mana kuasa-kuasa barat seperti Sepanyol, Britain, Holland, German, Belgium, Portugis dan lain-lain telah datang jauh dari benua Eropah ke benua Afrika, Amerika Selatan dan Asia untuk menjajah dan mengambil sumber-sumber negara yang dijajah dengan percuma. Bukan sahaja bahan mentah yang diambil, di Eropah manusia juga diambil dan dijadikan hamba abdi.
Di samping itu, untuk memperkukuhkan kedudukan penjajahan mereka untuk jangka panjang, mereka juga telah memastikan bahawa minda rakyat di negara yang dijajah juga ditukar agar menyokong usaha mereka. Bagi merealisasikan rancangan mereka, maka institusi pendidikan seperti Malay College of Kuala Kangsar, Victoria Institution dan Universiti Malaya telah dibina untuk mendidik anak-anak tempatan dengan ilmu yang dibekalkan oleh penjajah. Golongan elit di kalangan mereka telah dihantar ke negara asal penjajah untuk melanjutkan pelajaran. Di Malaysia, ramai dari lepasan sekolah elit penjajah dihantar ke United Kingdom untuk mempelajari cara hidup dan pandangan British. Mereka termasuk Tunku Abdul Rahman dan Tun Abdul Razak. Yang tidak dihantar ke sana juga mendapat pendidikan dari universiti tempatan yang juga mengajar ilmu dari sudut pandangan penjajah. Dr. Mahathir sebagai contoh belajar di Universiti Malaya di Singapura. Di dalam bidang ekonomi, mereka diajar pemikiran Adam Smith, Jeremy Bentham dan lain-lain. Besar kemungkinan mereka langsung tidak tahu akan ayat-ayat Al-Quraan berkenaan riba. Sebaliknya mereka diajar konsep cost of capital, interest rates, net present value, internal rates of return dan lain-lain yang kesemuanya adalah konsep riba. Sistem kewangan juga diasaskan berdasarkan kepada sistem riba dan oleh itu Bank Negara ditubuhkan dan berperanan sama seperti Bank of England yang menjadi badan supervision kepada bank komersial dalam satu sistem riba yang terperinci dan rumit. Maka tidak hairanlah kenapa akhirnya sistem eknomi dan kewangan kita adalah mirip sistem mereka.
Malangnya ini juga bermakna bahawa segala masalah yang dihadapi oleh mereka juga akan berlaku di sini. Oleh sebab itulah kita juga menghadapi suasana penindasan pekerja, masalah jurang perbezaan pendapatan yang besar antara yang kaya dan miskin serta masalah beban hutang yang tinggi di semua lapisan masyarakat – individu, organisasi dan juga kerajaan. Kerajaan Malaysia sekarang ini telah berhutang sebanyak hampir RM400 billion dan masalah muflis di kalangn individu semakin bertambah serius. Syarikat-syarikat juga dalam keadaan tertekan untuk mengurangkan kos dan oleh itu cuba membayar gaji yang murah kepada pekerja untuk memaksimakan keuntungan. Apabila keadaan ekonomi merudum, pekerja bawahan akan dibuang. Ramai dari mereka membeli rumah dan kereta dengan berhutang dan apabila mereka dibuang kerja, mereka akan menghadapi suasana yang genting. Ada yang terpaksa meminjam dengan Ah Long dan akhirnya menjadi mangsa kekejaman Ah Long pula. Ada yang terpaksa menjual anak perempuan atau memaksa mereka menjadi pelacur demi untuk membayar hutang keluarga. Tidakkah ini semua bukti tentang ketidakadilan dan penganiayaan di kalangan masyarakat?

Rumusan
Isu keadilan adalah isu yang penting kepada manusia sejak zaman berzaman. Di dalam aspek ekonomi kepentingannya tidak berkurang. Ia menjadi fokus kepada ramai ahli falsafah. Malangnya ramai ahli falsafah yang cuba untuk mencadangkan sistem ekonomi yang berkeadilan telah menggunakan akal mereka masing-masing tanpa merujuk kepada wahyu Allah. Ini disebabkan sikap sombong mereka sendiri yang tidak mahu menjadikan Allah s.w.t. sebagai yang berhak disembah dan dipatuhi dalam semua aspek kehidupan manusia. Akibatnya timbul lah sistem-sistem kapitalis riba serta sosialisma. Sistem sosialisma telah terbukti gagal dengan kejatuhan USSR dan blok Eropah Timur. Sistem kapistalisma barat yang menghalalkan riba sekarang dalam krisis yang kritikal. Kemelut ekonomi dasyat yang sedang dialami oleh Eropah dan Amerika yang masih tidak ada jalan penyelesaian sudah cukup menjadi bukti bahwa sistem kapitalisma yang menghalalkan riba juga akan berakhir dengan kegagalan dan kesengsaraan kepada semua. Oleh itu sudah sampai masanya kita balik ke pangkal jalan dan mewujudkan satu model ekonomi yang betul-betul menjadikan Al-Quraan sebagai dasarnya. Satu aspek dari sistem yang berdasarkan Al-Quraan ialah tiada tempat langsung untuk industri riba kerana ianya adalah dosa yang besar dan dikutuk oleh Allah. Persoalannya, kenapa setelah mengetahui bahawa ianya dikecam oleh Allah dan juga setelah mengetahui bahawa ia adalah punca kepada kegagalan sistem ekonomi barat kita masih degil dan enggan menghapuskannya? Mungkin ia kerana ramai dikalangan mereka yang bertanggungjawab merangka polisi ekonomi negara jahil tentang ajaran Islam sebenar dan tentang keji dan bahayanya amalan riba. Jika itulah sebabnya, maka adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kita semua untuk memastikan mereka keluar dari keadaan jahil yang menyelubungi mereka. Semoga Allah memaafkan kita dan mereka dan semoga Allah selamatkan kita semua dari kemurkaannya.

Pengaruh Zionis

2010-08-09T08:23:00.001+08:00

PENGARUH ZIONIS DI DALAM ORGANISASI PENTADBIRAN DAN PERNIAGAAN

Oleh
Profesor Dr. Mohd Nazari Ismail
Fakulti Perniagaan dan Perakaunan
Universiti Malaya

Kertas yang dibentangkan di
Seminar Baitul Maqdis 2010
Anjuran Persatuan Ulamak Malaysia
07-08 Ogos 2010
Shah Alam, Selangor

Pengenalan
Rakyat Palestin telah ditindas dan dizalimi oleh rejim Zionis semenjak sebelum Perang Dunia Kedua. Sehingga hari ini walaupun kita sudah melangkau ke kurun yang baru, rakyat Palestin masih dibunuh, disiksa, dihalau dan harta mereka dimusnahkan atau dirampas. Antara perkara yang mungkin menjadi persoalan ialah kenapa kezaliman ini masih berlanjutan dengan sewenang-wenangnya dengan disaksikan oleh seluruh masyarakat dunia yang kebanyakannya tidak mangambil kisah tentang kejadian ini? Malahan ada pula yang memberi bantuan kepada rejim Zionis tersebut termasuk negara Islam seperti kerajaan Mesir. Salah satu dari faktornya adalah pengaruh Zionis yang sangat kuat di dunia. Pengaruh ini diperolehi hasil dari keterlibatan mereka di dalam beberapa organisasi pentadbiran dan perniagaan yang penting di dalam beberapa buah negara yang berpengaruh di dunia, terutamanya Amerika Syarikat dan beberapa negara Eropah. Di dalam kertas ini saya akan berusaha untuk menghuraikan lagi perkara tersebut. Saya juga akan membincangkan berkenaan perbezaan Zionis dan Yahudi serta implikasi dari perbezaan tersebut, juga prospek pengaruh Zionis dan negara Israel di masa hadapan.

Definasi Yahudi
Di dalam Al-Quraan, terdapat berpuluh-puluh ayat yang menggunakan perkataan `Yahudi’ atau `Bani Israel’. Ramai ulamak termasuk Dr. Yusuf Qaradawi mengatakan bahawa istilah `ahli kitab’ di dalam Al Quraan merujuk bukan sahaja kepada orang Yahudi (dan Kristian) yang hidup sebelum dan semasa zaman Rasulullah s.a.w. tetapi juga merujuk kepada orang Yahudi (dan Kristian) yang hidup pada zaman sekarang.
Namun apa yang kurang jelas ialah siapakah yang boleh dikatakan sebagai ahli kitab di kalangan mereka yang mengaku diri sebagai Yahudi pada hari ini. Ini adalah kerana orang Yahudi yang hidup pada hari ini telah berpecah kepada banyak kumpulan. Sebagai contoh terdapat kumpulan Yahudi Ashkenazi, Yahudi Sephardim, Yahudi Mezrahim, Yahudi Ithaca, Yahudi Ultra Orthodox, Yahudi Kabbalah, Yahudi Chabad Lubavitch, Yahudi kumpulan Jewish Defence League, Yahudi kumpulan Neturei Karta, Yahudi Reform, Yahudi Conservatives dan sebagainya. Adakah mereka semua boleh dianggap sebagai orang Yahudi tulen atau adakah di kalangan mereka yang tidak layak dipanggil sebagai ahli kitab?
Satu lagi persoalan ialah adakah Yahudi atau ahli kitab yang dimaksudkan di dalam ayat-ayat Al-Quraan juga termasuk mereka yang atheist yakni yang tidak percaya kewujudan Tuhan serta tidak percaya kewujudan kitab-kitab suci? Bagaimana kita boleh memanggil mereka ahli kitab jika mereka tidak yakin dengan kewujudan kitab-kitab suci seperti Injil, Taurat dan Zabur? Ini merupakan satu persoalan penting kerana terdapat satu kajian yang menunjukkan bahawa hanya 48% atau kurang dari separuh orang Yahudi di Amerika percaya tentang ketuhanan dan hanya 24% sahaja yang betul-betul yakin bahawa tentang kewujudan Tuhan. Oleh itu persoalannya ialah adakah ayat-ayat Al-Quraan tentang `ahli kitab’ dan `Yahudi’ merujuk kepada golongan yang langsung tidak beramal dengan ajaran agama Yahudi?
Mungkin salah satu cara kita dapat menjawab persoalan tersebut ialah dengan melihat definasi Yahudi menurut kacamata kebanyakan orang Yahudi sendiri. Menurut Wikipedia, definasi Yahudi adalah seperti berikut:
“Generally, in modern secular usage, Jews include three groups: people who were born to a Jewish family regardless of whether or not they follow the religion; those who have some Jewish ancestral background or lineage (sometimes including those who do not have strictly matrilineal descent); and people without any Jewish ancestral background or lineage who have formally converted to Judaism and therefore are followers of the religion”
Terjemahan: “Secara umum, istilah Yahudi dari kacamata sekular moden, merujuk kepada tiga kumpulan: mereka yang dilahirkan di dalam keluarga Yahudi tanpa mengira samada mereka mengamalkan atau tidak agama Yahudi; mereka yang mempunyai latarbelakang keturunan Yahudi (kadangkala termasuk juga mereka yang mempunyai ibu yang bukan orang Yahudi); dan mereka yang langsung tidak mempunyai latarbelakang keturunan Yahudi tetapi telah menukar agama mereka secara rasmi kepada agama Yahudi dan mengamalkan agama tersebut.”
Walaupun definasi di atas boleh membantu kita mengenali siapakah dia yang dikatakan Yahudi, seringkali terdapat juga kekeliruan tentang `keyahudian’ seseorang individu. Sebagai contoh, walaupun definasi di atas mengatakan bahawa orang Yahudi juga termasuk mereka yang bertukar agama untuk memeluk ajaran Yahudi atau Judaism, terdapat juga kes di mana paderi dan organisasi Yahudi tidak menerima orang yang seperti ini sebagai orang Yahudi kerana proses penukaran agama dilakukan oleh organisasi Yahudi yang dianggap sebagai `liberal’.
Di samping itu, di kalangan Yahudi Orthodox, hanya mereka yang ibunya seorang Yahudi sahaja yang boleh dipanggil sebagai orang Yahudi. Oleh kerana itu, mereka menolak seseorang sebagai Yahudi jika hanya bapanya seorang Yahudi. Akhir sekali, kita juga perlu mengambil perhatian bahawa ada pakar bangsa Yahudi yang mengatakan bahawa ramai dari golongan Yahudi `Ashkenazi’ iaitu Yahudi yang berasal dari Jerman dan negara-negara Eropah lain bukannya berdarah Yahudi tulen (dari keturunan Yahudi yang berasal dari Palestin) kerana nenek moyang mereka sebenarnya adalah European converts atau orang Kristian yang menukar agama mereka kepada agama Yahudi.
Bagaimana pula definasi Al-Quraan tentang Yahudi? Di antara berbagai pendapat di atas, yang mana satukah yang bertepatan dengan definasi Al-Quraan tentang Yahudi? Kalau diperhatikan, sebenarnya aspek definasi Yahudi bukanlah menjadi perkara yang ditekankan oleh Al-Quraan. Menurut Dr. Azzam Tamimi, seorang pakar dalam bidang konflik Israel-Palestin dan juga pengarah Institute of Islamic Political Thought (IIPT) di London, ada dua perkara penting yang disebut tentang orang Yahudi dan `ahli kitab’ oleh Al-Quraan. Pertama ialah kutukan Allah terhadap tingkah laku yang buruk yang diamalkan oleh sesetengah orang Yahudi dan Bani Israel dan seterusnya memperingatkan kita supaya tidak mencontohi tingkah laku buruk tersebut. Kedua, Al-Quraan juga menerangkan hak orang-orang Yahudi di bawah pemerintahan Islam yang mesti dihormati oleh orang Islam untuk mengelakkan diri dari melakukan dosa.
Oleh itu, apa yang perlu disedari ialah Al-Quraan hanya mengutuk orang Yahudi di atas tindak tanduk mereka dan bukannya kerana mereka mempunyai `darah Yahudi’. Dalam erti kata yang lain, orang yang dilahirkan sebagai orang Yahudi atau mengaku dirinya seorang Yahudi tidak semestinya dikutuk dan dikeji oleh Allah jika tindak tanduk dan perangainya tidak memusuhi Islam. Bahkan jika orang yang berketurunan Yahudi memeluk Islam, dia tidak akan lagi dirujuk sebagai orang Yahudi tetapi sebagai seorang Islam. Fakta ini sepatutnya jelas kepada kita kerana kita semua telah maklum bahawa ramai nabi-nabi Allah termasuk Nabi Daud a.s., Nabi Sulaiman a.s., Nabi Musa a.s. dan Nabi Isa a.s. semuanya adalah dari keturunan Yahudi. Sebagai rumusan, Allah tidak mengarahkan kita untuk membenci atau memerangi semua orang yang bergelar Yahudi tanpa melihat dahulu apakah sikap dan tindak tanduk mereka terhadap Islam atau orang Islam.

Apakah Zionisma dan Siapakah Orang Zionis
Menurut Wikipedia, Zionisma merujuk kepada satu kefahaman yang menyeru kepada penubuhan sebuah negara-bangsa Yahudi di Palestin. Semenjak penubuhan negara Israel pada tahun 1948, ia juga merujuk kepada fahaman yang menyokong kewujudan negara Israel. Akar umbi fahaman ini adalah usaha segolongan orang Yahudi yang ingin menyelamatkan orang Yahudi dari kekejaman, kezaliman dan penindasan yang telah lama dilakukan oleh puak Kristian Eropah terhadap mereka. Sebagai contoh, pada kurun ke 11, 12 dan 13 episod kekejaman yang masyhur terhadap puak Yahudi adalah `tuduhan berdarah’ (blood libel), pengusiran, penukaran agama secara paksa dan pembunuhan beramai-ramai serta episod peperangan salib. Semasa episod peperangan salib ini ribuan orang Yahudi telah terkorban di tangan orang Kristian. Selepas episod peperangan salib, kekejaman terhadap orang Yahudi adalah di dalam bentuk pengusiran orang Yahudi dari beberapa negara Eropah. Sebagai contoh pada tahun 1396, 100 ribu orang Yahudi telah diusir keluar dari Eropah dan pada tahun 1421, ribuan lagi telah diusir dari Austria. Ramai yang diusir telah berpindah ke negara Poland. Semasa epidemik `Black Death’ di Eropah, orang Yahudi dipersalahkan dan ratusan perkampungan mereka diserang. Pada tahun 1348 pula, 900 orang Yahudi telah dibakar hidup-hidup di Strasbourg.
Penindasan dan penghinaan terhadap orang Yahudi terus berlaku dan selepas satu episod masyhur di Peranchis bergelar `Dreyfuss Affair’, seorang penulis Yahudi yang sekular bernama Theodore Herzl telah menubuhkan gerakan Zionis pada tahun 1896. Beliau berhujah dengan mengatakan bahawa orang Yahudi tidak akan selamat atau sejahtera jika mereka terus tinggal di Eropah. Menurut beliau, orang Yahudi perlu menubuhkan sebuah negara-bangsa Yahudi sendiri (Jewish homeland). Hujah beliau ditentang oleh ramai paderi atau Rabbi Yahudi berdasarkan kefahaman agama mereka, tetapi disokong kuat oleh ramai lagi orang Yahudi sekular. Sokongan kuat puak Yahudi sekular ini menyebabkan ribuan orang Yahudi di Eropah mula berpindah ke Palestin. Sokongan ini menjadi lebih kuat apabila Hitler dan kerajaan Nazi Jerman membunuh berjuta orang awam Yahudi pada perang dunia kedua. Namun seperkara yang harus diambil perhatian ialah terdapat bukti yang menunjukkan bahawa golongan Zionis telah berkerjasama dengan pihak Nazi untuk menggalakkan orang Yahudi berpindah ke Palestin.
Berdasarken sejarah penubuhan gerakan Zionisma, tidak hairanlah kenapa kesemua pemimpin awal negara Israel seperti Ben Gurion, Chaim Weizmann, Menachem Begin dan lain-lain adalah orang Yahudi Zionis sekular yang memisahkan agama dari kehidupan seharian mereka. Merekalah yang bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya terhadap kezaliman yang berlaku terhadap orang Palestin.
Seperkara lagi yang menarik yang tidak diketahui oleh ramai orang ialah terdapat ramai orang Yahudi yang mengatakan bahawa orang-orang Zionis sebenarnya adalah orang yang telah sesat dari ajaran Yahudi yang asal. Seperti yang diungkapkan oleh G. Neuburger:
“If one is a good Jew, one cannot be a Zionist; if one is a Zionist, one cannot be a good Jew.”
Terjemahan: “Jika seseorang itu seorang Yahudi yang baik, dia bukanlah seorang Zionis; manakala jika seseorang itu seorang Zionis, dia tidak mungkin seorang Yahudi yang baik.”
Kenyataan itu dibuat kerana menurut mereka, fahaman Zionis adalah sangat bertentangan dengan ajaran agama Yahudi sebenar yang tidak membenarkan seseorang Yahudi yang tinggal di luar Palestin berusaha secara aktif untuk kembali ke bumi Palestin. Menurut mereka juga, ketentuan `keYahudian’ seseorang adalah berdasarkan agama kerana mengikut fahaman Yahudi, ia menerima orang yang memilih untuk menganuti agama. Tetapi Zionisma menekankan aspek `bangsa’ kerana bagi Zionis, Israel adalah sebuah homeland atau negara asal hanya untuk `bangsa Yahudi’.
Menurut Dr. Azzam Tamimi, penganut Zionisma (atau orang Zionis) tidak semestinya orang Yahudi semata-mata. Sesiapa sahaja dari mana-mana bangsa boleh diistilahkan sebagai seorang Zionis asalkan sahaja mereka menyokong kewujudan negara Israel di Palestin. Oleh itu orang Zionis boleh terdiri dari orang Kristian (Christian-Zionists) atau orang Arab, bahkan boleh juga dari kalangan orang Islam. Antara orang Zionis awal yang bukan Yahudi ialah Lord Balfour, setiausaha luar kerajaan Britain yang mengeluarkan kenyataan menyokong penubuhan negara Israel di bumi Palestin. Bekas perdana menteri Singapura, Lee Kuan Yew, juga boleh dianggap seorang Zionis kerana kerjasama erat negaranya dengan Israel, terutamanya dalam bidang ketenteraan. Begitu juga ramai ahli politik Amerika termasuk pemimpin tertinggi mereka yang boleh dikira sebagai Zionis atas sebab tindak-tanduk mereka yang menyokong dan menolong Israel walaupun mereka bukan orang Yahudi. Istilah ini juga boleh terpakai kepada pemimpin-pemimpin negara Arab kerana sokongan kuat mereka kepada negara Israel tersebut.

Sikap Islam Terhadap Orang Yahudi
Menurut Dr. Asma Adnan Zarzour, sikap Islam terhadap Yahudi dapat dilihat dari `Perjanjian Madinah’ atau `Perlembagaan Madinah’ yang telah diadakan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w. pada tahun pertama Hijrah. Di bawah perjanjian tersebut, walaupun Islam adalah asas kewarganegaraan, namun konsep kewarganegaraan telah diperluaskan untuk mencakupi mereka yang beragama lain. Ini termasuklah orang-orang Yahudi yang tinggal di Madinah. Mereka dimasukkan di dalam Madinah sebagai satu komuniti yang bebas yang ditadbir mengikut mahkamah `kepaderian’ (rabbinical) mereka sendiri. Perenggan 29 ke 36 di dalam Dustur Madinah menyatakan bahawa orang Yahudi mempunyai hak dan tanggungjawab yang sama dengan orang Islam. Hak kebebasan beragama juga dijamin untuk orang-orang Yahudi.
Menurut Dr. Azzam Tamimi, pemerintahan Islam sentiasa mewujudkan suasana yang sangat bertolak ansur terhadap penganut agama lain termasuk agama Yahud. Konflik diantara orang Islam dan orang Yahudi hanya berlaku pada 2 atau 3 abad pertama sejarah Islam akibat dari tindakan beberapa golongan Yahudi yang mencabul perjanjian dengan pihak Islam. Di dalam empayar Islam, perbezaan agama dan ideologi tidak menghasilkan suasana konflik fizikal atau perang. Ini sangat berbeza dengan apa yang berlaku di Eropah kerana Islam memiliki nilai dan prinsip yang mengawal tingkah laku penganutnya dengan mengikitiraf hak penganut agama Kristian dan Yahudi di dalam negara Islam. Masyarakat Islam wajib melindungi hak mereka dari segi nyawa, maruah, harta, agama dan tempat ibadat. Perlindungan yang diberikan oleh masyarakat Islam kepada mereka telah membolehkan mereka merealisasikan potensi kemampuan mereka dan dengan ini mereka telah sama-sama terlibat di dalam membina peradaban Islam Arab. Contoh terbaik ialah di zaman Salahudin Al-Ayubi di mana pemikir Yahudi terkemuka bernama Maimonides atau Musa bin Maimun, yang juga merupakan tabib peribadi kepada Salahudin Al-Ayubi telah berjaya menghasilkan beberapa penulisan yang penting yang telah berjaya membuatkan beliau menjadi antara ahli falsafah dan pemikir Yahudi yang paling berpengaruh dalam agama Yahudi sehingga hari ini. Layanan baik masyarakat Islam terhadap orang Yahudi tidak berubah selama 13 kurun.
Namun pada awal kurun ke-20 suasana ini mula berubah. Ini adalah berikutan penubuhan gerakan Zionis oleh Theodore Herzl pada tahun 1896 seperti yang telah diterangkan sebelum ini. Rancangan gerakan Zionis untuk menubuhkan negara Israel ini mendapat sokongan yang lebih kuat di kalangan orang-orang Yahudi apabila ramai di antara mereka menjadi mangsa kekejaman Nazi Jerman semasa Perang Dunia Kedua. Masyarakat antarabangsa terutama sekali Britain dan Amerika Syarikat telah berusaha untuk membantu golongan Zionis dalam rancangan penjajahan bumi Palestin dan ini telah sekaligus telah mengubah tanggapan masyarakat Islam dan Arab terhadap orang Yahudi. Mereka kini menjadi musuh utama Islam dan orang Arab, walaupun bukan semua orang Yahudi terlibat dalam gerakan Zionis ini.
Kebencian orang Islam terhadap Yahudi meningkat lagi apabila mereka terjebak di dalam perangkap Zionis yang mahukan orang Yahudi merasa tidak selamat jika mereka tinggal di dalam masyarakat Islam. Beberapa tempat ibadat Yahudi telah dibom dan orang-orang Yahudi mula menyangkakan bahawa ini adalah kerana kemarahan orang Islam terhadap mereka walhal sebenarnya ini adalah perbuatan agen-agen Zionis. Taktik Zionis ini telah berjaya dan akibatnya orang Yahudi yang ketakutan mula berhijrah beramai-ramai ke Palestin.
Penubuhan negara Zionis pada tahun 1948 telah mewujudkan keadaan di mana orang Islam telah tidak lagi dapat membezakan di antara puak Yahudi dan puak Zionis. Bagi mereka Zionis dan Yahudi adalah konsep yang sama walhal ini adalah sama sekali tidak benar. Mereka gagal menyedari bahawa pendatang Zionis dari Eropah yang menakluki bumi Palestin adalah berbeza dengan orang Yahudi yang tinggal di negara Islam secara aman selama ratusan tahun yang sama-sama telah membina peradaban Islam Arab. Mereka juga gagal menyedari bahawa golongan Zionis bukanlah golongan yang memegang teguh kepada ajaran agama Yahudi kerana mereka adalah golongan sekular dan atheist. Oleh itu, menurut Dr. Azzam Tamimi, mereka telah melakukan kesilapan apabila mereka membincangkan kekejaman golongan Zionis Israel dengan menggunakan ayat-ayat Al-Quraan yang mengecam perangai orang-orang Yahudi di masa silam.
Salah satu lagi dari kesilapan pemikir dan penulis Islam ialah mereka mengatakan bahawa orang Yahudi adalah orang yang jahat kerana keturunan mereka. Dalam erti kata yang lain orang Yahudi difikirkan jahat kerana mereka mempunyai `darah’ jahat Yahudi. Kepercayaan ini menebal lagi akibat dari pengaruh tulisan puak Kristian dan golongan anti-Yahudi yang lain. Penulisan yang paling berpengaruh dalam hal ini adalah The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, satu dokumen palsu yang mengatakan bahawa orang-orang Yahudi mempunyai rancangan konspirasi untuk menakluk dunia untuk kepentingan mereka dan penaklukan Palestin adalah sebahagian dari rancangan konspirasi ini.
Menurut Dr. Azzam Tamimi, ramai pemikir Islam yang tertipu dengan dokumen `protokol’ ini telah menggunakan ayat-ayat Al-Quraan untuk membenarkan tuduhan yang terkandung di dalam `protokol’ tersebut. Di dalam kemarahan mereka terhadap kezaliman yang dilakukan oleh pihak Zionis terhadap rakyat Palestin, mereka gagal menyedari bahawa ayat-ayat Al-Quraan berkenaan Yahudi mengutuk sikap dan amalan buruk sesetengah orang Yahudi tersebut. Ayat-ayat Al-Quraan itu bertujuan untuk memperingatkan orang Islam supaya tidak mencontohi sikap dan amalan yang dimaksudkan dan bukannya mengatakan bahawa semua orang yang dilahirkan di dalam komuniti Yahudi adalah jahat. Mereka juga terlupa bahawa terdapat ayat-ayat Al-Quraan yang menekankan hak orang bukan Islam, termasuk orang Yahudi dan Kristian, yang mempunyai hubungan damai dengan orang Islam.
Menurut Azzam Tamimi lagi, satu kekeliruan di kalangan masyarakat Islam adalah tanggapan bahawa negara Israel sekarang merupakan sebuah negara Yahudi. Walhal negara Israel adalah lebih tepat disebut sebagai sebuah negara Zionis.
Walaupun demikian, golongan Zionis telah berjaya mempengaruhi pemikiran ramai orang-orang Yahudi tentang betapa perlunya mereka menubuhkan sebuah `negara Yahudi’ untuk menyelesaikan masalah mereka yang sentiasa menjadi mangsa kezaliman bangsa Eropah. Walaupun puak Zionis pada asalnya tidak mempunyai hubungan yang kuat dengan agama mereka, namun mereka telah berjaya mengelirukan orang Yahudi di serata dunia dengan mengaitkan rancangan penubuhan `negara Yahudi’ dengan ajaran agama Yahudi dan ini telah meningkatkan sokongan di kalangan masyarakat Yahudi antarabangsa.

Pengaruh Orang Yahudi di Dunia
Pengaruh orang Yahudi di dalam sejarah dunia tidak boleh disangkal lagi walaupun jumlah orang Yahudi di dunia adalah cuma seramai 15 juta orang sahaja . Sebagai contoh, di dalam satu laporan, seramai 180 atau 22% dari pemenang hadiah Nobel adalah berketurunan Yahudi. Tambahan pula, menurut satu anggaran, dari jumlah 400 orang terkaya di Amerika Syarikat, 88 orang atau hampir 22% adalah orang Yahudi. Ini adalah satu peratusan yang sangat tinggi memandangkan penduduk Yahudi di Amerika hanya 2.2% dari jumlah keseluruhan rakyat Amerika.
Salah satu cara untuk memahami pengaruh mereka ialah dengan melihat senarai yang disediakan oleh orang Yahudi sendiri tentang orang yang dirasakan ternama di kalangan mereka. Senarai di bawah bertajuk The Jewish 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Jews of All Time telah disediakan oleh Michael Shapiro, seorang penulis Yahudi.
Rank Name Lived Description
1 Moses 13th Cen. C.E.
2 Jesus of Nazareth ca. 4 B.C.E. - ca. 30 C.E.
3 Albert Einstein 1879-1955 physicist
4 Sigmund Freud 1856-1936 psychiatrist
5 Abraham ca. 20th-19th cen B.C.E.;
according to the Bible,
1813-1638 B.C.E.
6 Saul of Tarsus (Saint Paul) 4 - 64 C.E. priest
7 Karl Marx 1818-1883 philosopher
8 Theodor Herzl 1860-1904 writer
9 Mary b. ca. 20 B.C.E.
10 Baruch de Spinoza 1632-1677 philosopher
11 David fl. 1000 B.C.E.
12 Anne Frank 1929-1945 diarist
13 The Prophets Biblical times
14 Judas Iscariot ca. 4 B.C.E. - ca. 30 C.E.
15 Gustav Mahler 1860-1911 composer
16 Maimonides 1135-1204 theologian
17 Niels Bohr 1885-1962 physicist
18 Moses Mendelssohn 1729-1786 philosopher
19 Paul Ehrlich 1854-1915 medical scientist
20 Rashi 1040-1105 rabbinical commentator
21 Benjamin Disraeli 1804-1881 politician
22 Franz Kafka 1883-1924 author
23 David Ben-Gurion 1886-1973 founder of Israel
24 Hillel ca. 70 B.C.E. - 10 C.E. theologian
25 John Von Neumann 1903-1957 mathematician
26 Simon Bar Kokhba fl. 135 C.E. general, leader
27 Marcel Proust 1871-1922 novelist
28 Mayer Rothschild 1744-1812 financier
29 Solomon ca. 990 - ca. 933 B.C.E.
30 Heinrich Heine 1797-1856 poet
31 Selman Waksman 1888-1973 developed antibiotics
32 Giacomo Meyerbeer 1791-1864 created grand opera
33 Isaac Luria 1534-1572 kabbalist
34 Gregory Pincus 1903-1967 developed birth control pill
35 Leon Trotsky 1879-1940 facilitator of the Russian Revolution
36 David Ricardo 1772-1823 founded classical school of economics
37 Alfred Dreyfus 1859-1935 center of 1895 Dreyfus affair in Paris
38 Leo Szilard 1898-1964 physicist; cyberneticist
39 Mark Rothko 1903-1970 painter
40 Ferdinand Cohn 1828-1898 bacteriologist
41 Samuel Gompers 1850-1924 labor leader
42 Gertrude Stein 1874-1946 author
43 Albert Michelson 1852-1931 physicist
44 Philo Judaeus ca. 20 B.C.E. - 40 C.E. philosopher
45 Golda Meir 1898-1978 prime minister of Israel
46 The Vilna Gaon 1720-1797 rabbinical scholar
47 Henri Bergson 1859-1941 philosopher
48 The Baal Shem Tov 1700-1790 religious reformer
49 Felix Mendelssohn 1809-1847 musician
50 Louis B. Mayer 1885-1957 motion picture pioneer
51 Judah Halevy ca. 1075-1141 philosopher and poet
52 Haym Salomon 1740-1785 Revolutionary War patriot
53 Johanan ben Zakkai ca. 80 C.E. general, leader
54 Arnold Schoenberg 1874-1951 composer
55 Emile Durkheim 1858-1917 sociologist
56 Betty Friedan 1921- feminist; founder of NOW
57 David Sarnoff 1891-1971 broadcaster
58 Lorenzo Da Ponte 1749-1838 Mozart's librettist
59 Julius Rosenwald 1862-1932 philanthropist
60 Casimir Funk *
1884-1967 discoverer of vitamins
61 George Gershwin 1898-1937 composer
62 Chaim Weizmann 1874-1952 first president of Israel
63 Franz Boas 1858-1942 anthropologist
64 Sabbatai Zevi 1626-1676 religious leader
65 Leonard Bernstein 1918-1990 musician
66 Flavius Josephus ca. 38-ca. 100 C.E. historian
67 Walter Benjamin 1892-1940 literary critic, journalist, philosopher
68 Louis Brandeis 1856-1941 jurist
69 Emile Berliner 1851-1929 inventor
70 Sarah Bernhardt 1844-1923 actress
71 Levi Strauss 1829-1902 clothier
72 Nahmanides 1195-1270 scholar
73 Menachem Begin 1913-1992 politician
74 Anna Freud 1895-1982 psychologist
75 Queen Esther 5th cen. B.C.E. Biblical queen
76 Martin Buber 1878-1965 philosopher, theologian, social activist
77 Jonas Salk 1914- physician
78 Jerome Robbins 1918- choreographer
79 Henry Kissinger 1923- politician
80 Wilhelm Steinitz ca. 1835-1900 chess champion
81 Arthur Miller 1915- playwright
82 Daniel Mendoza 1764-1836 boxer
83 Stephen Sondheim 1930- writer of musicals
84 Emma Goldman 1869-1940 anarchist, feminist
85 Sir Moses Montefiore 1787-1885 leader
86 Jerome Kern 1885-1945 writer of musicals
87 Boris Pasternak 1890-1960 novelist, poet
88 Harry Houdini 1874-1926 magician
89 Edward Bernays 1981- founder of public relations
90 Leopold Auer 1845-1930 Violinist
91 Groucho Marx 1890-1977 Comedian
92 Man Ray 1890-1976 Artist
93 Henrietta Szold 1860-1945 founder of Hadassah
94 Benny Goodman 1909-1986 clarinetist and bandleader
95 Steven Spielberg 1947- Filmmaker
96 Marc Chagall 1887-1985 Painter
97 Bob Dylan 1941- Musician
98 Sandy Koufax 1935- baseball player
99 Bernard Berenson 1865-1959 art critic
100 Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster b. 1914; 1914-1992 comics book artist/writer, creators of Superman

Sumber: http://www.adherents.com/largecom/fam_jew100.html (dilawati pada 25 Julai 2010)
Berdasarkan jadual di atas, tidak dinafikan lagi bahawa individu yang tersenari adalah sangat berpengaruh. Namun demikian adakah kesemua mereka orang-orang yang jahat? Sudah tentu tidak! Ini kerana di antara nama-nama yang tersenarai termasuk juga nabi-nabi Allah yang mulia yang bagi kita adalah orang Islam. Juga termasuk di dalam senarai adalah orang yang tidak mempunyai kaitan langsung dengan gerakan Zionis dan penubuhan negara Israel seperti Maimonides, Karl Marx dan Albert Einstein.
Terdapat juga senarai lain yang mengandungi nama orang Yahudi yang berpengaruh yang masih hidup. Salah satu senarai sedemikian telah disediakan oleh akhbar Jerusalem Post. Di bawah adalah sebahagian dari beberapa nama orang Yahudi yang terkandung di dalam senarai tersebut:

Senarai Sebahagian dari Orang Yahudi yang Paling Berpengaruh Di Dunia Menurut Jerusalem Post
Bil. Nama Latar belakang dan Organisasi
1 Ben Bernanke The chairman of the US Federal Reserve.
2 Rahm Emanuel White House chief of staff
3 Sergey Brin Founder of Google
4 Shai Agassi Founder of Better Place
5 Dominique Strauss-Kahn Head of the International Monetary Fund
6 David Axelrod Senior White House Adviser
7 Alan Dershowitz Law professor, Harvard, Israel advocate
8 Elena Kagan US Supreme Court nominee
9 Alan Solow Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
10 Irwin Cotler Canadian MP, human rights activist
11 Michael Bloomberg Mayor of New York
12 Bernard Kouchner Foreign Minister, France
13 Stanley Fischer Former First Deputy Managing Director IMF
14 Sheldon Adelson American Casino Owner
15 Ruth Bader Ginsburg US Supreme Court Justice
16 Mark Zuckerberg Facebook Founder
17 Moshe Kantor EJC President
18 Michael Steinhardt American Businessman
19 Mortimer Zuckerman Owner of the New York Daily News and U.S. News & World Report and co-founder of Boston Properties
20 Ronald Lauder President of the World Jewish Congress and son of Estee Lauder, the 66-year-old Lauder
21 Larry Ellison Oracle founder
22 Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
23 Jeff Zucker CEO of NBC Universal
24 Joseph Lieberman US Senator
25 Eric Cantor US Congressman
26 Lee Rosenberg Ahli perniagaan dan President of AIPAC
27 Richard Goldstone International jurist
28 Thomas Friedman Columnist, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist whose column in The New York Times has a huge readership.
29 Haim Saban Media magnate
30 Jeremy Ben-Ami J Street Executive Director
31 Simone Veil French politician
32 Irving Moskowitz US tycoon, settler supporter
33 Gill Marcus Bank Governor, South Africa
34 Bernard-Henri Lévy French Philosopher
35 Bob Dylan Musician
36 Roman Abramovitch Investor, Chelsea FC owner
37 Sacha Baron Cohen Comedian
38 Lucian Freud Artist

Sumber: Jerusalem Post. Senarai penuh boleh di perolehi dari: http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=175871 (dilawati pada 25 Julai 2010)
Di dalam bidang perniagaan, penglibatan orang-orang Yahudi boleh dilihat dari senarai berikut:

Ahli Perniagaan Terkemuka Berbangsa Yahudi
Bil. Nama Negara Organisasi/Sektor/Bidang
1 John Gandel Australia Northgan gandel group

2 Peter Ivany
Australia Cinemas world wide
3 Frank Lowy
Australia Westfield Holdings and Westfield America

4 Richard Pratt
Australia Visy industries

5 Harry Triguboff,
Australia Meriton apartments

6 Alfred Lowenstein
Belgium Belgian soldier, aviator, sportsman, entrepreneur
7 Israel "Izzy" Asper Canada Broadcasting magnate
8 David Azrieli,
Canada Polish-born Canadian-Israeli multi-millionaire
9 Peter Bentley
Canada Chairman of Canadian timber giant Canfor Corp. (son of Holocaust survivors, won restitution case from Swiss bank regarding seizure of father's business in Germany)
10 Samuel Bronfman,
Canada Ukrainian-born Canadian founder of Seagrams Distilleries

11 Edgar Bronfman, Sr.
Canada Canadian original owner of Seagrams Distilleries

12 Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
Canada Canadian-U.S. owner of Vivendi Universal

13 Charles Bronfman,
Canada Billionaire part-owner of Bronfman Family
14 Garth Drabinsky
Canada Theatrical producer and entrepreneur
15 Daryl Katz,
Canada Billionaire founder of Katz Group of Cos. Pharmacy chain
16 Mike Klein,
Canada Canadian-born investment magnate
17 Paul Reichmann,
Canada Canadian real estate magnate
18 Barry Sherman,
Canada Billionaire founder of Apotex

19 Alexander Shnaider,
Canada Billionaire co-founder of Midland Group

20 Jeffrey Skoll
Canada Billionaire co-founder of ebay

21 Moses Znaimer
Canada Tajikistan-born broadcasting magnate
22 Michael Kadoorie
China Billionaire owner of CLP Holdings

23 André Citroën
France French automaker of Citroën

24 Marcel Dassault
France Billionaire French industrialist
25 Girard Louis-Dreyfus, (jewish father) France Billionaire owner of SA Louis-Dreyfus & Cie

26 Jien-Pierre Meyer
France Deputy Chairman of L'Oreal cosmetics

27 Henry Kahnweiler
France Art dealer and promoter
28 Alain & Gerald Werthheimer
France Billionaires owners of Chanel

29 Pierre Wertheimer
France Co-founder of Chanel

30 Daniel Wildenstein
France Major French art dealer and horse breader
31 Albert Ballin
Germany Denmark-born German shipping magnate and politician
32 Issachar Berend Lehmann
Germany Banker and patron of the Jewish communities in Halberstadt and Dresden, Germany

33 Emil Rothenau
Germany German founder of AEG

34 Phillip Rosenthal
Germany Founder of Phillip Rosenthal & Co, porcelain business

35 Mayer Amschel Rothschild
Germany German banker, first of the Rothschild family

36 Ron Sommer
Germany CEO of Deutsche Telekom

37 Max Warburg
Germany German banker
38 Shari Arison
Israel Is Israel's richest citizen and owns Bank Hapoalim. She is the daughter of the late Ted Arison.
39 Morris Kahn
Israel Billionaire founder of Amdocs

40 Lev Leviev
Israel Russian-born Israeli diamond billionaire
41 Daniel M. Lewin
Israel , Israeli Internet entrepreneur
42 Arnon Milchan
Israel Billionaire film producer
43 Summy & Juli Ofer
Israel Billionaires co-owners of Royal Caribbean Cruise

44 Isaac Tshuva
Israel Israeli billionaire
45 Stef Wertheimer
Israel Billionaire founder and owner of Iscar

46 Carlo de Benedetti
Italy Shareholder of Olivetti

47 Antony Bernheim,
Italy Chairman of Generali

48 John Elcann
Italy Vice chairman and Vice president of Fiat, (Jewish father)

49 Camilio Olivetti,
Italy Founder of Olivetti

50 Saba Isaac Raffoul,
Mexico Billionaire owner of Grupo Casa Saba

51 Roman Abramovich,
Russia Russian billionaire Sibneft

52 Boris Berezovsky
Russia Russian-British former billionaire
53 Mikhail Brudno
Russia Russian-Israeli former billionaire Yukos

54 Vladimir Dubov
Russia Russian-Isreali former billionaire Yukos

55 Vladimir Gusinsky
Russia Russian-Israeli former billionaire
56 Mikhail Fridman
Russia Russian billionaire, TNK-BP

57 German Khan
Russia Russian billionaire, executive director of TNK-BP

58 Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Russia Russian billionaire (Jewish father) Yukos

59 Leonid Nevzlin
Russia Russian-Israeli former billionaire Yukos

60 Victor Vekselberg,
Russia Russian billionaire, TNK-BP

61 Isaac & Nahman Andic
Spain Bilionaires founders and owners of Mango

62 Isaac Carasso
Spain Spanish founder of Danone group

63 Alicia Koplowitz
Spain Billionaire president ofomega Capital

64 Esther Koplowitz
Spain Billionaire owns Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, richest woman in Spain. Had a Jewish father but was raised Catholic, along with sister, Alicia.
65 Donald Gordon
South Africa Billionaire founder and owner of Liberty Life

66 Harry Oppenheimer
South Africa South African diamond and gold mines billionaire, (became Christian)
67 Fritz Hoffman
Switzerland Founder ofhoffman-La Roche

68 Oeri, Hoffman and Sacher families
Switzerland Billionaires, Roche pharmaceutical fortune

69 Jack Cohen
Britain British businessman, founder of Tesco supermarkets

70 Joseph Duveen
Britain British art dealer
71 Brian Epstein
Britain Promoter of The Beatles
72 Donald Gordon,
Britain Billionaire founder of Liberty Life

73 Philip Green
Britain Is a British billionaire businessman who owns some of the United Kingdom's largest retailers including British Home Stores, and the Arcadia Group. He has also made two unsuccessful takeover bids for Marks and Spencer, an icon of British retailing.
74 Lord Stanley Kalms
Britain Founder of Dixons group

75 Naser Khalili
Britain Billionaire art dealer and collector
76 Allen Klein,
Britain Business manager of the Rolling Stones and the Beatles
77 Robert Maxwell
Britain British communications magnate
78 Moses Haim Montefiore
Britain Italian-born English financier, philanthropist and Zionist
79 Paul Julius Reuter,
Britain German-born British media owner (originally Israel Beer Josaphat)
80 Nathan Mayer Rothschild,
Britain British financier and philanthropist
81 Eduard Shifrin
Britain Ukrainian-born Russian British billionaire co-founder of Midland Group

82 Leonore Annenberg
United States Billionaire owner of TV Guide and Triangle Publications

83 Mortimer Zuckerman,
United States Billionaire owner of New York Daily News and US News and World Report

84 Daniel, Dirk and Robert Ziff
United States Billionaires owners of Ziff Davis

85 Samuel Zell
United States Billionaire chairman of Equity Residential Properties Trust

86 Ed Zander
United States CEO of Motorola

87 Stephen Wynn
United States Billionaire casinos
88 Leslie Wexner
United States Billionaire main shareholder of The Limited

89 Sandy Weill
United States U.S. billionaire, chairman of Citigroup

90 Paul Warburg
United States U.S. banker, Federal Reserve founder and board member
91 Preston Robert Tisch
United States U.S. billionaire, owned several companies with his brother including CBS

92 Laurence Tisch,
United States U.S. billionaire, owned CBS

93 Alfred Taubman
United States Billionaire Sotheby's action and shopping centers

94 Leonard Stern
United States Billionaire, Manhattan real estate mogul who owns the Soho Grand, and Tribeca Grand Hotel in Manhattan

95 Steven Spielberg
United States Billionaire co-founder and co owner of dreamworld SKG films production
96 George Soros
United States Hungarian-born U.S. billionaire, investor, philanthropist
97 Sheldon Solow
United States Billionaire real estate
98 Melvin Simon,
United States Billionaire owner of Simon Property real estate shopping malls
99 Herbert Siegel,
United States Billionaire CEO of criscraft Industries

100 Philip Anschutz
United States Founder and chairman of Qwest Communications International, and acquired United Artists Theaters, and Regal Cinemas

101 Zev Siegal
United States Cofounder of Starbucks

102 Evgeny Shvidler
United States Billionaire shareholder of Sibneft oil production

103 Robert Shapiro,
United States Former CEO of Monsanto

104 Jonathan_I._Schwartz
United States COO of Sun Microsystems

105 Howard Schultz
United States Entrepreneur, joined Starbucks founders in 1982 and bought it in 1987
106 David Sarnoff
United States General Manager of RCA corporation

107 Marion & Herbert Sandler
United States 2 billionaires co-owners of Golden West Financial

108 Henry Samueli
United States Billionaire co-founder and owner of Broadcom

109 Haim Saban
United States Billionaire, television producer (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and media mogul

110 Helena Rubinstein
United States Polish-American cosmetics industrialist
111 William Rosenberg
United States U.S. founder of Dunkin Donuts

112 Arthur Rock,
United States Billionaire venture capitalist
113 George Roberts
United States Billionaire leveraged buyout co-founder and co-owner of KKR

114 Mark Rich,
United States Billionaire commodities trader
115 Charles Revson
United States Revlon cosmetics
116 Sumner Redstone,
United States U.S. CEO of Viacom

117 Stewart Rahr,
United States Billionaire president and CEO of Kinray Corp

118 Pritzker Family,
United States 11 billionaire-owners of Hyatt hotels and Marmon Group

119 Abram & Jack Pritzker
United States Founders of Marmon Group

120 Edmund Ansin,
United States Billionaire owner of TV Stations
121 Michael Price
United States Billionaire founder of MFP Investments (one Jewish parent)
122 Ron Popeil
United States U.S. inventor (Jewish father)
123 Ronald O. Perelman
United States Billionaire, chairman of the board of Revlon Inc. And Products Corp.

124 Nelson Peltz
United States Billionaire Triarc Companies leveraged buyout

125 William S. Paley
United States U.S. billionaire who built CBS

126 Bernard Osher
United States Bilionaire co-owner of Golden West Financial

127 Ted Arison
United States U.S.-Israeli billionaire, founder of Carnival Cruise Lines.

128 Donald Newhouse
United States Billionaire, is one of the owners of Condé Nast Publications.
129 Samuel Newhouse, Jr.
United States Billionaire who owns 26 Newspapers such as Parade Magazine, Conde Nast, Vogue etc.

130 Roy Neuberger
United States U.S. art dealer of Neuberger & Berman

131 Michael Milken
United States Billionaire leveraged buyout
132 Bernard Marcus
United States Billionaire co-founder and co-owner of Home Depot

133 Peter Lewis
United States Billionaire owner of Progressive Corp car insuarance

134 Alfred Mann,
United States Billionaire owner of Mankind Corporation

135 Micky Arison
United States Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation & PLC.

136 Morris Levy
United States U.S. music industry executive
137 Norma, Randolph and Nancy Lerner
United States 3 billionaires main shareholders of MBNA Financial

138 Gerry Lenfest
United States Owner of Lenfest Communications cable TV

139 Samuel J. LeFrak & family,
United States Billionaire, major developer in downtown Manhattan

140 Thomas Lee
United States Billionaire leveraged buyout
141 Ralph Lauren
United States Billionaire founder and chairman of Polo Ralph Lauren Corp fashion

142 Ronald Lauder
United States Billionaire co-owner of Estee Lauder cosmetics

143 Leonard Lauder
United States Billionaire co-owner of Estee Lauder cosmetics

144 Edward Lampert
United States Billionaire, founder of EPS Investments

145 Henry Kravis
United States Billionaire, American financier co-founder and co-owner of KKR

146 Michael Krasny
United States Billionaire founder and owner of CDW Computer

147 Bruce Kovner
United States Billionaire, started Caxton Hedge Fund and is American Enterprise Institute Vice Chairman

148 Jerome Kohlberg, Jr.
United States Leveraged buyout co-founder and co-owner of KKR

149 Jeffrey Katzenberg
United States Former billionaire co-founder and co-owner of dreamworks SKG films production

150 George Kaiser,
United States Billionaire owner of Kaiser-Fransis Oil

151 Taribaldi Jaleelowitz,
United States Star fund manager,9'b.s.d corp

152 Jeremy Jacobs,
United States Billionaire owner of Delaware North sport concessions

153 Sheldon Adelson,
United States Is a 71 year-old billionaire property developer in Las Vegas. He took Las Vegas Sands Corp. Public in December 2004 by selling 10 % of the shares. He was born and raised in a Jewish neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts.
154 Irwin Jacobs,
United States Billionaire co-founder and main shareholder of Qualcomm

155 Carl Icahn,
United States Billionaire who took over TWA and controlled it until 1993, also owner of Lowestfares.com

156 Henry Hillman,
United States Billionaire owner of Pittsburg Coke & Chemicals (unconfirmed)
157 Leona Helmsley
United States Real estate
158 Andrew Grove
United States Hungarian-born U.S. co-founder of Intel

159 Maurice R. Greenberg,
United States Billionaire, CEO of AIG

160 Steve Ballmer,
United States U.S. CEO of Microsoft (Jewish mother)

161 Alan Greenspan
United States U.S. economist, Former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve

162 Maurice Greenberg,
United States Billionaire main shareholder and ex chairman of AIG

163 Pincus Green,
United States Billionaire commodities trader
164 David Gottesman
United States Billionaire founder of First Manhattan (unconfirmed)

165 Alex & Tom Gores
United States 2 billionaires leveraged buyout
166 Leslie & Louis Gonda
United States Billionaires shareholders in AIG insuarance and real estate
167 Malcolm Glazer
United States Billionaire owner of First Allied Corporation shareholder of Manchester United

168 Guiford Glazer,
United States Real estate shopping centers
169 Rob Glaser,
United States Founder and CEO of Real Networks, makers of Real Player

170 Carl Berg,
United States Billionaire real estate and investments
171 Robert, William, John Fisher,
United States 3 billionaires main shareholders of The Gap

172 David Geffen,
United States U.S. record executive
173 Sydney Frank,
United States Billionaire liquor (unconfirmed)
174 Donald Fisher
United States Founder of The Gap
175 Paul Fireman,
United States Billionaire founder of Reebok aerobic shoes

176 Stanley Druckenmiller,
United States Billionaire, famous for his "billion dollar bet against the British pound in 1992 that generated 30% returns for George Soros"
177 Max Factor,
United States Polish-American cosmetics industrialist
178 Larry Ellison,
United States U.S. CEO of Oracle Corporation (adopted by Jews from Jewish biological parents)
179 William Davidson,
United States Billionaire owner of Guardian Industries

180 Barry Diller,
United States Billionaire owner of Usa Networks Ticketmaster

181 Michael Dell,
United States U.S. founder of Dell Inc.

182 Clive Davis
United States U.S. founder of Arista Records
183 Barbara Davis
United States , Billionaire energy tycoon
184 Arthur Blank,
United States Billionaire co-founder and co-owner of Home Depot

185 Mark Cuban
United States U.S. billionaire owner of Dallas Mavericks, founder of Broadcast.com (sold to Yahoo!).

186 Joshua Lionel Cowen
United States U.S. toy inventor and manufacturer (Lionel trains)
187 Lester Crown,
United States Billionaire main shareholder in General Dynamics

188 Steven Cohen
United States Billionaire founder of SAC Capital Mgmt. hudge fund

189 Lyor Cohen,
United States Billionaire chairman of Warner Music

190 Harvey Chaplin,
United States Billionaire owner of Southern Wine & Spirits of America

191 Eli Broad
United States Is a billionaire who lives in Los Angeles California.
192 Leonard Blavatnik,
United States Billionaire sharehoder in TNT-BP Sual and Access/Renova

193 Chess brothers
United States Polish-born U.S. record company executive
194 Sid Bernstein
United States Promoter, "The Man That Brought The Beatles to America"
195 Emanuel H. Bronner,
United States Soapmaker
196 Edgar Bronfman, Jr.,
United States Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Music Group

197 Edgar Bronfman,
United States Billionaire
198 Samuel Bronfman
United States Founder of Seagram

199 Jeff Bleustein
United States Chairman and former Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc.

200 Michael Bloomberg,
United States Billionaire, U.S. politician, founder of Bloomberg News

201 Neil Bluhm,
United States Billionaire owner of JMG Realty

202 Sergey Brin
United States Russian-born U.S. co-founder of Google
203 Robert Rich,
United States Billionaire shareholder of Rich Products Corp

204 Henry Kahnweiler
United States Art dealer and promoter

Dari senarai tersebut, jelaslah bahawa orang Yahudi juga sangat berpengaruh di dalam pelbagai bidang perniagaan, terutamanya di Amerika Syarikat. Ini menunjukkan bahawa mereka juga berpotensi besar untuk mempengaruhi masyarakat dan kerajaan Amerika.
Seperkara yang perlu diambil perhatian ialah keterlibatan ramai orang Yahudi di dalam sektor media, berita dan hiburan. Tambahan pula ramai di kalangan mereka adalah pendokong kuat Zionis walaupun nama mereka tidak termasuk dalam senarai di atas. Sektor ini adalah sangat kuat pengaruhnya kepada masyarakat kerana ramai orang memperolehi berita dan maklumat melalui menonton TV, menonton filem, mendengar radio, membaca buku dan majalah. Terdapat satu laporan yang mengatakan bahawa 6 buah syarikat yang dikawal oleh orang Yahudi mengawal 96% dari syarikat media di dunia. Syarikat tersebut adalah Walt Disney, ABC, Time Warner, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, dan Washington Post.

Berkenaan dengan Time Warner, telah dilaporkan bahawa pendapatan syarikat ini pada tahun 2003 ialah USD39.5 billion. Syarikat ini dipengaruhi oleh beberapa orang Yahudi termasuk Gerald Levin, Jodi Kahn, Meg Siesfeld dan Norman Pearlstine. Norman Pearlstine selaku ketua pengarang mengawal 50 majalah termasuk Time, Life, Sports Illustrated, dan People. Dia juga terlibat di dalam penerbitan buku melalui Time-Life Books, Book-of-the-Month Club, Little Brown dan beberapa aktiviti lain. Syarikat Time Warner memiliki Shoutcast dan Winamp, iaitu alat yang digunakan oleh kebanyakan independent internet radio broadcasters.

Walaubagaimanapun, perkara penting yang mesti diperingatkan sekali lagi ialah Yahudi tidak semestinya Zionis dan Zionis juga tidak semestinya Yahudi. Jika diperhatikan, terdapat nama George Soros di dalam senarai tersebut (no. 96). George Soros adalah seorang Yahudi Amerika yang sangat kaya, yang berasal dari Hungary. Namun demikian, di dalam sebuah buku yang ditulis oleh beliau sendiri bertajuk `Soros on Soros’, beliau secara terang-terangan menyatakan bahawa beliau tidak bersetuju dengan fahaman Zionis kerana pada pandangan beliau fahaman tersebut mempunyai unsur perkauman. Oleh kerana ibubapa beliau telah menjadi mangsa fahaman perkauman (Nazi German), beliau menentang semua jenis fahaman perkauman termasuklah fahaman Zionis. George Soros, walaupun tersenarai sebagai salah seorang Yahudi terkemuka dunia namun beliau tidak langsung menyokong kewujudan negara Israel. Mungkin ada ramai lagi nama yang tersenarai di atas yang sependapat dengan beliau.
Juga tidak termasuk di dalam senarai di atas ialah Zionis di kalangan bukan Yahudi. Di Amerika, kebanyakan mereka adalah puak Kristian haluan kanan dan permusuhan dan kebencian mereka kepada Islam adalah lebih kuat berbanding dengan ramai orang Yahudi. Mereka adalah penyokong kuat negara Israel dan di antara pemimpin mereka ialah Gary Bauer (yang juga presiden gerakan American Values), Franklin Graham dan Pat Robertson. Ramai dari ahli puak Kristian haluan kanan ini adalah ahli perniagaan yang berjaya dan oleh itu amat berpengaruh di dalam proses politik Amerika.
Akhir sekali, kita juga harus menyedari bahawa walaupun ramai orang Yahudi terlibat di dalam bidang perniagaan, namun bukan semua mereka mempunyai kefahaman yang sama dan bersatu hati dalam semua perkara. Di kalangan nama-nama yang tersenarai di atas sebenarnya berlaku banyak pertelingkahan dan perbalahan serta penipuan. Contoh yang paling masyhur ialah penipuan yang dilakukan oleh Bernie Maddoff, seorang billionaire Yahudi Amerika terhadap ratusan orang pelanggannya. Ramai di kalangan mangsa beliau menjadi papa kedana dan ramai dari mereka adalah orang Yahudi sendiri.

Kenapakah Orang Yahudi Berjaya di Dalam Pelbagai Bidang?
Soalan kenapakah orang Yahudi begitu berpengaruh di dalam banyak bidang termasuk di dalam bidang perniagaan sukar dijawab kerana tidak banyak kajian mendalam tentang aspek ini. Di kalangan beberapa usaha untuk menerangkan fenomena ini, ada yang menyatakan bahawa ia adalah kerana darah keturunan orang Yahudi adalah istimewa. Pada pandangan saya pendapat tersebut adalah tidak mempunyai asas yang kuat. Sebab utama kenapa saya berkata demikian ialah kerana seperti yang kita ketahui `darah’ Yahudi telah bercampur aduk semenjak zaman berzaman melalui proses perkahwinan dan penukaran agama. Seperti yang disebutkan sebelum ini, ramai orang Yahudi adalah berketurunan dari ibu bapa yang merupakan Jewish converts atau mereka yang asalnya bukan Yahudi tetapi telah memeluk agama Yahudi. Di samping itu, ramai juga yang telah berkahwin dengan orang bukan Yahudi. Sebagai contoh di zaman Nabi Musa, anak-anak lelaki telah dibunuh sementara anak perempuan dibiarkan hidup. Oleh itu ramai wanita Yahudi dikahwini oleh orang Mesir. Begitu juga ramai wanita Yahudi telah berkahwin dengan orang Kristian Eropah. Ini jelas membuktikan bahawa keturunan orang Yahudi sudah bercampur aduk dan oleh itu pendapat yang mengatakan “darah keturunan orang Yahudi adalah istimewa” tidak boleh diterima. Pada pendapat saya, sebab utama mereka berjaya dalam berbagai bidang adalah kerana mereka telah ditindas semenjak zaman berzaman, terutama sekali di Eropah. Mereka sentiasa menjadi mangsa semangat perkauman Eropah dan oleh itu sentiasa mempunyai perasaan ketakutan dan tidak selesa. Untuk menambahkan keselesaan hidup, mereka terpaksa berkerja keras, berinovatif dan kreatif. Jadi atas dasar inilah kemungkinan ramai dari kalangan mereka berjaya dalam berbagai bidang.

Kumpulan dan Tokoh Yahudi Anti Zionis
Walaupun terdapat ramai orang Yahudi yang berpengaruh di dunia, terutama sekali di Amerika dan Eropah, namun terdapat ramai juga di kalangan orang Yahudi sendiri yang sangat kuat menentang Zionism serta penubuhan negara Israel. Namun demikian, penentangan terhadap Israel di kalangan orang Yahudi ini tidak diketahui oleh masyarakat dunia, terutama sekali di kalangan masyarakat Islam. Sebagai contoh, ramai di kalangan orang Islam tidak mengetahu tentang kewujudan kumpulan, organisasi dan paderi (Rabbi) orthodox Yahudi yang menentang keras penubuhan Israel seperti berikut :
Kumpulan:
1. Bene Yoel
2. Breslov
3. Brisk
4. Hazon Ish
5. Kasho
6. Krasna
7. Kretcheniff
8. Malochim
9. Munkach
10. Neturei Karta
11. Nitra
12. Pupa
13. Satmar
14. Skullene
15. Slonim (Weinberg)
16. Toldoth Aharon
17. Toldoth Avrohom Yitzchok
18. Tosh
19. Wiznitz Hassidic sect based in Monsey, NY
Organisasi:
1. Edah HaCharedith lekol Makhelot Ha'Ashkenazim
Rabbinical High Court for all Ashkenazic communities, Jerusalem
2. Edah HaCharedith HaSefaradit, Sefaradic Rabbinical High Court, Jerusalem
3. Hisachduth HaRabbonim DeArtzos HaBris VeKanada - Central Rabbinical Congress of the United States and Canada (CRC)
4. Yeshivath Ahavath Shalom
Paderi/Rabbi:
1. HaGaon Rav Koppelman - Dean, Talmudical Academy, Lucerne
2. HaGaon Reb Avruhom Leitner, Spiritual Leader, Chief Rabbi and Dean of Congregation and Yeshivah Binyan Duvid, Brooklyn, NY
3. HaGaon Reb Yecheskel Roth, formerly Chief Rabbi of Karlesberg, and currently Chief Rabbi of Cong. Yirei Hashem and Dean of the esteemed Rabbinical Judicial Academy for the Advanced, Beth Midrash Le'Horu'eh, Brooklyn NY (Rabbi Roth is (unofficially, however) considered by many as Chief Rabbi and Rabbinic Judge of Boro Park, Brooklyn
Kesemua kumpulan dan individu yang tersenarai di atas menentang keras fahaman Zionis. Bagi mereka fahaman Zionis adalah ajaran baru yang palsu yang sangat berbeza dengan ajaran agama Yahudi yang asal yang dianuti oleh kebanyakan orang Yahudi sehingga ke awal kurun ke-20. Menurut mereka lagi salah satu dari larangan penting di dalam ajaran agama Yahudi ialah larangan supaya mereka tidak berusaha untuk berpindah dan menetap di bumi Palestin. Bagi mereka, sesiapa yang berbuat demikian telah melakukan satu dosa yang besar terhadap Tuhan. Ini dijelaskan oleh G. Neuburger, salah seorang dari pemimpin kumpulan Yahudi anti-Zionis seperti berikut:
“ Of all the crimes of political Zionism, the worst and most basic, and which explains all its other misdeeds, is that from its beginning Zionism has sought to separate the Jewish people from their God, to render the divine covenant null and void, and to substitute a "modern" statehood and fraudulent sovereignty for the lofty ideals of the Jewish people.”
Terjemahan: “Dari berbagai jenayah yang dilakukan oleh politik Zionis, yang paling asas dan dashyat, yang menjelaskan jenayah-jenayah lain yang mereka lakukan, ialah usaha mereka dari mula untuk memisahkan orang Yahudi dari tuhan mereka, yang membatalkan perjanjian ketuhanan mereka dan menjadikannya tidak bernilai lagi, dan menggantikan idealisma atau objektif mulia orang Yahudi dengan konsep kenegaraan moden dan kedaulatan yang palsu”.
Menurut G. Neuburger lagi, sebenarnya penentangan terhadap fahaman Zionis dan konsep negara Israel di kalangan Yahudi sendiri telah wujud sejak awal kurun ke 20 di mana mereka telah menubuhkan satu organisasi bernama Agudath Israel (Kesatuan Israel) pada tahun 1912. Salah seorang pemimpin mereka bernama Jacob de Haan, yang tinggal di Palestin telah berbincang dengan beberapa pemimpin Arab dengan tujuan menubuhkan satu negara di mana orang Arab dan Yahudi akan hidup dengan aman secara bersama dengan hak yang sama rata. Beliau mengharapkan dengan cara ini, beliau akan dapat menyekat penubuhan negara Israel. Beliau bercadang juga untuk berbincang dengan pihak British tentang hal ini. Malangnya sejurus sebelum beliau bertolak ke Britain pada tahun 1924, beliau telah dibunuh oleh agen-agen Haganah iaitu sebuah pertubuhan bersenjata Zionis. Penyokong beliau masih ada di Palestin dan mereka bergerak di bawah naungan organisasi bernama Naturei Karta.
Terdapat banyak bukti yang menunjukkan bahawa gerakan anti Zionis seperti Naturei Karta dan lain-lain di kalangan orang Yahudi semakin kuat. Kekejaman negara Israel yang semakin menyerlah, seperti serangan terhadap Gaza pada tahun 2008 serta pembunuhan 9 orang di atas kapal Mavi Marmara, akan memberi nafas baru kepada gerakan anti Zionis ini.

Trend atau Perkembangan Terkini
Jumlah orang Yahudi yang menentang Zionis semakin bertambah dan termasuk mereka yang bukan berfahaman Orthodox Yahudi. Mereka sekarang ini termasuk orang-orang awam seperti ahli akademik, penulis, pemberita, aktivis sosial dan lain-lain. Satu usaha untuk menyenaraikan mereka pada tahun 2009 telah berjaya mengumpulkan sebanyak 8,860 orang . Antara individu Yahudi yang masyhur kerana aktif menentang fahaman Zionis dan negara Israel termasuk Prof. Noam Chomsky, Dr. Ilan Pappe, Prof. Michael Neumann, Dr. Norman Finkelstein, Anna Baltzer, Stanley Cohen, Phyllis Bennis, Richard Gere, Sara Roy, Dr. Alice Rothchild dan ribuan lagi. Mereka juga telah menubuhkan pelbagai organisasi yang bertujuan untuk berjuang menentang kezaliman Zionis Israel. Ramai yang berganding bahu dengan kumpulan Palestin dan kumpulan Islam lain dalam usaha-usaha ini kerana simpati mereka kepada pandangan orang Palestin. Contoh terkini termasuklah projek Lifeline for Gaza dan penghantaran bantuan kemanusian ke Gaza melalui kapal Mavi Marmarra.
Sementara itu peratus orang yang memanggil diri mereka Zionis di kalangan orang Yahudi juga semakin menurun. Menurut G. Neuburger, pada tahun 1948, 90 peratus orang Yahudi di Amerika memanggil diri mereka Zionis. Tetapi pada tahun 1995, ianya telah menurun kepada hanya 22 peratus sahaja. Menurut beliau, ada beberapa faktor kenapa perkara ini berlaku. Pertama, ramai orang Yahudi sekarang terpengaruh dengan budaya Amerika yang menekankan konsep kesaksamaan di bawah undang-undang. Budaya ini jelas bertentangan dengan fahaman Zionis yang meletakkan orang Yahudi di tempat yang tertinggi berbanding bangsa lain. Kedua, ramai juga yang terpengaruh dengan budaya Amerika yang menekankan kebebasan individu dan oleh itu tidak berminat untuk tunduk kepada mana-mana `agama rasmi’ termasuk agama Yahudi ala Zionis. Akhir sekali ramai orang Yahudi di Amerika sebenarnya sudah tidak berminat dengan agama, dan ini termasuk agama Yahudi mereka sendiri.
Di samping itu ada yang berpendapat bahawa gerakan Zionis semakin lemah kerana mereka sudah tidak lagi dilihat sebagai `mangsa’ Holocaust yang perlu dibela. Sebaliknya mereka dilihat sebagai puak yang zalim akibat dari kekejaman yang sedang mereka lakukan terhadap orang Palestin. Serangan kejam mereka terhadap Gaza pada tahun 2008 dan 2009, sekatan yang mereka lakukan terhadap penduduk Gaza serta pembunuhan yang mereka lakukan terhadap aktivis di atas kapal Mavi Marmara semuanya membantu menguatkan persepsi di kalangan masyarakat dunia termasuk masyarakat Yahudi di serata tempat bahawa masyarakat Zionis adalah degil dan zalim.
Walau pun demikian, realiti di Amerika sekarang ini ialah pengaruh Zionis masih lagi kuat. Faktor penyumbang utama ialah ramai di kalangan ahli politik Amerika Syarikat adalah berfahaman Zionis walaupun mereka bukannya berketurunan Yahudi. Seperti yang dibincangkan sebelum ini, orang Zionis dari kalangan Yahudi dan juga dari kalangan bukan Yahudi memegang kedudukan yang berpengaruh di dalam berbagai bidang seperti politik, sosial dan perniagaan di Amerika – terutamanya bidang kewangan. Di dalam sektor perbankan, ramai yang berpengaruh adalah orang Kristian Zionis dan Yahudi Zionis. Begitu juga dalam sektor tenaga dan minyak yang banyak diceburi oleh orang Kristian haluan kanan yang sangat kuat kebenciannya kepada Islam dan mempercayai tentang kedatangan Messiah yang hanya akan berlaku apabila Palestin diduduki sepenuhnya oleh orang Yahudi. Oleh kerana itu, golongan Kristian ini adalah di kalangan penyokong Zionis yang terkuat di Amerika. Oleh itu tidak hairanlah apabila Lenni Brenner, seorang Yahudi Anti Zionis mengatakan walaupun kurang dari 22% orang Yahudi di Amerika adalah penyokong Zionis, namun 98% dari ahli kongres adalah berfahaman Zionis. Ini adalah sangat pelik kerana sebahagian besar dari 98% di atas bukannya orang Yahudi. Sekarang kita mulai faham kenapa polisi kerajaan Amerika adalah sangat pro-Israel walaupun terdapat ribuan orang Yahudi yang sangat membenci dan menentang kewujudan dan juga tindak tanduk kerajaan Israel.

Rumusan
Salah satu perkara yang menjadi tandatanya kepada ramai orang ialah kenapa Amerika Syarikat sangat kuat menyokong Israel dalam kezaliman yang dilakukan terhadap orang Palestin. Ramai yang menyangka bahawa ini adalah kerana pengaruh dan kawalan orang Yahudi ke atas organisasi politik dan perniagaan di negara tersebut. Sebenarnya sangkaan ini adalah tidak tepat. Ramai orang Yahudi sebenarnya adalah penentang faham Zionis dan Israel. Ramai yang lain adalah berkecuali, yakni mereka bukanlah orang Zionis tetapi mereka juga bukan penentang Zionis. Sebab utama kenapa Amerika Syarikat menyokong Israel ialah kerana kawalan dan pengaruh golongan Zionis dari kalangan bukan Yahudi. Motif mereka bercampur-campur. Ada yang menyokong kerana fahaman agama (Kristian haluan kanan) dan ada yang menyokong kerana keuntungan dunia yang boleh diperolehi.
Menurut Dr. Azzam Tamimi, terdapat dua faktor yang mempengaruhi kekuatan fahaman Zionis dan Israel. Pertama ialah sokongan negara barat. Yang kedua ialah kelemahan di kalangan masyarakat Arab dan Islam. Berkenaan faktor pertama, sokongan negara barat besar kemungkinan akan bertambah lemah kerana kelemahan ekonomi dan ketenteraan negara barat akibat masalah dalaman di negara-negara tersebut. Berkenaan faktor kedua, besar kemungkinan keadaan lemah sekarang akan berubah kerana kebangkitan semangat Islam semakin menyerlah di kebanyakan negara-negara Islam.

Pada masa ini, satu perkara penting yang perlu dilakukan ialah memperbaiki tanggapan masyarakat Islam terhadap orang Yahudi terutama sekali berkaitan perbezaan di antara Zionis dan Yahudi. Golongan Zionis memang suka jika terdapat kebencian masyarakat Islam yang meluap-luap terhadap orang Yahudi secara umum tanpa membezakan di antara Zionis dan bukan Zionis. Ini kerana orang Yahudi di serata dunia akan merasa takut dan bimbang akan keselamatan diri dan keluarga mereka dan akan menyokong pandangan Zionis yang mengatakan bahawa orang Yahudi akan hanya selamat dengan berpindah dan tinggal di Israel, tanahair mereka.

Oleh itu, adalah amat penting bagi kita menerangkan kepada semua orang Islam perbezaan di antara Yahudi dan Zionis. Orang Islam mesti disedarkan bahawa kita wajib memelihara hak mereka dan dilarang menzalimi mereka jika mereka tidak menzalimi Islam dan orang Islam. Fokus penentangan kita mestilah ditujukan kepada orang Zionis semata-mata tanpa mengira sama ada mereka Yahudi atau pun tidak kerana merekalah yang bertanggungjawab terhadap kezaliman yang dilakukan terhadap orang Palestin.
Akhir kata, faktor pengaruh di dalam organisasi perniagaan di Amerika dan di seluruh dunia yang menjadi masalah kepada kita bukannya pengaruh Yahudi, tetapi pengaruh Zionis yang termasuk di kalangan mereka ramai yang bukan berbangsa dan beragama Yahudi. Kita bermusuh dengan Israel dan penyokongnya bukan kerana mereka adalah keturunan Yahudi tetapi kerana mereka berfahaman Zionis dan kerana mereka telah menceroboh dan merampas bumi Palestin dari saudara-saudara kita di sana.
Saya akhiri penulisan ini dengan tiga kenyataan oleh mereka yang sangat arif berkenaan isu Yahudi, Zionis dan Palestin. Dua kenyataan pertama adalah dari dua pemimpin tertinggi Hamas yang masih hidup, iaitu Ismail Haniyeh dan Khalid Mash’al dan satu kenyataan oleh ulamak terkemuka Dr. Yusuf Qaradawi.
Menurut Ismail Haniyeh:
“Hamas bukannya bermusuh dengan orang Yahudi kerana mereka itu adalah berbangsa Yahudi. Kami bermusuh dengan mereka kerana mereka menduduki tanahair kami dan mengusir orang-orang kami... kami tidak pernah mengatakan akan membuang mereka ke laut atau menjadikan mereka makanan jerung. Kami cuma mengatakan bahawa pernah wujud sebuah tempat bernama Palestin yang sedang dijajah. Tanah itu telah dicuri dan oleh itu perlu dipulangkan kepada orang Palestin”
Menurut Khalid Mash’al:
“Konflik ini berlaku akibat dari pencerobohan dan pendudukan. Perjuangan kami terhadap orang Israel bukanlah kerana mereka itu orang Yahudi, tetapi kerana mereka mencerobohi tanahair kami dan merampas tanah dan harta kami.
Dan akhir sekali, menurut Dr. Yusuf Qaradawi:
"Tidak ada permusuhan di antara orang Islam dan orang Yahudi.... Orang Islam hanya menentang gerakan Zionis yang zalim yang menakluki tanah orang Islam, dan bukan menentang orang Yahudi. "
Wallahua’lam.

Jews and Muslims in Post-Israel Middle East

2010-07-18T18:24:00.002+08:00

I want to share a very interesting article by Dr. Azzam Tamimi on the relationship between Jews, Zionists and Muslims below. Comments are most welcomed.

Jews and Muslims in Post-Israel Middle East

Azzam Tamimi

It has been fifteen centuries since the Muslims established themselves as a state in which followers of all three monotheistic religions coexisted peacefully and equitably. Until the beginning of the 19th century the Islamic empire, whose terrain extended over three continents, provided an atmosphere of tolerance that, in contrast to the history of Europe and the Western world in general, prevented the progression of ideological and religious differences into physical conflict. Islam, whose values and principles governed the public and private conduct of individuals and groups, recognised the citizenship rights of Christians and Jews within the Islamic State. In accordance with these rights, their blood, honour, wealth, faith and shrines were sanctified. This recognition enabled the followers of these creeds to realise their potential capabilities and thus innovate and participate on equal footing with the Muslims in building the Arab-Islamic civilisation. Muslims never used the term 'minorities' to describe fellow-citizens who followed other religions. The Islamic State provided a safe haven to those oppressed in their own countries. Jews in particular suffered persecution and banishment at the hands of European Christians who blamed them for every single crisis or catastrophe incurred. It was only in Muslim lands that the Jews found peace, security and freedom.

The Muslims' perception of the Jews remained unchanged during the first 13 centuries of Islam. They saw them as People of the Book who, together with the Christians, shared with the Muslims common values of faith and conduct that entitled them to citizen rights in the Islamic state. Such perception began to change after the Zionist movement managed to embroil Jews in its colonial project with the aim of establishing a national home for the 'Jewish People' in Palestine. In the wake of the Second World War, and as a result of the persecution of the Jews in Nazi Germany, the scene was set for the accomplishment of the Zionist dream. The determination of the world order to enable the Zionists to establish a Jewish state in Palestine turned Jews into enemy number of both Arabs and Muslims. The Muslim hatred for the Jews was augmented by the fall of Arab Jews in the trap of Zionism. Historic homes of Jewish communities, such as the Arab Maghreb, Egypt, Iraq and Yemen, witnessed massive exodus of Jews who migrated to the recently established Zionist entity in Palestine. It turned out later that it was the Zionist movement's acts of terror that intimidated the Arab Jews into emigrating. It was then that the Arabs no longer discriminated between the Zionist invaders who came all the way from Poland, Russia, America, Western Europe or South Africa and the Jews who had been living with Arab Muslims and Christians, and who, for many centuries, shared the same history and civilisation with them.

In spite of the undisguised secularist - even atheist - root of the Zionist project, some Arab and Muslim thinkers deemed it necessary, perhaps useful, to focus on a purely religious explanation for the Zionist phenomenon.

Through a re-reading of history aided by a re-interpretation of the sacred text, these thinkers sought to prove that Jews, by virtue of some inherited characters, have always been corrupt and ill intentioned. But the real help came from Christian anti-Jewish writings. The most influential document in this regard has been the one entitled 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion", which concludes that Jews have hatched a global conspiracy aimed at imposing their control over the world and at subjugating all else to their influence so as to serve their own interests. The occupation of Palestine and the establishment of a Jewish state in it have been said by the believers in this theory to be a crucial part of this Jewish conspiracy.

Some Muslim writers have gone as far as interpreting the Qur'anic narrative vis-à-vis the Israelites and the Jews in light of what the Protocols had claimed. Hostility to the Zionist project may have blurred the eyes of many Muslims from seeing the difference between the Qur'anic chastisement of bad conduct and ill-manners, which some Israelites and some Jews practised - and which Muslims and Christians have been warned from copying, and the Qur'anic injunction concerning the right of Jews, as well as Christians, to Covenant rights the violation of which by Muslims is a sin in the eyes of God.

Undoubtedly, the Zionist project bears full responsibility for this shift in the Arab and Muslim perception of Jews and Judaism. After all it was this Zionist project that embroiled Judaism in its intrigues so as to bestow religious legitimacy on itself and to gain the support of the world's Jewry. The myths of a 'Jewish nation', the 'Land of Promise' and the 'Chosen People of God' were revived in order to convince the Jews, most of whom had initially been opposed to Zionism, to adopt the Zionist solution to the Jewish problem in the West. The ultimate objective had been to persuade the Jews to sponsor the State of Israel, which had been given a theological dimension that transformed it in the Zionised Jewish conscience into 'the end of time Messiah'. The ideology was in the beginning condemned by Jewish religious leaders as an adulteration of Jewish faith that had been predominant until the beginning of the 20th century and which forbade Jewish migration into Palestine with the purpose of settling there permanently. Such an action was viewed by Jewish Orthodoxy as a violation that entailed the forcing of the will of God and that amounted to the sin of apostasy.

Many Arabs and Muslims still do not realise that anti-Zionist Jews, who do not recognise the legitimacy of the state of Israel, do still exist. In spite of the gradual decline in their numbers during the first seven decades of the 20th century, anti-Zionist Jews are now believed to be on the increase. There are indications that the trend of Jewish anti-Zionism is growing. This may, at least partly, be due to the increasing public consciousness of the racist and fascist nature of the State of Israel whose policy and actions contravene the sublime values which people of religion from all faiths respect and seek to protect.

In essence, the Zionist project is a Western colonial enterprise whose success depends on two main factors. The first factor is the determination of a powerful West to see this enterprise continue. The second factor is the weakness of the Arabs and the Muslims who have lost ability to self defend. As for the first factor, so long as the Zionist project serves the purposes of the current World Order, and so log as the economic and military capabilities of this World Order permit it to prolong the life of Israel, no effort will be spared in sustaining Israel. However, no sane person would imagine that this situation would continue forever. The imperialist West is in retreat and its escalating domestic problems will soon preoccupy it and divert its attention from many foreign affairs that have so far been considered strategic interests. The Zionist entity lacks the ability to self-sustain and therefore cannot survive without the U.S. umbilical cord that supplies it with funds and weapons. As for the second factor, the weakness of the Arabs and Muslims is only temporary and will sometime in the future be reversed. Evidently, the Muslim world is witnessing a massive awakening that may be destined to initiate the change from weakness to strength. When Arab and Muslim gain of strength and confidence coincides with the retreat of the West due to the shrinkage in material and military resources and the augmentation of domestic crises, the end of the Zionist project will come and the State of Israel will no longer be.

But, what about the Jews? How will they be perceived by the Arabs and the Muslims? How are they going to be treated? How will the Qur'anic text referring to them be interpreted? Will they, after all, have a place in our region and in our culture, or are we going to annul their right to the Covenant guaranteed to them by God and His Messenger?

Preparation for the post-Israel era should now begin. This would have to include a revision and elimination of false concepts that make no distinction between Jew and Zionists. The first is a bearer of Jewish faith and if not involved in aggression against the Muslims is entitled to the right of Covenant. The second is a bearer of a settler colonial enterprise, an act of aggressor that should be resisted and deterred. This revision necessitates restoring respect to the contextual interpretation of the Qur'anic text which clearly distinguishes in its narration of the history of the Israelites and the Jews between those who do well and those who do not and between those who are righteous and those who are mischievous. It also necessitates exposing fabricated documents such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and discrediting conspiracy theory explanations of past and present events. While doing so respect should be reinstated to the Qur'anic justice-based tadafu' (interaction of forces) theory which is a much more credible explanatory paradigm and which, unlike the conspiracy theory, provides motivation and hope.

Anwar Ibrahim: Zionist stooge or fighter for democracy?

2010-07-18T16:34:00.003+08:00

Anwar Ibrahim is the leader of the opposition in Malaysia. He likes to think that he is fighting for the cause of justice and democracy in Malaysia and elsewhere. However, sometimes his statements on the Middle East make you wonder whether he is a Zionist stooge or whether his knowledge of the Middle East is very limited and shallow. Watch the videoclip below to know what I am talking about:

farming under fire

2010-07-12T22:55:00.004+08:00

Some of us feel very burdened by our job. Having to go to work very early in the morning and getting stuck in traffic jams sometimes makes us wish that life can be easier. Well, watch the video below to find out about the life of some Palestinians as they try to earn a living to feed their children. It may make you think twice before complaining about going to work.

lara lee's video footage and interview

2010-06-20T18:43:00.003+08:00

Lare lee, brazilian film maker was able to smuggle out a one-hour long video footage of what took place on the Mavi Marmara before it was attacked by Israeli commandoes. The footage proved that the allegations of the Israelis regarding the participants of the ship were all baseless. She later presented it at the UN. Below is 15 minutes edited version of the footage.

Israeli Attack on the Mavi Marmara, May 31st 2010 // 15 min. from Cultures of Resistance on Vimeo.

The raw unedited version can be found at the following website:

http://www.culturesofresistance.org/gaza-freedom-flotilla

In the video clip below, she is addressing journalists at the UN.

CoR Director Iara Lee at the United Nations from Cultures of Resistance on Vimeo.

Fascinating speech by Jewish professor Ilan Pappe

2010-05-26T15:08:00.006+08:00

Ilan Pappe is a professor of history at Exeter University. He graduated from an Israeli university and later did his PhD at Oxford. He want back to Israel and became an academic at Haifa University. His study of the history of Israel led him to become one of its most vocal critics. His stance resulted in him being unable to gain promotion in his job. In addition he was also receiving daily death threats. He decided to leave the country in 2007.

In this 4-part video clips, Pappe delivers a lecture to an audience in Vancouver, Canada on the process of ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Israeli Jews during the formation of the state of Israel. The issue is also the topic of his latest book.
The fifth video is a talk given by Pappe at Haifa university on the same topic before he left Israel.

The Causes of Greece’s Economic Troubles and Lessons for Malaysia

2010-04-19T09:20:00.000+08:00

The economic travails currently being experienced by Greece make interesting reading for economists, finance experts and laymen alike. Greece is somewhat in a humiliating situation. Some German leaders have openly suggested that Greeks should spend less time sleeping and more time working, that is, to be more like Germans.

There are diverging opinions in Europe as to whether economic assistance should be extended to Greece or not. Some are of the opinion that regardless of who is to be blamed, Greece still needs to be helped because failure to do so will result in more problems for everybody in Europe. Others feel that assisting Greece will establish a dangerous precedent whereby the bail-out of a profligate EU member country will only encourage others to be profligate in future.

What is not at issue is the root cause of Greece’s problems which is the Greek government's spendthrift policies over the last decades. In order to be popular with its citizens, it made their life as comfortable as possible. There are many stories of the good life in Greece. Education up to tertiary level is completely free. Employees are paid 14 months' salary for 12 months' work. Civil servants can retire after only 20 years of service with a full pension. As a result, many Greeks spend 30 to 40 years of their life enjoying life in retirement and contributing nothing to the economy.

The Greek civil service sector is also oversized and unproductive. This is because it is a common practice for political parties, after being voted into office, to reward key supporters with jobs in the civil service. Many ended up doing nothing productive because their posts were not necessary in the first place. The bloated public sector created unnecessary bureaucracy leading to a high level of corruption. Many businessmen , fed up with bureaucratic delays , preferred to pay bribes to speed things up . Greece is now widely seen as being among the most corrupt countries in the world. Transparency International Corruption Perception Index ranks Greece at number 71, i.e. among the worst in Europe. Even Ghana in corruption-rampant Africa is perceived to be less corrupt than Greece. Transparency International also estimated that in 2008 alone Greek citizens made 900 million Euros in bribery payments.

The worst aspect of the situation was the fact that the money being used to make life comfortable for everyone was actually borrowed money. The Greek government had been borrowing massively from European commercial banks. Their sovereign bonds were snapped up by the banks because these banks were able to borrow at a cheap rate, around 1%, from the European Central Bank (ECB) and lend to the Greek government at about 3-6%. These banks would then deposit the Greek government bonds at the ECB as collateral for more cheap loans. They were able to do this as long as the bonds were highly rated . Unfortunately this could not last forever and the massive amount of debt accumulated by the Greek government (almost 300 billion Euros by the end of 2009 and more than 120% of GDP) resulted in a downgrading of its bonds by rating agencies. This in turn increased borrowing costs tremendously for Greece since lenders are now worried about her ability to repay her huge borrowings, accumulated over the years. Moreover tax revenue collection in Greece is also very poor. A finance ministry report stated that a third of all economic activity in Greece do not yield any tax revenue to the government. It is a common practice for Greeks to pay cash for transactions in order to avoid paying tax. Revenue from income tax was 4.7 percent of GDP in 2007, compared to an EU average of 8 percent. The Greek government recently estimated that they were losing more than 1.2 billion Euros due to lax collection.

The only reason Germany and the rest of Europe may not want to see Greece default on her massive debts is the fear that many of the shareholders of the lender banks will lose out and this fear may be enough to persuade them to lend some more to her at a rate lower than that offered by the market. This indeed seems to be the case because on 12 April the finance ministers of the 16 Euro zone nations agreed to provide up to 30bn Euros ($41bn) in loans to Greece.

But this does not mean that Greece is out of the woods. It is simply a postponement of the day of reckoning. In the meantime there will be lots of pain for ordinary Greeks in the coming years as government expenditures will have to be radically reduced. Massive amount of job cuts and pay reductions are unavoidable. Many social services provided by the government such as free education and subsidized health care will also disappear. These severe economic pains, if not handled well, may very well lead to social and political chaos. Already there have been violent riots. More will take place as anger and resentment boil over as a result of the expected sudden rise in unemployment as well as radical reduction in the quality of life for everybody.

For us Malaysians the most important question to ask is what is the possibility that the Greek experience will be repeated in Malaysia? To answer that we need to consider the following questions. What is the trend of Malaysian government debt? Is it increasing or decreasing over the years? Are the political parties, in trying to woo Malaysian voters, promising more comfortable life for them, promises which inevitably will result in the growth of public expenditure and public debt? Or are they willing to be honest and explain to voters that our massive public sector debt of more than RM350 billion (and growing) is evidence that we are living beyond our means and that we need to sacrifice short term comfort and cut public expenditures before the debt spins out of control? To me, the answers to those questions are obvious and therefore the prognosis for Malaysia is worryingly also very obvious.

Supremacy of Shariah and Supremacy of Malays: Which one should we strive for?

2010-04-01T17:14:00.005+08:00

In recent times, the concept of `Ketuanan Melayu’ which I translate as `Supremacy of the Malays’, has been a subject of many discussions. Some are of the opinion that as Malays, we are obligated to make sure that the fate of our fellow Malays is protected. Moreover some are of the opinion that the main duty of a Malay is to make sure that the Malay ethnic group remains politically, socially and economically dominant in this country. In this article I am going to argue that such an understanding is not only devoid of any Islamic basis but also dangerous for it may lead a person to engage in activities that are against the teachings of Islam.

As Muslims, we believe that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. is a model human being to be emulated in all aspects, including his struggle to spread the message of Islam. It is therefore a compulsory duty of all Muslims to continue the work of the Prophet s.a.w. to spread the message of Islam to others. This is called `dakwah’ and all Muslims are supposed to perform this duty to the best of their abilityand to follow the example set by the Prophet s.a.w. in terms of the methods to be employed as well as the content of the message to be spread to others.

The central message that the Prophet brought to mankind is that we are all created by God for no other purpose than to submit and serve Him completely. Allah says in the Quraan:

“I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me.” (51:56)

As regard to the method of submitting or serving Allah, Muslim scholars have explained to us that this is achieved by our adherence or obedience to the teachings of Islam. Total submission to Allah therefore requires a person to follow in totality the teachings of Sharia in all aspects of our life. Allah says in the Quraan:

"O believers enter into Islam completely and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan, surely he is your clear-cut enemy." 2: 208)

One question that is often raised is regarding the position of ethnicity or tribal group in the life of an individual Muslim. What is the Islamic perspective on people establishing relationships based on ethnicity or tribal or clan groupings? How does Islam look at people who feel that they are superior compared to others on account of their belonging to a particular ethnic, tribal or family group? In reality this issue has been clearly explained by the Prophet s.a.w. in one famous hadith:

“An Arab is not superior to a non-Arab and non-Arab is not superior to an Arab. Neither a black anyway better than a red nor a red is better than a black. The criterion for the superiority is only the element of piety.”

It is obvious from the above hadith that Islam abhors racist attitude. The Prophetic saying above clearly explains to us that from an Islamic perspective, one must not look down on others simply because they belong to another ethnic group or possess a different skin colour.

However, we must also take cognizance of the fact that Islam does not seek to eliminate ethnic cultures and languages. Indeed it was Allah’s decision to create human beings with different or diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds as clarified by the following Quranic verse:

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a 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 Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)." (49:13)

It must be noted that the verse also reaffirms the central message of the hadith mentioned earlier: that there is no basis for anyone to argue that a particular tribal or ethnic group is superior compared to others. What matters in the eyes of Allah is only the individual’s piety.

Therefore, if a person desires to achieve honour in the sight of Allah, then he must direct all his efforts to achieve religous piety and if he wants his family, tribal or ethnic group be held in high honour by Allah, his efforts will be focused on exhorting his ethnic group members to achieve a high level of religious piety.

Just as the manifestation of piety in a person is his or her observance of Shariah, similarly, the manifestation of piety in a community is the observance of Shariah by that community. Therefore a basic aspect of the striving of a community which is focused on achieving high honour in the eyes of Allah is to seek complete implementation of Shariah in all aspects of life.

In short, for Muslims who really understand the true meaning of life, the true purpose of their existence and their true role as Allah’s vicegerent in this world, the real issue of concern is simply how to ensure that Shariah is supreme in this world. A true Muslim will always yearn for the complete implementation of Shariah in his personal life, his family, his neighbourhood, his community, his ethnic group, his country and ultimately the whole world.

Having said that, let us be reminded that a Muslim is not supposed to be unconcerned about the welfare of his family, ethnic or tribal group. Indeed the need to be concerned for the fate of family members is a command by Allah, as stipulated in the following verse:

“O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded” (66:6)

However, as seen in the above verse, the concern of a Muslim towards his family or ethnic group members or even countrymen should primarily revolve around the issue of their fate on the Day of Judgment. In other words, the ultimate concern is still focused on exhorting our family members to observe the Shariah in its entirety in order to avoid the punishment of Allah.

This focus on reminding one’s community to obey Allah as being the main concern of the Prophets of Allah is evidenced by a series of verses in the Quraan in Surah Al-A’raf as follows:

“We sent Noah to his people. He said: "O my people! worship Allah! ye have no other god but Him. I fear for you the punishment of a dreadful Day! (7:59)”

“To the Ad people, (We sent) Hud one of their (own) brethren: he said: "O my people! worship Allah! ye have no other god but Him. Will yet not fear (Allah)?" (7:65)

To the Thamud people (We sent) Salih one of their own brethren: he said: "O my people! Worship Allah; ye have no other god but Him. Now hath come unto you a clear (sign) from your Lord!... (7:73)

“We also (sent) Lut: he said to his people: "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? (80) "For ye practise your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." (7:81)

“To the Madyan people We sent Shu`aib, one of their own brethren: he said: "O my people! Worship Allah; Ye have no other god but Him. Now hath come unto you a clear (sign) from your Lord! Give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things that are their due; and do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order: that will be best for you, if ye have Faith. (7:85)

Additionally, the Shariah also commands Muslims to perform good deeds to their family members. In fact Islam makes it a religious duty for a person to treat their parents with love and respect. This love and respect is then supposed to be extended to other close family members as well as members of his community. A Prophetic saying on this is as follows:

“You are not believer until you love for your brothers what you love for yourself”.

However, Islam is also clear in its call to Muslims to observe certain very strict limits when being kind and loving to our family members. The love and kindness that Muslims have towards their close family members or ethnic groups must not be at the expense of justice for in Islam justice transcends considerations of race, religion, color, and even creed. Muslims are commanded by Allah to exercise justice to friends and foes alike.

The following verses of the Quraan are evidences of this principle:

“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even if it be against yourselves, your parents, and your relatives, or whether it is against the rich or the poor...” ( 4:135)

“Let not the hatred of a people swerve you away from justice. Be just, for this is closest to righteousness…” (5:8)

The Quran also exhorts Muslims to be just with non-Muslims:

“God does not forbid you from doing good and being just to those who have neither fought you over your faith nor evicted you from your homes...” (60:8)

The principle of not favouring one’s family or tribal members when dispensing justice is illustrated by the following hadith of the Prophet as narrated by the Prophet’s wife `Aisha:

The Quraish people became very worried about the Makhzumiya lady who had committed theft. They said, "Nobody can speak (in favor of the lady) to Allah's Apostle and nobody dares do that except Usama who is the favorite of Allah's Apostle. " When Usama spoke to Allah's Apostle about that matter, Allah's Apostle said, "Do you intercede (with me) to violate one of the legal punishment of Allah?" Then he got up and addressed the people, saying, "O people! The nations before you went astray because if a noble person committed theft, they used to leave him, but if a weak person among them committed theft, they used to inflict the legal punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad committed theft, Muhammad will cut off her hand.!" ( Sahih Muslim Volume 8, Book 81, Number 779)

The above hadith proves that love and concern for family or clan members is not unconditional. In the final analysis, the interests of truth and justice as prescribed by the Shariah must take precedence over the interests of family or ethnic members.

In discussing the two inseparable topics of being a Malay and a Muslim, we also may want to note the crucial fact that there are in reality many instances of conflicts between ethnic Malay cultures and Islamic Shariah. For example, whilst the wearing of figure-hugging Kebaya dress or the performance of traditional dances by ladies with exposed arms and head (such as tarian zapin or joget roggeng) as well as the `Bersanding' ceremony are all considered quintessential examples of Malay culture till today, they are according to many Muslims scholars all contrary to Shariah teachings. Therefore, one must always be mindful of the fact that striving for `Supremacy of the Malays’ may inadvertently result in the flourishing of practices that are unIslamic in nature if Malays do not attach enough importance to observance of Shariah in their daily affairs. Even though according to the Malaysian constitution, the definition of a 'Malay' is one who professes the Islamic faith, the sad fact is that not all aspects of Malay culture and practices which contrary to Islamic teachings have been abandoned.

Lastly, let us reaffirm the point that the `jihad’ of Muslims in this world is not to establish the supremacy of one’s family or tribe or race but rather to establish God's Shariah in its entirety. As far as family members and close relatives are concerned, Islam asks us to love and be kind to them. However, it is contrary to Islamic teachings for a person to strive to ensure that his ethnic group or family members are dominant or `supreme’ over other ethnic group or family members. Indeed it was precisely due to such narrow attitudes that we have witnessed injustices being committed by people in the past. It was the efforts to establish German Aryan superiority that lead to millions being killed during the World War 2, and it was the due to efforts to establish the superiority of the people from the Land of the Rising Sun that led to the death of hundreds of thousands of Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, Malays and other Asians during the same war, and it was due to efforts to establish the superiority of the Serbs that led to the death of hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Bosnians and Croats during the Balkan conflicts and it was also the desire to establish the superiority of the Hutus over the Tutsis that led to the killings of more than a million Rwandans. Clearly ethnic feelings are dangerous if left unchecked. This is the reason why Islam is against the concept of narrow `wataniah’ or narrow `nationalism’.

In conclusion, the supremacy of the Shariah is supposed to be the main concern of Muslims everywhere including those in Malaysia. Muslims in this country and everywhere else must be clear in their mind that their efforts should be directed towards establishing the supremacy of truth, justice and equality (i.e. the Shariah ). It is high time for all of us Malays to jettison the concept of `Ketuanan Melayu’ and replace it with `Ketuanan Shariah’ in order to achieve true success, both in this world and in the Hereafter.

Allah knows best.

Economist Interview with Anwar Ibrahim

2010-03-26T23:05:00.007+08:00

I find some politicians very interesting indeed, especially those who are able to garner support from people who completely do not share their political stance. These rare politicians somehow have developed a skill of negotiating their way through very complex political-social maze. One such politician is Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar Ibrahim, who is now the leader of the opposition, attracts a lot of support from very committed Muslims in Malaysia. Many of these Muslims want to see increased application of Shariah law in Malaysia. Therefore many support the Malaysian government's recent decision to cane three Muslim women for the crime of adultery. Many are also supportive of the government's previous decision to cane a lady who consumed alcohol in public. In fact many are actually asking the government to institute more Shariah-based laws for offences that are prescribed by the Shariah. But in the Economist interview below, Anwar Ibrahim explicitly stated that punishments such as caning for consumption of alcohol are `completely unacceptable' (his statement on this begins at 4.00 minute of the interview). Later on in the interview, he was asked whether if he gets into power he will change the laws so that such Shariah-related punishments will not be applied to Muslims in the future. His answer is classic `obfuscation'.
Anyway, I have a feeling that Anwar Ibrahim, being a shrewd politician, knows that there is little likelihood that his Muslim supporters will read the Economist magazine or watch the video of this interview. But for those who are interested to know of his stance on the `caning' issue, the Economist video below is very enlightening.
Click and enjoy.

Don’t Blame It on Capitalism

2010-02-11T13:25:00.001+08:00

On 27 January 2010, the International Labour Organization, a U.N. agency announced that 27 million people lost their jobs in 2009. Most of the job losses took place in Europe and the US. President Obama, in his recent state of the union address to Congress, said that… “One in 10 Americans still cannot find work. Many businesses have shuttered. Home values have declined. Small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. For those who had already known poverty, life has become that much harder.”
It is not difficult to imagine the extent of the suffering that is being experienced by the people affected. Lost jobs mean lost income. Since many families now have large personal debts in the forms of home loans, car loans, study loans etc., the consequences of a job loss can be very devastating. People who are affected may suffer both physical and psychological illnesses. The resulting stress and strain can cause families to fall apart. In many communities there will also be a spike in the crime as well as suicide rate.
Although these terrible and heart-rending implications of unemployment are well known and understood and even though governments after governments pledged to get rid of this modern day `scourge’, the sad stories of job losses and plant closures keep appearing in newspapers every other day.
What is ironic and interesting to note is that in many cases, the main reason given for the massive job cuts is the need to save the companies involved from going under. The most recent example is Japanese Airlines (JAL). Burdened with an unpaid debt of US$25.6 billion, it made history by being Japan's largest nonfinancial corporate failure. But instead of allowing the company to die its natural death, the Japanese government decided to give it a new lease of life. However, there was a condition attached. The company had to accept radical restructuring plans which involved the cutting of more than 15,000 jobs, or about 30% of its workforce by the end of 2013.
The same situation applied at General Motors in 2009. Its debt burden at the end of November 2009 was a whopping US$66 billion. The reason GM is still alive was because the Obama administration decided to rescue it by injecting public funds. But as in the JAL’s case, GM also announced a radical cutting of its workforce. Its salaried workforce was cut by 10,000 in 2009 under a restructuring plan that calls for the elimination of 31,000 employees by 2012 from its workforce of 96,000.
It is therefore difficult not to have the impression that the focus of governments is not really to save jobs but to save companies. Highly indebted companies must be kept alive, usually by using the financial version of an artificial respirator i.e. bankruptcy protection laws or by cash injections using public funds. What is now obvious is that protecting the interest of a small number of wealthy investors and lenders is more important than protecting the welfare of tens of thousands of often poorly paid loyal and long serving employees.
Many people mistakenly think that this is the price to pay for having capitalism as the basis for running a society’s economy. This is actually not true. The most common element in all definitions of ‘capitalism’ is that of an economic system based on the private, as opposed to public, ownership of capital. And this system of private ownership of capital has been around since time immemorial and yet, notably, did not cause misery of the scale that we are witnessing today.
After all, many civilizations had practiced economic and business systems that allowed private ownership of capital and free market. One example is the Muslim civilization which allowed private ownership and free market for more than 1,400 years. However, its history was never replete with stories of massive job losses and high unemployment. True, there were occasions of economic crises due to adverse weather conditions, plagues or other natural disasters. However, there was no instance of financial crises where economic players ended up bankrupt with massive loans and forcing job losses of tens of thousands.
No, this is not about capitalism but rather about the growth of one particular industry – the lending for profit industry. With the legalization of `interest-charging’ loans in Europe circa the 15th century, European Christians who previously considered interest-charging activities as evil and associated largely with `greedy Jewish money lenders’, began to join the financial industry in earnest. Soon the industry grew by leaps and bounds, helped by innovations such as the creation of the joint-stock companies.
In the centuries that followed, the Western world experienced rapid economic growth. Of course there were hosts of problems during these periods, mainly in the injustice and exploitation of workers by debt-laden industrialists who wanted to cut costs in order to earn higher profits and service their debts. Those problems eventually led to the birth of communism as an ideology. But the collapse of communism in Soviet Russia and Eastern Europe in the 1989 meant that the Western financial system was able to continue to thrive. However the world is now beginning to eventually realize that there is a major flaw with it. The increasingly serious and severe financial crises associated with the global debt problem are now spreading economic havoc and catastrophe to all corners of the world.
Unfortunately, some are wrongly pointing accusing fingers towards capitalism or the private ownership of capital as the main source of the problem although the equally devastating failures of communism should have been proof enough that public ownership of capital is not the answer. In reality, if the current suffering associated job losses are to eliminated, the requisite thing that needs to be undertaken is a proper diagnosis of the main causes of the problem. Sadly, many are either unwilling to be honest and truthful in their diagnosis or are simply intellectually incapable due to a lack of exposure to genuine alternative viewpoints.

This article was published by Star newspaper on April 8, 2010. Please click on this link for the online version: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/8/business/6010350&sec=business

Is Productivity and Superior Technology the Panacea for Economic Ills?

2010-01-21T16:47:00.000+08:00

Dr.Mohd Nazari Ismail

The current economic problems faced by Malaysia have resulted in many suggestions on how best the country could overcome those challenges in the coming years. Some of the most common revolve around the need to ensure that the country’s productivity or competitiveness be enhanced. They include revamping the nation’s educational system at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary. Public and private sector organizations are also exhorted to upgrade their technology and their workers’ skills. In other words, as far as Malaysia’s economic problems is concerned, the ultimate panacea is productivity and competitiveness of the country.
Truth be told, such a belief is fallacious and based more on hope rather than solid evidence. The most obvious evidence of this fallacy is the Japanese economy. Without any doubt, Japan is the model country when it comes to competitiveness, skills, technology and productivity. Out of the ashes of World War Two, the Japanese built a country that was and still is superior to almost all nations in the world in terms of technology and productivity. Japan’s industrial and manufacturing sectors are so advanced that it arguably was responsible for the closing down of many manufacturing concerns in Britain and America. In the automotive sector, for example, Japan’s Toyota overtook General Motors (GM) of the US as the largest car manufacturer in the world. GM even underwent the ignominy of having to be rescued from bankruptcy by the US government in 2009. Many British car manufacturers also closed down in the face of onslaughts by Japanese car manufacturers. Japanese companies also dominate the electrical and electronic sectors. Japanese brands such as Sony, Sharp and Toshiba are household names around the world. Japan’s export successes in the ‘70s and ‘80s caused serious trade deficits in other countries especially in the West. In the 1980s, Japan’s trade surplus with the US was so high that it led to a period of Japan-bashing by American politicians. Japan had to practice a `voluntary export restraint’ policy in order to placate American anger.
In 1990, the IMD World Competitiveness Report ranked Japan as the top country in terms of domestic economic performance, external economic performance and science and technology. It also placed Japan at number two in terms of labour market and third in terms of finance. Clearly Japan was at the top of the world compared to any other nation on earth and its future economic performance should also be the most stable and secure, right?
Wrong!
Beginning 1990 and in the ensuing twenty years, Japan went through a terrible depression. In the period 1991-2000, the average growth rate of per capita GDP was only 0.5 %. The Japanese government’s fiscal health also deteriorated badly. From 1991 onwards, it has been incurring a string of budgetary deficits, which got larger and larger. By 2000, it was 7.4 percent of GDP. In 2009, it was close to 10% of GDP. Public sector debt to GDP ratio in 2008 was a whopping 180% and as result a quarter of the total government’s expenditure were used for debt-servicing alone. The IMF predicts Japan’s gross public debt to reach 227% of GDP this year.
There have been hundreds of thousands of bankruptcies in Japan since 1990. And till today the picture is not improving. The most recent high profile case is the 59-year old flagship airline JAL. On 19 January, the company, with unpaid debt of USD25.6 billion filed for bankruptcy. A state-backed restructuring plan to prevent it from going belly-up will result in 15,000 of its employees being laid off to join millions other Japanese who have lost their jobs. The only reason why unemployment rate in Japan does not appear horrifying is because of the rise of the phenomenon of `temporary employment’. Temporary employees have gone from being a rarity in Japan to accounting for one-third of the workforce of 67 million. Life-time employment, a uniquely Japanese feature of corporate culture and once touted to be an factor behind its previous success, is now disappearing. Now, Japanese workers are more vulnerable. In March of this year, it is predicted that 85,000 part-timers will be victims of haken-giri, or temporary worker cutbacks.
According to a recent article on Japan by The Economist, the coming decade is going to be worse for the Japanese younger generations compared to the previous two decades. What a bleak prospect indeed.
Question is: how could such a technologically advanced and productive nation end up in such a miserable situation?
The answer is deceptively simple. It is the system. To be more precise, it is the finance industry, which encourages massive amount of loans be made to Japanese firms and individuals. The lenders i.e. Japanese banks had lots of money due to Japan’s export successes during the previous two decades. The huge amount of loans resulted in a massive bubble in property and stock markets. The speculative activities were at gargantuan levels such that at one point it was reported that a square kilometer of land around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo was worth more than the whole of California. It all came crashing down in 1989. The size of the speculative bubble was so big that after two decades of recession the Japanese economy is still extremely sick. In fact it now appears that it is going to get sicker still.
The most important lesson to be learnt from Japan is that having a highly productive, skilled, and disciplined workforce or a technologically advanced manufacturing sector is not a guarantee that a country’s economy will continue to be prosperous and stable. So long as there exists a lending-for-profit industry in the country, there is no avoidance of a catastrophe. It may be difficult to accept but the Japanese experience of the last twenty years is evidence of this reality. Unfortunately many policy makers seem blissfully unaware of this reality and continue to encourage us to look at Japan as a perfect example to emulate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Mohd Nazari Ismail is a professor at the Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University Malaya.

The Dubai Debt and Financial Crisis: A Case of the Inevitable

2009-12-15T15:04:00.000+08:00

Dr. Mohd Nazari Ismail

Following recent headlines on Dubai’s billion-dollar debt problem, there has been a spate of analyses. Some were very detailed and contained a list of lessons to be learnt by other countries. One recent and notable analysis emphasized the need for predictable, sustainable, clear and certain policies and argued that it is because of the lack of all those factors that Dubai is currently facing problems. In other words, the writer is saying that not only is it possible for countries to avoid financial crises, it is also very simple since what is needed is to make sure that the countries’ policies are not unpredictable, not unsustainable, not unclear and not uncertain.
The question that springs to mind will then be: How come all those brilliant Ivy League-educated policy-makers in countries that have experienced debt-related financial crises in the past such as Iceland, Britain, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil and of course the US itself (which boasts of having the top universities in the world and the most number of Nobel laureates in the field of economics and finance) have not figured these simple rules in the past?
And come to think of it, if avoidance of financial crisis is so simple, why do people bother so much in carrying out detailed research in order to prevent their recurrence? Maybe we should also not be too agonized with the fact that Malaysia has not produced any Nobel Prize winner in the field of economics or finance. The experience of the US has shown that having the best economics brains in the world is not going to help a country avoid the occurrence of financial crises.
Coming back to Dubai, it is worth pondering why financial crises continue to occur even though there had been so many crises in recent years which ought to have yielded important lessons. These include the 1987 Black Monday Crash, the 1994 Mexican Financial Crisis, the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the 1999 Brazilian Financial Crisis, the 2001 Argentina Financial Crisis and the 2007 US Sub-prime Financial Crisis. Surely policy-makers have had enough data, facts and information at their disposal to help them prevent the occurrence of financial crisis, especially if it as simple as coming up with policies which are predictable, sustainable, clear and certain.
To be sure, financial crises are not a new phenomenon. They have been taking place for hundreds of years. One of the most famous was the Tulip Crisis in Holland which took place in the 1630s. What happened was that many highly indebted people could not repay their debts, enough to cause a crisis in the Dutch economy. While the Tulip Crisis was caused by over-speculation in tulip bulbs, in the case of Dubai, the cause is over-speculation in the property sector. But the essence of the two stories is the same: people got excited with the booming price in a particular sector. They then borrowed heavily to engage in speculative transactions causing further increase in the size of the speculative `bubbles’. Eventually the bubbles burst and many people became financially unstuck causing a downward spiral of price and more trouble to the economy which eventually led to financial and economic crises.
Strangely enough however, it seems that this simple lesson on the importance of having predictable, sustainable, clear and certain policies was not easily learnt because well after that episode, financial crises continued to erupt in Europe and the US. The most famous ones include the 1720 South Sea financial crisis in London, the US panic of 1873, and the Great Depression of the 1930s. They all have one thing in common. Many people borrowed money in order to engage in speculative transactions in a variety of assets such as property and stocks. These activities led to asset bubbles which eventually burst, resulting in widespread financial insolvencies and, thereby, economic crises.
One notable fact is that these financial crises during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries took place mostly in Europe or America and not in places such as the Middle East or South East Asia. So a question worth asking is whether in these regions, predictable, sustainable, clear and certain policies were in place to regulate their financial sectors? Well, obviously that is not true for the simple fact that these regions, in those eras had no financial sector to regulate. In other words, the main reason they did not experience any financial crisis was simply that they did not have any significant financial sector to start with. Of course eventually they began to develop their own financial sectors and soon they too experienced financial crises. The most serious one for South East Asian countries was the 1997 financial meltdown and just as in the case of other financial crises, it was also a story of debts, speculation and the bursting of asset bubbles.
Truth be told, once a country developed a lending-for-profit sector of its own, there is no avoidance of a financial crisis even if predictable, sustainable, clear and certain policies are in place. Britain and America are the best examples of this. As is well known to many, these are two countries which are models to others in terms of financial regulations and supervision. Nevertheless the fact remains that the same two also happened to be among the ones which are experiencing the worst financial crises in the world. One very important, maybe the most important, lesson we should learn is that the occurrence of financial and debt crisis is an inevitable outcome of the existence of a lending-for-profit sector. And the more `developed, sophisticated and advanced’ the sector is, the bigger and more serious will the crisis inevitably be.

End-Of-Life Vehicle Policy: Putting People Last?

2009-11-04T15:36:00.000+08:00

When the government said that it wants to put the people or rakyat first, many wondered whether the term `rakyat’ refers to the general public including the low income groups or whether it refers only to those in the upper income bracket. The recently announced End of Life Vehicle policy (ELV), if ever it gets implemented, will provide the answer to the question.
When the government for the first time spelled out the ELV policy, it was together with the announcement on the National Automotive Policy (NAP) the main objective of which, as we all know, is to sustain the growth of the nation’s auto industry. This is sufficiently indicative of the main motive for the ELV policy. The excited and happy response of the country’s main auto manufacturers more or less confirms this. They are all hoping that this policy will help increase their sales and profitability as owners of aging cars are persuaded to switch to brand new cars. On the other hand, owners of 10 to 15 year old cars many of whom are from the lower income groups are generally alarmed at the grim prospect of increased financial burden.
Some supporters of the ELV policy argue that it is high time that Malaysia follows other developed countries to implement the policy. This is a classic example of jumping-onto-the band-wagon fallacy because it ignores many significant differences between Malaysia and other developed countries such as Britain and Japan. One of the most important differences is in terms of income levels. Another is the price of cars. The 2008 GDP per capita (from World bank statistics) for Malaysia is USD7,221 while for the UK it is USD43,089. The price of an `average car’ in Malaysia, say a Proton Waja, is about USD19,000. If we compute Malaysian car price to GDP per capita ratio, it is about 2.63. In the UK, the price of a Proton Waja is USD19,200. The UK’s car price to GDP ratio is therefore 0.44. Therefore, relative to income levels, the price of cars in UK is about one-sixth the price of cars in Malaysia. In other words, the same Waja should only cost around RM11,000 instead of RM66,000 if we take our income levels into account. The fact is the price of cars in Malaysia is horrendously high due to protectionist policies. If the argument to justify ELV is that we should follow developed countries like the UK, new car prices in Malaysia should also first emulate car prices in the UK. Then only would the argument make any sense. Otherwise, the policy will impose a terrible burden on the average family. There will be many implications, from reduced savings for their children’s education to less money to pay for medical bills.
The government may argue that the reason is to improve the environment because new cars are more fuel efficient. This is actually a nonsensical argument. A recent study found that the positive impact on the environment by the US government’s `Cash for Clunkers’ program, which is a variant of the ELV policy, is very insignificant. Moreover Time magazine in its commentary on the US Government’s `Cash for Clunkers’ program highlighted the “undeniable fact that destroying an existing car — even a clunker — and manufacturing a new one requires energy and carbon emissions that would be saved if you just held onto your old car”. The reason is very simple. Assume that as a result of the ELV policy, there will be an additional sale of 200,000 cars on Malaysia road a year. If the average price of the cars is RM65k, then we are talking about a total increase of RM 13 billion which was completely unnecessary since without the ELV program there will be no such sales. The owners of the 200,000 new cars are now forced to work to pay for the purchases. Assuming that they are in the manufacturing sector, now the factories will be working longer etc. If they had not been forced to buy a new car, they would have had no new debt to worry about. Now instead of relaxing at home with their families, the car buyers are busy working in their factories and burning fossil fuel in the process. Actually, if the government is really serious about the environment, the focus should on reducing the number of big fuel-guzzling cars or SUVs or improving public transportation system so as to reduce the number of cars on the road rather than encouraging new car sales and new debts.
Another argument made for the ELV is to reduce accident rate. This is truly farcical because so far the government has not produced any statistics indicating that road accidents in Malaysia are caused by 15-year old cars. Actually we all know that most accidents actually involved motorcyclists. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence (such as the type of cars involved in accidents parked at a police station in my neighbourhood) seems to indicate that they are caused by young reckless drivers driving powerful new cars. Most owners of 15-year old cars are conservative or elderly drivers who simply do not speed recklessly on the road.
It is therefore obvious what the ELV policy is all about. It has nothing to do with the environment or the need to reduce accidents on the road. It is all about wanting to force people to buy new cars and abandon their old cars regardless of the roadworthiness of their existing cars or their income levels or financial situations. Presently many Malaysians have problems managing their debts. Hence the never ending reports of Ah Longs and their exploits. If the policy becomes practice, apart from the car manufacturers, the Ah Longs too will be very delighted.
As stated earlier, the ELV policy is going to be a real indicator as to whether the government puts the welfare of the people first or whether it is more concerned with the health of the country’s car industry. Fortunately I think our PM is not a politically foolish person. He knows that if the government is perceived to be unjust to the people vis-à-vis this ELV issue, then all his efforts to improve the perception of the people towards the government will suffer a serious setback. Nothing drives the people more towards the opposition than a policy that directly hurts the people’s pocket. ELV is one such policy.

Ibadah Qurban: Ibadah yang tidak diambil berat orang Islam di Malaysia

2009-11-04T15:33:00.003+08:00

Assalamualaikum kpd semua,
Hari Raya Aidil Adha semakin hampir. Salah satu dari ibadah besar yang dilakukan pada hari raya nanti ialah ibadah Qurban. Malangnya bila kita perhatikan, ibadah ini semakin tidak diambil berat oleh umat Islam di Malaysia walau pun ialah dikategorikan sebagai `sunnat muakkad' atau pun sunat yang diberatkan. Di surau atau mesjid kita akan perhatikan ada beberapa ekor lembu sahaja akan dikurbankan padahal ada beratus atau beribu keluarga Islam di sekeliling surau atau mesjid tersebut. Kenapakah ini berlaku? Adakah kerana keluarga2 Islam itu tidak mampu melakukan ibadat kurban? Sebenarnya kos ibadat kurban sangat sedikit iaitu hanya sekitar RM360 untuk satu bahagian iatu minima untuk satu keluarga kalau hendak menyertai ibadat kurban. RM360 boleh dikumpulkan dengan hanya melakukan simpanan RM1 setiap hari sahaja untuk selama setahun. Rata2 orang Islam sanggup melanggan broadband internet sebanyak hampir RM100 sebulan yang bermakna lebih dari RM1,200 setahun. Tetapi kenapa tak sanggup belanja 25% peratus dari kos tersebut untuk tujuan ibadat sunnat yang dituntut oleh Allah? Mungkin kerana kurang mengetahui pensyariatan dan fadhilat kurban itu sendiri? Kalau itulah sebabnya maka saya append di bawah beberapa ayat Quraan dan Hadis berkenaan ibadah Qurban semoga akan memotivasikan semua untuk menyertai ibadat untuk tahun ini. Pastikan tuan/puan baca hadis yang terakhir.

Pensyariatan Qurban

1. Firman Allah S.W.T dalam surah Al-Kautsar ayat 2 :

Maksudnya : "Maka kerjkanlah sembahyang kerana Tuhanmu semata-mata dan sembelihlah korban sebagai bersyukur".
2. Allah S.W.T.telah berfirman dalam Surah Al-Haj ayat 37 :

Maksudnya: "Daging dan darah binatang korban atau hadiah tidak sekali-kali akan sampai kepada Allah, tetapi yan sampai kepadaNya ialah amal yang ikhlas berdasarkan taqwa dari kamu".
3. Sabda Rasulullah S.A.W.:

Maksudnya : "Aku diperintahkan dengan menyembelih korban itu dan ia adalah sunat ke atas kamu". (Hadis riwayat Tirmidzi)

FADHILAT IBADAH QURBAN

Fadhilat yang diperolehi daripada ibadah korban ini amat besar antaranya:
1. Menambah amal kebajikan. Sabda Rasullah Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam:

Maksudnya: "Korban itu bagi tuannya dengan setiap bulunya adalah kebajikan".

(Hadis riwayat Tirmidzi, Ibnu Majah dan al-Hakim)
2. Sebagai penebus dosa Sabda Rasullah Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam kepada Sayyidatina Fatimah:

Maksudnya: "Hai Fatimah,berdirilah di sisi korbanmu dan saksikanlah ia, sesungguhnya titisan darahnya yang pertama itu pengampunan bagimu atas dosa-dosamu yang telah lalu".

(Hadis riwayat al-Bazzar dan Ibnu Hibban)
3. Mendapat tempat yang mulia di sisi Allah.

Sabda Rasullah Sallahahu 'Alaihi Wasallam:

Maksudnya: "Wahai manusia, sembelihlah korban dengan mengharapkan pahala daripada Allah dengan darahnya, bahawa sesungguhnya darah korban itu jika ia tumpah ke bumi maka ia akan mengambil tempat yang mulia di sisi Allah Azza Wajalla."

(Hadis riwayat Thabrani)
4. Rasullah Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam pernah bersabda:

Maksudnya : "Tiada dibuat oleh anak Adam pada Hari Raya Adha akan sesuatu amal yang lebih disukai oleh Allah Ta'ala daripada menumpahkan darah (menyembelih korban). Bahawa korban itu datang pada hari kiamat dengan tunduk-tunduknya, bulu-bulunya dan kuku-kukunya. Sesungguhnya darah korban itu mengambil tempat yang mulia di sisi Allah sebelum darah itu tumpah ke bumi, maka hendaklah kamu buat korban itu dengan hati yang bersih."

(Hadith riwayat Tirmidzi)
5. Ancaman terhadap orang yang mampu melakukan qurban tetapi tidak melaksanakannya. Daripada Abu Hurairah Radhiallahu 'anhu katanya, sabda Nabi Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam:

Maksudnya: "Barangsiapa yang ada kemampuan untuk berqurban tetapi tidak melakukannya, janganlah dia hadir bersama kami di tempat sembahyang kami".

Obsession with University Rankings: A Case of Missing the Forest for the Trees?

2009-10-12T16:14:00.000+08:00

Dr. Mohd Nazari Ismail.

Prof. Gerhard Casper, when he was president of Stanford University in the US once wrote to a magazine that ranks US universities: “As the president of a university that is among the top-ranked universities, I hope I have the standing to persuade you that much about these rankings - particularly their specious formulas and spurious precision - is utterly misleading”. He added “I am extremely sceptical that the quality of a university - any more than the quality of a magazine - can be measured statistically.”

There is certainly a basis for his remark. This is because of the odd fact that in recent years very little positive correlation exists between the performance level of universities in a country and the ability of that country to avoid social and economic malaise.

This was not always the case for if we look back into history, there used to exist very strong linkage between the existence of superior academic institutions and the level of the countries’ economic and social welfare conditions. This is a truism for the Roman civilisation, the Arab-Muslim civilisation during the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates as well as the European civilisation during the Renaissance period. The Romans’ excellent academic institutions which were built upon knowledge sourced from Greek scholars resulted in the flowering of their civilisation. The golden age of Islam was also the time when famous educational institutions such as Al-Azhar in Egypt and other educational institutions in Islamic Spain prospered. In Europe, the Renaissance was also the time when universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Sorbonne and others came into existence.

However, in recent years this linkage seems to have completely disappeared. The top 11 performers of the 2009 THE-QS ranking are American and British universities. However it is interesting to note that these two countries are not only the source of global financial problems, they are also the ones that are in the most critical state. America, despite having Harvard, MIT and other top ranked universities even possesses the dubious honour of being the most indebted country in the world. Its total debt is estimated at almost 50 trillion dollars and its public sector deficit for 2009 is a whopping USD1.4 trillion. On top of that it is also the world’s largest source of carbon emission per capita.

Britain, despite having Oxford and Cambridge, has an external debt which is 400% of GDP, the highest in the G7. Moreover, in a recent ranking of the stability of financial institutions by the World Economic Forum, the UK and the US were ranked at number 37 and 38, below many developing countries.

In Asia, Japan has the most number of top performers in the THES-QS table with the University of Tokyo being the highest ranked Asian university. Eleven Japanese universities are also among the top 200 in the world. But the performance of the Japanese economy is among the worst in the region. In addition, its public debt is predicted to surge to 200% of GDP in 2010. Japanese corporate bankruptcies soared by more than 10% in February of 2009 compared to the previous year and its economic problem is probably the main cause for its position at number 8 in the world in terms of suicide rate.
South Korea is another Asian country that did well in the ranking with four of its universities listed among the top 200. But Korea was among the countries that suffered the worse effects of the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s. Its finances were so badly affected that, unlike Malaysia, it had to go cap in hand to the IMF to ask for financial help. South Korean’s economy is still in a precarious position with its foreign debt at the end of 2008 at USD380 billion or 28% of its GDP. South Korean’s position at number 11 in the world in terms of suicide rate is probably also linked to its economic problem.
It is therefore clear that nowadays having the most number of universities in the higher echelon of THE-QS ranking does not mean that the country’s social and economic welfare is also among the best in the world.
This situation is puzzling as one of the most important functions of a university is to produce academicians and graduates who can help generate ideas and formulate policies that will eventually lead to the creation of a nation with a high level of social and economic welfare. When academic institutions are unable to stop economic and social rot from taking place in society, then clearly they are not playing their true roles even if they are among the top in global rankings.
Therefore, the question that needs to be asked is why is there little linkage currently between the economic and social welfare of a country and the performance of the universities of that country. There are two plausible explanations. First, there is a possibility that the top THES-QS-ranked universities from the US, Britain and other socially and economically ill countries have not been producing real intellectuals or thinkers. They may have merely been producing `workers’ or technocrats who are meant to fill the job markets rather than intellectuals who can generate ideas in and provide advice on social values, economic systems and the practices needed to build an economically and socially stable nation. Another possible reason is that the wrong type of research and teaching activities are going on at these universities. In other words, maybe the economic and social frameworks that underlie research and teaching activities there are flawed? If this is true, then what kind of frameworks do we need in Malaysian universities to ensure that our country do not suffer the same fate? These clearly are the types of very complex issues that need further analysis and discussions. Mere concern with the superficial issue of our universities’ position on the THE-QS ranking may be a classic case of missing the forest for the trees.

No need for excitement over temporary recoveries

2009-10-01T23:42:00.000+08:00

Those familiar with Jalan Universiti near Universiti Malaya (UM) will remember that some time ago, rush hour traffic jams in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Secondary School were horrendous. The main reason was that at the intersection of Jalan Universiti, Jalan Kemajuan and Jalan Dato' Abu Bakar, there was a roundabout. Any traffic expert can tell you that a roundabout is suitable only for those places where the traffic volume is not too high. But if the volume is high, a roundabout will only worsen the traffic flow. Only a systematic method of alternating the rights to transverse the roads could prevent a gridlock. The traffic problem was therefore unavoidable as long as the roundabout was there and this had little to do with whether road-users were ethical or civic-minded or otherwise in their attitude. Mercifully, the local authority had the common sense to replace the roundabout with a traffic light junction and a fly-over. Now traffic jams aroundthe location has lessened drastically even during peak hours.

This is similarly the case with the economy. When the financial system is flawed due to its predication on the lending-for-profit industry, there is no avoidance of periods of crises. The nature of the system creates conditions very similar to those of traffic jams. Certainly there will be periods of economic growth, just as there were periods of smooth traffic flow on Jalan Universiti. But that would be around 6.00am when the day has just started. But as more road users enter the road on their way to work, the flow would start to slow down. At 7.00am the first sign of a gridlock would appear. In the context of the US and the global economy those early signs of economic gridlock were around late 2007. At 7.30am the gridlock would be obvious to all. Transposing that to the US economy, this was in 2008 when the sub-prime problem was in full swing. Between 7.30am and 9.00am, the traffic situation around Sekolah Sultan Abdul Samad at Jalan University would be almost at a standstill.

And that is the state of the US economy from 2008 up to now when the credit situation caused the financial system to seize up. Operations at thousands, if not millions, of firms were brought to a stand-still. A large percentage of these firms will also be experiencing insolvency problems, as is the case with General Motors, Lehman Brothers, Freddie Mac and Fannie May in the US. Stimulus packages may get the economy moving again but only temporarily. Eventually the system will seize up again and the problem will get worse and worse, due to the worsening credit problem and increased level of indebtedness as the stimulus packages are also carried out using borrowed funds with interest charges attached. Stimulus packages, as economists are only too aware, merely serve to postpone the problem to a later time. Any growth in the economy due to stimulus packages will not be permanent. They will replaced by another period of slow-growth and recession.

In other words, the recovery situations are not unlike the temporary periods of smooth traffic flow at Jalan Universiti. It provides no reason for us to celebrate just as the daily commuting motorists at Jalan Universiti saw no real reason for joy when traffic jams eased up around 11 am. This was because they realised that as long as the roundabout was not removed, traffic congestion and gridlock could occur at any time. In fact they were also very sure that the problem would repeat itself every day between 5 pm and 8 pm and between 7.00 am to 10 am.

Back to the economy, we are now seeing some signs of apparent recovery. Strangely enough, we are now hearing excited comments by some economists who, for reasons best known to them, seem to completely ignore the temporary nature of these recovery periods. They seem to be behaving more like politicians rather than professional economists. Of course we can understand why politicians have to put a positive spin on any news as their political fortunes are dependent on whether the electorate feels good about the economy or not. But why are some economists behaving the same way? The only plausible explanation is that the fortunes of these economists are also probably contingent on those of the politicians.

In any case, we should remind both the politicians and those economists that despite the positive signs in the Malaysian economy, the Japanese economy, which is the second largest in the world, is still mired in a deep slump. In August Japan's exports shrunk by 36%, especially in the auto and steel industries. Much of Japanese exports go to the most important economy in the world - the US. But Japan's export to the U.S. fell by 34.4% this year with the largest decline being in the metal sector which fell by 82.2% in August. The weak Japanese domestic economy is reflected by the fact that its imports fell by 41.3% compared to that of August of 2008. All these reports indicate to us that as far as the world economy is concerned, the traffic jam has not eased up. Furthermore, if we bear in mind that the `roundabout' has not been replaced, it is far wiser for us to be thinking more on how to eventually remove it rather than to waste our time standing by the sides of Jalan Universiti and cheering the temporary easing of the traffic jams. Otherwise the students at Sekolah Sultan Abdul Samad will look at us and think that we are all a bunch of idiots.

A Case of a `Double Whammy’

2009-10-01T23:40:00.000+08:00

Back in 1997, world leaders drew up a protocol in Kyoto, Japan to implement the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change. After several years of debate, it officially became an international treaty on 16th February 2005. The protocol represents one of the most serious collective attempts by the world’s political leaders to tackle the various grave environmental problems facing humanity.

As of February 2009, 183 states have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Sadly, the US which is the producer of the world’s largest amount of greenhouse gas per capita till now refuses to ratify the treaty. One of the main reasons for this refusal is her concern that abiding with the agreed limits will harm its economy.

The US government obviously realised that it was impossible to achieve environmental targets, as stipulated by the Protocol, and economic growth targets at the same time. This fear is not unfounded as total US greenhouse gas emissions in 2004 actually went up by 15.8% compared to 1990 levels. But to castigate the US over this single statistic may be unfair as global greenhouse emissions had also increased by 38% in the period 1992 to 2007.

In any case, the issue of climate change has not been consigned to the back-burner. The world’s political leaders agreed in 2007 to come up with a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. At the 33rd G8 summit, G8 nations agreed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by half come 2050. In December 2009, global leaders are going to meet again in Copenhagen to discuss a framework to solve the problem of climate change.

Is there a basis then to anticipate significant improvements in the control of greenhouse gas emissions in future years? Sadly, the prognosis is not that good and the reason is very simple. The more important and immediate task in the minds of almost all political leaders around the world nowadays is on achieving economic growth rather than on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Political leaders are experienced enough to know that generally the electorate is nowadays concerned more about the economy than the depletion of the ozone layer. Due to their impact on jobs and income, political leaders’ management of economic issues rather than environmental issues will significantly determine their political fate. If we study the history of many countries including Malaysia, it is quite remarkable that compared to previous leaders, current political leaders’ are very much more concerned with the economy. For example, in the case of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib six months into his prime ministership has made more statements on the economy than Tunku Abdul Rahman during his thirteen years in the same office. Moreover, the statements nowadays are almost always, in one form or another, the reassurance to Malaysian voters that the country’s economy will continue to grow.

This need to reassure is because, unlike before, there is a very high level of `financial leverage’ or indebtedness among many private and public sector organizations, indebtedness which carries interest charge, often of the compounding type. To illustrate, the total US debt which includes households, business and financial sector debts is now estimated to be around USD57 trillion compared to only about USD5 trillion in 1957. Highly leveraged firms carry higher risk of becoming bankrupt if sales slow down. So the pressure to generate sales revenue and profit is very high or intense in order to ensure the ability to meet debt commitments. Any lateness in repayment will simply be penalised by additional interest charges. And once major players in any industry engage in financial leveraging, it is difficult for their competitors not to follow suit. Soon almost all firms in all industries cannot avoid becoming leveraged or highly indebted. For them revenue growth is essential. The alternative is bankruptcy or insolvency. Hence, the growth imperative for all economies regardless of the implications for the environment. In the case of the US, when the economy grounded to an almost complete halt in 2008, the US federal government, despite its own enormous public debt of more than US$11 trillion, quickly stepped in to ensure credit will continue to flow to business organizations and for the economy to continue to grow. The cost to the environment due to these measures is hardly discussed.

Humanity is currently facing two extremely serious problems. The first is the global climate problem which is getting worse. The second is the very serious problem of underpaid employees everywhere having to work harder to generate more revenue for their firms. In a way present day employees are now being enslaved. In the past, slaves are physically chained. Modern day slaves are chained by their nation’s indebtedness, their firms’ indebtedness as well as their own personal indebtedness from housing, car or credit card loans and the like. So for most people nowadays, there is no choice but to work if they are to avoid losing their personal possessions and avoid bankruptcy. Pay and working conditions considerations are now not as important as getting secure employment itself.

There are social costs to be borne in all these. For many families, both parents will work day and night. Many have hardly any time for their children’s upbringing. For those who can afford it, maids will do the task for them. It is not a wonder that we are witnessing increases in cases of juvenile delinquencies and family breakdowns. Tackling these problems should be the priority for our political leaders if the fate of our future generations is of the utmost concern. Global warming undoubtedly is a serious problem for it is said to be responsible for many ecological disasters including storms and floods. But it is arguable that the more serious problem is the debt-generated phenomena of modern-day human slavery and oppression and all its attendant negative social consequences. Humanity is now drowning in floods of water and floods of debt. It is a classic but tragic case of a `Double Whammy’. Sadly, these are also all man-made problems caused by making debt an industry integral to the modern economy.

Ramadhan and Taqwa

2009-08-31T12:37:00.003+08:00

The translation of one of the Quranic verses regarding fasting in the month of Ramadhan is as follows: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint." (Al-Baqara, 183).
It is obvious from the verse that one of the objectives of fasting is `Taqwa' or `self-restraint' or `God-consciousness'. As such we Muslims should ask ourselves often whether our current abstinence from food and drinks during this month of Ramadhan has really increased our `God-consciousness'. Have we been able to improve our life in terms of increased commitment to the religion? What about our ability to refrain ourselves from committing sins such backbiting, engaging in conversations that are not allowed in Islam, listening to haram conversations, looking at things or images that are not allowed etc. The best person to answer those questions is our own self. We are the ones who truly knows whether we are improving, stagnant or regressing. Therefore we are also the ones who can really assess whether our Ramadhan has benefited ourselves or not i.e. whether it has fulfilled the prupose as stipulated by Allah s.w.t. in the verse mentioned at the beginning of this article. If we feel that it has not, then nobody can do anything about it other than ourselves. Improvements in iman and amal do not come by themselves but require efforts from us. We have to spend some efforts to improve ourselves. By simply having some intentions to improve without really doing something to improve ourselves will not lead us anywhere. So let us start to do something. Have a personal targets of improvement in this Ramadhan. It could be increasing our daily recitations of Quranic verses or it could be increases in the number of `Nawafil/Sunat' prayers or in the case of men, the number of times we perform our daily fard prayers in Jemaah at the masjid or surau. May Allah help us all to improve ourselves and make us among those whom He classifies as `Muttaqoon' (those who are God-conscious).

Why Ah Long Problem Is Set to Stay

2009-08-31T11:52:00.001+08:00

A few months ago the news media were full of reports on the issue of `Ah Long' or loan sharks. Every other day there will be stories of borrowers or their family members being victimized by the loan sharks with some of the wretched victims even ending up being chained like animals, horrifying the public. Predictably, politicians got onto the bandwagon. One minister announced that he was declaring total war against the loan sharks and will not stop hunting them down even if they try to hide in `lubang cacing' (worm-holes… whatever that means).
The funny thing is that now it seems the brouhaha over the Ah Long issue has disappeared almost completely as suddenly as it emerged. However, many will admit that by no means is that an indication that the loan sharks problem has been solved. The more likely explanation is that the news media feel that the public has become tired of the issue and therefore it is not newsworthy anymore.
Moreover we should also remind ourselves that the issue is in the first place not new at all. The practice of Ah Long victimizing clients who failed to pay up have been going on for decades. And it will continue for many more decades. And politicians will no doubt continue to make meaningless declarations of war against loan sharks as soon as the problem becomes a hot topic again, so as to appear to be dynamic and concerned about the plight of the rakyat.
Truth be known, the problem of loan sharking is actually more difficult to solve compared even to the H1N1 issue. However, the explanation for its continuous occurrence is in some ways quite simple. Basically it is an outcome of the law of demand and supply. The fact is there is now plentiful availability of people who are in need of the services of money lenders. This makes money-lending a lucrative business. So much so that there will be no shortage of people who would want to go into the business.
It has not always been the case before that lending for profit is viewed as a normal and perfectly legitimate practice. In fact prior to the 15th century, there was never any legal money-lending industry anywhere in the world. Loan sharks were therefore non-existent during that time. This was because all major religions and civilizations condemn the practice of charging interest on loans no matter how low the interest was. The practice was basically looked upon by all societies and civilizations – whether in medieval Europe or ancient India or ancient China or the Islamic Middle East - as completely abhorrent, bad and evil.
However, when in the 15th century John Calvin and John Eck, both European Christian priests, successfully argued and convinced Europeans that usury only referred to `excessive interest', Europe began to legalize the practice of lending money for profit. Since the Europeans later grew to be colonial powers, the practice was introduced and became acceptable around the world too. Over time, it also became a big and influential industry. It is now very rare to find individuals or corporations or even countries which are debt-free.
But not all borrowers are fortunate enough to profit from the utilization of their borrowings. Some ended up poorer or became bankrupts. Such people, due to their degraded creditworthiness, will find it extremely difficult to borrow from established or large lending institutions. The total number of these types of people is far from small. During economic or financial crises or after the occurrence of natural disasters, the number of such people may double or even triple. These people basically are broke, cash and asset-wise, and if they are to continue to live or do business, the only expeditious recourse for them is to borrow from people who are willing to take higher risks of default. These are the so-called Ah Longs. These Ah Longs see the presence of these large numbers of high-risk borrowers who are shunned by established lending institutions as `market opportunities'. However they have to be very careful when lending to these people because if too many default on their loans, the Ah Longs themselves may end up financially ruined as, unlike banks, they have no legal recourse. Therefore they must make sure that such borrowers, who have nothing to offer as collateral for their loans, know the price of default. The borrowers must be taught that not paying up is not an option at all. Hence, the very nasty treatment meted out to defaulting borrowers.
It may be difficult to imagine but the truth is in the past lending was seen as a benevolent act i.e. to help people in need or facing hardship. Since profiting from lending was not allowed, the scale of borrowings was also small. For the lender, because his objective was to help others rather than to profit, defaulting borrowers was not a serious concern. Since his livelihood does not depend on any interest income, he is not unduly worried about defaulting loans. And in some cases, as encouraged by his religion (such as Islam) he may even forgive the debt as an act of charity towards a fellow human being who is in need.
Since the advent of the lending-for-profit business, the above scenario is no longer with us. Lending has now become a business rather than a benevolent activity. Benevolent lenders are now as rare as opportunistic lenders are common. For bankers, money lenders and Ah Longs alike, debt forgiveness is a term that is simply not part of their vocabulary.
Moreover, trying to solve the Ah Long problem without first making the activity of lending for profit illegal is like trying to avoid flooding at the river mouth when the dam has been destroyed or like trying to eradicate drug addiction in society without making the selling of drug illegal in the first place. It is mission impossible in the classic sense.

Dr Mohd Nazari Ismail is a professor at the Faculty of Business and Accountancy, Universiti Malaya. His latest book is “The Globalization Debate”, published by University of Malaya Press.

Congrats to Pahang Religious Authority

2009-07-23T11:11:00.004+08:00

On 21 July 2009, the Pahang Shariah High court ordered a Muslim woman be caned 6 times for consuming alcohol in public (read the full news report appended below). This a very praiseworthy action by the authorities there. I am sure other states have similar Shariah rules but this enforcement by Pahang is really laudable indeed. Hopefully this will send a message to Muslims in Malaysia as well as to non-Muslims of how bad alcohol consumption is. Actually the evil of alcohol is known by all, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. However Islam is one religion which is very explicit and unequivocal in its condemnation of alcohol consumption. Proper implementation of Shariah laws by right should be able to completely eradicate the problems associated with alcohol consumption over time. Of course implementation of Shariah laws must be preceded by comprehensive Islamic educational process so that Muslims in Malaysia are aware of what being a Muslim is all about in terms of their perspective towards life in general as well as in terms of the way we lead our daily life regardless of professions.
Moreover, we should take note that Syariah is explicit not only on alcohol but also on other evils such as gambling and usury (Riba). Therefore the Syariah authorities in Pahang and elsewhere should by right also arrest and punish people who are involved in these two evil industries. For example Tan Sri Haniff, the director of Genting, should be hauled to the court to be caned for being involved in gambling business. So should other tycoons in Riba industry. Hopefully this will serve to make them realise that actually they are committing major sins for which they will be punished severely in the fire of Hell in the after-life. Hopefully the realization will make them repent (taubat) before it is too late. It is better to be punished now in this world than to be burned by the fire of Hell in Hereafter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(From Star online)
Rotan for having a beer
2009/07/21
By Alina Simon
KUANTAN: A 32-year-old part-time model from Singapore charged with having a beer in a nightclub last year was ordered by the Syariah High Court yesterday to receive six strokes of the rotan.

Kartika Sari Sewi Shu-karno, who pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in public when she made her first court appearance in December, was also fined RM5,000.

The model, who wore a blue baju kurung and black headscarf, kept her head down and was silent as judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Yunus read out the sentence. He said the accused could face a three-year jail term if she could not pay the fine while the rotan would be carried out by federal prison authorities.

He said the sentence was under Section 136 of the Pahang Islamic and Malay Traditional Practices Enactment 1982 (amendment 1987).

"The court reached the judgment after the accused pleaded guilty. We feel the sentence is fair after going through the prosecution's argument and since the rotan is provided for in the law.

"The rotan is aimed at making the accused repent and serves as a lesson to Muslims."

Kartika committed the offence at a hotel night club in Cherating and was arrested during a raid by a team from the state religious department at 1.20am on July 12, 2007.

Her lawyer Mohd Zuki Che Muhamad Ghani said he would file an application for a stay of execution pending an appeal.

This is the second time the Syariah Court here has imposed whipping on a female. The first was on a waitress and a man who were caught together with Kartika during the same operation in Cherating.

The 38-year-old from Kemaman, Terengganu, and the 22-year-old waitress from Selangor were also fined RM5,000 each and ordered to receive six strokes of the rotan.

However, the whipping has yet to be carried out in these cases which are pending appeal.

The sentence for consuming alcohol was made stiffer when the Islamic Religious Administration and Pahang Malay Tradition Enactment 1982 was amended in 1987.

Under Section 136 of the enactment, those who are found guilty can be fined up to RM5,000 or jailed a maximum of three years, or both, and sentenced to six strokes of the rotan.

Kartika Sari Sewi Shu-karno, who pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in public when she made her first court appearance in December, was also fined RM5,000.

The model, who wore a blue baju kurung and black headscarf, kept her head down and was silent as judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Yunus read out the sentence. He said the accused could face a three-year jail term if she could not pay the fine while the rotan would be carried out by federal prison authorities.

He said the sentence was under Section 136 of the Pahang Islamic and Malay Traditional Practices Enactment 1982 (amendment 1987).

"The court reached the judgment after the accused pleaded guilty. We feel the sentence is fair after going through the prosecution's argument and since the rotan is provided for in the law.

"The rotan is aimed at making the accused repent and serves as a lesson to Muslims."

Kartika committed the offence at a hotel night club in Cherating and was arrested during a raid by a team from the state religious department at 1.20am on July 12, 2007.

Her lawyer Mohd Zuki Che Muhamad Ghani said he would file an application for a stay of execution pending an appeal.

This is the second time the Syariah Court here has imposed whipping on a female. The first was on a waitress and a man who were caught together with Kartika during the same operation in Cherating.

The 38-year-old from Kemaman, Terengganu, and the 22-year-old waitress from Selangor were also fined RM5,000 each and ordered to receive six strokes of the rotan.

However, the whipping has yet to be carried out in these cases which are pending appeal.

The sentence for consuming alcohol was made stiffer when the Islamic Religious Administration and Pahang Malay Tradition Enactment 1982 was amended in 1987.

Under Section 136 of the enactment, those who are found guilty can be fined up to RM5,000 or jailed a maximum of three years, or both, and sentenced to six strokes of the rotan.

Plight of The Uyghurs

2009-07-23T11:02:00.002+08:00

Dear readers,
In recent weeks there have been extensive reports of violent conflicts taking place in Xinjiang. The latest was the killing of 12 Muslim Uyghurs by the Chinese security forces ostensibly for rioting. However there are strong reasons to believe that many of the accounts provided by the Chinese government are inaccurate and untrue. According to some non-governmental sources the victims of the earlier riots were actually predominantly Muslim Uyghurs (more than 800) and not the Han Chinese as reported by the government. Moreover those Muslims who were injured were discriminated against when they tried to seek medical treatments at hospitals.
The main reason for the ongoing conflict in Xinjiang is the resistance by Muslims in Xinjiang towards decades-long attempts by the Chinese government to politically, economically and culturally weaken them. It is a known fact that Muslims in Xinjiang province have been discouraged from practicing their Muslim faith for fear of being discriminated against. These continuous and systematic acts of injustice and discrimination by the Chinese government towards the Uyghurs are the main cause of the violence in Xinjiang which is now spiraling out of control.
The Malaysian government should not be indifferent towards the plight of Muslims in Xinjiang province but should call upon the Chinese government to immediately end all unjust and discriminatory policies towards the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
On our part all of us should do as much as we can to highlight the plight of the Uygurs to relatives, friends and the general public. Hopefully over time as more people become aware of the situation in Xinjiang and express their sympathy for the Uyghurs, the Chinese government will change its policies there. The Prophet in one of his hadiths stated "Whoever does not care about the affair of Muslims is not from among them".

The Perils of Hyper-competition

2009-06-10T17:46:00.005+08:00

On Monday June 1^st, General Motors, the doyen of the American auto industry filed for bankruptcy. Shockwaves went through not only the US but also the world economy. Commentaries abound on the cause of the demise of such a big and powerful player in the global auto industry. Hopefully for Malaysians we can learn some important lessons, not the least on how to prevent our own national car company from meeting the same fate.

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, put the blame squarely on `mismanagement’, which may mean anything you want it to. Others attribute GM’s fall to its inability to come up with effective strategies against low-cost auto manufacturers from overseas, namely from Japan and Korea. Some put the blame on the unions which allegedly was the stumbling block against efforts to reduce huge labour costs which included pension liabilities and health-care costs. Some blame the American government for not supporting the company in its tough battle against foreign competition, through either greater subsidies or the imposition of higher tariff barriers. And yet others blame the American consumers for fickle-mindedness and lacking in patriotism in their buying decisions.

However, on deeper examination, one will realize that the aforesaid ‘causes’ are rather simplistic and does not address the complexity of the problem. For example, if we put the blame totally on management, we ignore the fact that the GM management has been trying for decades to increase the company’s competitiveness. It took measures such as absorbing Toyota's manufacturing methods, improving car styling and design, investing in hybrid technology, integrating the company’s operations and centralizing management to reduce costs and persuading the United Auto Workers (UAW) to agree to cost cuts. So much so that by early 2008, analysts concluded that GM had successfully transformed itself.

And the unions? Are they responsible for making GM uncompetitive by their demands for improved pay, working conditions and benefits? Who else would do this for the workers if not their unions? Moreover, many of the requests put forward were inarguably reasonable and necessary in order that members get living wages which are able to meet life’s basic needs.

Blaming the American government for not helping GM in its struggle against foreign competition betrays a lack of understanding of the nature of international business. US trade policy seeks to ensure that international trade remains free from both tariff and non-tariff barriers. Tariffs on imported cars or subsidies to GM will undermine US government’s efforts to encourage other countries to remove trade barriers. Furthermore, member countries of the WTO are agreement-bound to refrain from taking protectionist measures. Breaching the agreement can damage trading links with other nations.

Also, if the American government is considered obligated to rescue GM, the next logical question is why only GM needs to be supported and not another company or another industry which is also suffering from international competition. This is why Malaysians must be very careful when they call on their government to support Proton.

The essential truth is that GM actually is a victim of `hyper-competition’ in the car industry. Competition is good to the extent that it leads to the efficient operation of the market mechanism resulting in benefits such as the efficient use of resources and improvements in goods and services being offered to the customer. However, beyond a certain level where competition gets too intense, dysfunctional outcomes will follow. Competitors will behave ruthlessly and the losses suffered by the losing parties will no longer be optimal to society.

As an analogy, let us imagine two men wrestling in a ring according to the rules of Greco-Roman wrestling. They will do their utmost to defeat each other but at the end of the match, there is no physical injury to either wrestler other than a bruised ego. But what if the spectators decided they want a more exciting competition between the fighters and decided to throw swords and knives into the ring and force the fighters to use them? Greco-Roman wrestling will turn into mortal combat like those of the ancient Roman gladiators in the coliseums. The defeated one dies whilst the winner survives but with serious injuries.

The fatal mistake was to give competitors weapons which they in the first place did not need. The weapons of modern day corporate competitors come in the form of loans obtained from the lending industry. A few hundred years ago, business concerns competed using their own money and therefore the level of competition was relatively low. The overall outcomes of the forces of competition were positive and that was the main reason Joseph Schumpeter came up with the notion of `Creative Destruction’ in describing the benefits of competition regulated by a functioning market system. But with the legalization of usury by the Europeans, the financial industry began to grow. Thus began the throwing of `knives’ into the hands of business competitors. The lending industry is now huge and they are now throwing samurai swords, axes, and even bazookas and RPGs into the ring for business competitors to use to fight each other. So it should not surprise anyone to see GM lying on its back in the ring, mortally injured, whilst in the other corner we can see Toyota sitting on the floor looking dazed with horrific body wounds and some limbs missing. For those who are unaware, Toyota recently announced its worst ever annual loss of 436.94 billion yen for the full 2008 fiscal year and a projected a net loss of 550 billion yen for the following fiscal year.

The combat is unending as other gladiators from Korea, who during the 1997 crisis also nearly died from horrific injuries but were given mouth-to-mouth resuscitations, are now back, looking energetic, with new financial `weapons’ in hand. So don’t be surprised if in the coming rounds we see Toyota meeting the same fate as GM. The question to ask of ourselves is how much weaponry are Malaysian taxpayers willing to supply to our own gladiator Proton and when it eventually succumbs to vicious competition, what will be the extent of the injuries i.e. how much money and how many jobs will be lost? Or should we start telling humanity that the competitive situation is unsustainable, untenable and dysfunctional and that we should go back to organizing Greco-Roman wrestling rather than allowing the gladiatorial fight-to-the-death series to continue?

Lurching Towards Disaster: Between Ignorant Masses and Self-Interested leaders

2009-06-01T19:56:00.002+08:00

On 24th May 2009, Robert Zoellick, the President of the World Bank, issued a warning that the current global economic crisis could very well lead to serious social upheavals. Mr. Zoellick is highly concerned with the increasing levels of unemployment in many countries around the world, especially in Eastern Europe where some countries are registering double digit decline in their economies.

Mr. Zoellick is actually not alone in having this worry. Many others also share the worry. However, the fact that it is being highlighted by such an important figure is very significant, especially so when political leaders in many countries are trying to re-assure their voters that the worst may already be over and that they are going to see an upward economic trend in the not too distant future.

Obviously, Mr. Zoellick, unlike politicians in many countries, is genuinely concerned with the future welfare of people. He is therefore asking governments to formulate appropriate policies in preparation for this impending grave and gloomy scenario.

Many political leaders on the other hand are more concerned with their short term political positions rather than with the long term welfare of their societies. As a result they tend to underplay the seriousness of the future economic and unemployment scenarios, fearing that it may negatively affect the perception of the public towards themselves.

To be fair, the reason why politicians behave in this manner is largely due to the expectations of the voters themselves who are more concerned with their own short-term well-being compared to the long term welfare of their societies. In their minds, the bottom line is that politicians must be able to guarantee job security so that they can continue to have money in their pockets and bread on their dinner tables. In other words, their main demand on their political leaders is that they must be able to keep the economic engine moving regardless of what is going on in the world economy.

As a result governments around the world are busy formulating economic stimulus packages despite the fact many of them are actually financially strapped and simply cannot afford them.

Take the case of Britain, one of the countries worst affected by the current financial crisis. The advanced financial system and practices of Britain made it possible for the country’s financial sector to grow relatively faster than others. But an advanced financial system is a double-edged sword. Economic growth that results from such an advanced system also brings with it a high level of indebtedness. In Britain, the debt to GDP ratio was recently estimated to be around 67%. However, due to the policy of the British government which wants to spend itself out of the crisis, the country may need to sell 220 billion pounds ($334 billion) worth of bonds. Budget deficit next year may rise to 175 billion pounds or 12.4% of GDP and the overall debt to GDP may rise to 100%. Largely as a result of this likely scenario, the rating agency Standard & Poor’s has lowered its debt outlook for Britain from “stable” to “negative”, thereby increasing the country costs of borrowing. According to many economists, Britain is in danger of becoming a bankrupt country in the manner of Iceland if its policy makers are not careful.

However, politicians in Britain have little choice if they want to remain in office come the next general election. The current crisis is causing a rapid increase in unemployment. Hundreds of thousands have lost jobs and millions of families are suffering from reduced income. For those still holding jobs, there is a high degree of uncertainty as to whether their jobs are really safe. During this difficult time, voters pin their hopes on government, thinking, falsely of course, that it can take the necessary measures to improve their job security. The politicians themselves, for fear of being voted out of office, are reluctant to admit the reality that, in this respect, they are actually quite powerless. What makes it worse is that opposition politicians are also making false promises that they can do a better job at securing voters’ future.

Under the circumstances, it is therefore unsurprising that governments around the world are unable to resist from behaving irresponsibly and indulge in policies that are extremely risky in the context of the long term future of their countries. Stimulus packages in their billions are announced to reassure the voters that the governments are doing their best to ensure that their countries’ economies are not heading for the doldrums. In reality they are just playing for time by staking the welfare of future generations. The present generation is being hoodwinked into thinking that measures that are being undertaken to solve the crisis do not have risks or costs. In the case of Britain, only the most educated are aware of the magnitude of these risks. But sadly they will never be able to change the direction of policy-making because the short-term position of political leaders is not determined by this small group of educated people but rather by the ignorant masses. Sadly, it is also an undeniable fact that this scenario holds true for many other countries.

But the saddest aspect of the current crisis is the failure by all to recognise the fact that all the measures being undertaken, even if they temporarily succeeds in slowing down economic decline, will not prevent a similar type of crisis from happening again. Moreover such a crisis will likely be on a much bigger scale, just as the current crisis is proving to be much bigger than the great depression of the 1930s. As long as the overall system remains, we all will inexorably lurch towards economic and financial destruction with all the attending consequences.

What do Syariah Divorce Lawyers and Islamic Banking have in Common?

2009-05-14T15:49:00.010+08:00

One of the most contentious issues discussed in relation to Islamic banking and finance is whether the whole concept is in line with Islam or not. On one side are those sceptics who argue that there is no difference between Islamic banking and conventional banking. To them Islamic banking is simply conventional banking in Islamic garb. The argument often offered by this group is the practice in Islamic banking of using interest rates in the calculations of the `selling price’. The only difference from conventional banking is that the rates are not variable whereas in the former the rates are variable. In the final analysis, according to them, transactions in Islamic banking, even though couched in terms that are halal, are essentially `lending contracts’ with interest rates still an integral part of them.

Defenders of Islamic banking on the other hand highlight the fact that halal transactions can never be considered haram and that Islamic banking contracts are halal even if the determination of the contract price involves interest rate calculations. What is important is the `aqad’ or the contractual terms of the transactions. Since the people who are involved in devising the contracts are scholars or experts in Fiqh or Islamic jurisprudence, many of whom are also very pious in their personal life, the contracts are indeed halal in nature. These Islamic banking products include `Mudarabah’, `Musharakah’, `Al Bai Bitahaman Ajil’, `Al Istisna’’ contracts.

What irks many of those opposed to Islamic banking is the fact that in numerous cases, the contractual prices of these halal Islamic banking transactions are more expensive than conventional banking contracts. Moreover, in a recent case involving a `halal' housing loan contract, the defaulter ended up with a debt obligation to the bank which was much higher than if he had purchased his house using a conventional non-halal loan. This was because the basis for the calculation of the debt obligation arising from the ‘halal’ housing loan was the final `selling price’ of the house payable over the full period of the loan whereas in a conventional case, the calculation of the debt obligation would have simply involved the unpaid monthly instalment up to the point of default plus interest.

Critics of Islamic banking are also upset with the scholars-defender of Islamic banking for what they perceive to be attempts by this latter group to defend and maintain the status quo. This view is reinforced by the fact that many of these scholars are advisers to conventional banks which have opened up `Islamic windows’ or Islamic banking divisions. These divisions are in other words merely parts of the riba-based conventional banks. The critics of Islamic banking therefore perceive the scholars to be collaborators of riba-based banks.

My own personal opinion is that much of the confusion and conflict are in reality unnecessary. For the critics of Islamic banking their error is in the excessive focus of their criticisms on Islamic banking rather than on conventional banking. Consequently, the defenders expend much effort in defending Islamic banking rather than attacking riba-based conventional banking. In other words, instead of being united on the one area on which they are both in absolute agreement which is that riba-based banking is haram, evil and therefore harmful to society and as such must be completely eliminated, they are focusing their efforts on attacking each other.

To make my point clearer vis-a-vis the role of Islamic banking, allow me to use the analogy of Syariah divorce lawyers. If we study the history of Islam we will find that, just like Islamic banking, syariah divorce lawyers is a new phenomenon. During the time of the Prophet and his companions, divorce issues were settled by the parties involved and later on with the intermediation of the Qadhi (or judge). It was much later when the Syariah family legal system and institutions became more developed that the need arose for people who were highly versed with the intricacies of the Islamic family law system. Nowadays judges in Syariah courts would prefer to preside over divorce cases where the parties are represented by divorce lawyers to ensure smooth proceedings. But of course for the parties involved the costs are higher because of the syariah divorce lawyers’ fees. Clients, especially those who felt that the outcomes of the cases were not in their favour, may feel quite upset with divorce lawyers who are sometimes be perceived to be `vultures’, benefitting from other people’s troubles. The higher the incidence of divorce, the fatter will be these `vultures’. The smaller the number of divorce cases, the skinnier will be these vultures. But does this mean that divorce lawyers are `unIslamic’ or that their profession is not in the Islamic spirit? Most certainly not. They are there because they serve to fulfil a need which is to alleviate the problems faced by divorcing Muslim couples. For couples that are happily married, the need for divorce lawyers of course does not arise and therefore little time and attention is given to them. Similarly, in the case of Islamic banks. They are there to serve those Muslims who are in need of financial assistance, either for personal or business objectives. They therefore alleviate the problems of these groups of Muslims. But for Muslims who prefer to avoid being in debt , Islamic banks are irrelevant to them.

Having said that, there is one issue that must be recognised. Just as syariah divorce lawyers is not a solution to the problem of increasing number of divorces in our society, Islamic banking is similarly not a solution to the problems associated with the phenomenon of increased indebtedness in our society. Islamic banking , as stated ealier serves simply to alleviate the problems faced by those Muslims who are in dire need of financing assistance. The long term solution for the Muslim ummah remains the same which is to eliminate riba-based banking in its entirety. In actuality, efforts to eliminate riba-based banking system are not merely a long term solution but also an Islamic obligation of all Muslims, that is, it is a fardhu a’in. This is what all Muslims should be focused on. Wallahu'alam

Is Obama being reckless?

2009-04-29T16:51:00.003+08:00

This article appeared in the Star newspaper on Tuesday February 10, 2009

Is Obama being reckless?

By DR. MOHD NAZARI ISMAIL

The president’s proposed stimulus package may worsen US’ indebtedness

LESS than a week after the departure of arguably the worst president of the US, the new president appointed Tim Geithner as his new Treasury Secretary.
During the swearing-in ceremony, Barack Obama expressed his optimism that his appointee will be able to solve the current economic crisis.
His optimism is based on the fact that not only is Geithner very experienced, being a past president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, he is also being assisted by very experienced economists including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
Many Americans and probably many more people around the world are hoping that Obama’s optimism will prove to be justified.
They are sadly oblivious to the fact that if Geithner is able to solve the current crisis, it will simply mean that Geithner has only succeeded in postponing the full brunt of the crisis to a future period.
It will also mean that Geithner has prepared for them or for their children pain and suffering on a much bigger scale in that future period.
Obama’s expectation of Geithner is actually very monumental.
Geithner is not only expected to solve the current economic problem but he is also expected to come up with a mechanism to prevent the problem from recurring.
Obama’s discussions with his economic advisory team must have been cursory so far.
Otherwise he would have been informed that no economist has ever dared to promise that his or her suggested policies will prevent future economic crises from happening again, not even Nobel laureates in economics.
Actually the step needed to solve an economic crisis is not rocket science at all.
Every one who has studied basic macro economics knows the concept of “economic cycle”.
As the name implies, the economy will always go through periods of ups and downs.
In other words, regardless of how bad the economy is, it will eventually bottom out and slowly go through a recovery period.
After all, at the core of all economic crises, the problem is over-indebtedness or over-borrowing.
All Geithner needs to do is to wait for the over-indebted firms or individuals to disappear from the system and then allow new players to come into the economy and soon it will slowly move.
However, the problem facing Obama is that the American public is impatient and expects him to solve the problem before he seeks re-election in 2012.
One very important aspect of the US economy is its size. It is HUGE.
As a result it behaves not very differently from a huge ocean-liner. To make it change direction requires lots of effort and resources, especially if the change needs to be done quickly.
For Obama, he has no choice but show the American public, in less than four years, that the economy is picking up.
Otherwise, his name will appear alongside Jimmy Carter, George Bush Sr and others on the list of one-term presidents, a prospect that he obviously will not relish.
And that is exactly the reason why from an economic perspective, I foresee Obama is going to be the most reckless president in the history of the United States.
He has pushed for Congress’ approval for his US$825bil stimulus package.
The problem is, as stated earlier, the US economy is huge and therefore nobody really knows whether that amount is enough or not.
What we do know is that since December 2007 till now, the US government has spent US$3.3 trillion of the allocated US$7.8 trillion.
Unfortunately, so far there has been no discernible positive outcome.
In fact, the situation is getting worse.
On the same day that Geithner was sworn in, CNN Money reported announcements of over 71,400 job cuts by US firms.
Clearly if Obama is serious about being re-elected in four years, he needs to spend more – much more than what has been announced.
Just as nobody really knows when the economy is going to rebound, nobody also really knows the total amount that needs to be spent to turn the US economy around.
One thing is for certain, it is going to be massive.
As is well known, the current problem of economic crisis is mainly due to over-indebtedness of companies and individuals. This indebtedness is yet to be resolved.
Therefore, the huge stimulus package being rolled out by Obama in order to secure his re-election is going to worsen the indebtedness situation.
Moreover this time it is going to involve both the public and private sectors.
By the time the US economy turns around due to the efforts of Obama’s administration, the amount of debt hanging around each taxpayers’ neck will be too scary to imagine.
The United States at the moment is being choked by a huge amount of indebtedness and that is why it is suffocating.
By the time all spending has been undertaken to get the US economy to move, American taxpayers will be completely wrapped up by debt to the point of being “mummified”.
The truth of the matter is, as long as the debt-based system does not change, there is no solution to the problem.
Henry Paulson, the previous Treasury Secretary, left his post without solving the problem even though he tried his level best.
But he should be happy because he will not be remembered as the person who recklessly worsened the US economic crisis by increasing the debt burden of the US taxpayers to unmanageable levels.
That dubious honour is likely going to be Geithner’s.
If Geithner is lucky, the honour may go to the person who appointed him.

Dr Mohd Nazari Ismail is a professor at the Faculty of Business and Accounting, Universiti Malaya. His latest book is “The Globalisation Debate: A Case of Barking up the Wrong Tree” published by University of Malaya Press.

Lending-for-profit factor

2009-04-29T16:48:00.001+08:00

This article appeared in the Star newspaper on Tuesday January 13, 2009

The lending-for-profit factor

By Dr MOHD NAZARI ISMAIL
As long as there is such an industry, there will always be financial crises
THE present financial crisis which started in the US is now fast spreading to the rest of the world. Some people are puzzled as to why experts in academia and experienced policy makers are unable to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Their puzzlement actually stems from a failure to realise that financial crises at their core are problems of over-leveraging, over-lending and over-borrowing.
Unfortunately history has shown that regardless of efforts to prevent the occurrence of financial crises, as long as the lending-for-profit industry exists, problems of over-leveraging, over-lending and over-borrowing will always be with us.
Take the Asian currency crisis of the late 1990s. The cause of that crisis was over-investment in the Thai real estate sector which was financed by massive foreign borrowings.
The resulting current account deficits put pressure on the baht. The Thai authorities were unable to support the baht which later depreciated.

This led to a ballooning of the country’s foreign-denominated debts. The crisis spread to other South-East Asian countries with some having to resort to International Monetary Fund’s assistance.
Another example is the Argentinean financial crisis of 2001. It was caused mainly by fiscal indiscipline by successive governments using foreign debt. In 1983, Argentina’s foreign debt was US$46bil. By 1999, it was US$130bil.
This dependence on foreign borrowings, combined with severe unemployment, rampant corruption and political instability led to massive capital flight by companies and individuals.
By 2001, the government of the day was forced to take drastic measures including freezing all bank accounts, leading to violent riots.
The Japanese market crash of the late 1980s stemmed from a speculative stock and property markets bubble. These were financed by loans from Japanese banks. When the bubble burst, trillions of yen were wiped out in those markets.
Ever-cautious Japanese consumers withheld spending because of the poor economic conditions and this slowed down the economy even more. The Japanese economy has never recovered fully from this crisis till today.
It is widely agreed that the current global financial crisis is a case of a market crash followed by a banking crisis followed by economic slowdown, which is spreading worldwide from the US. The problem originated from the low interest rates in the late 1990s.
This encouraged over-borrowing, especially in the housing market. When interest rates rose from 1% to more than 5% between 2004 and 2006, the less-than-sound borrowers, i.e. the subprime sector, defaulted.
Many lending institutions which specialised in subprime mortgage went belly-up. This has a knock-on effect, which is ongoing, throughout the financial markets of the US and beyond.
In all the above cases, the fundamental common features are problems of over-lending, over-borrowing and over-leveraging.
It may surprise some people but these problems never existed before lending-for-profit became an industry.
This was because “usury”, as lending-for-profit is also called, was condemned by all major religions and philosophers such as Aristotle and Cato.
The practice of usury was looked down upon in ancient Greece and Rome and by Hindu and Buddhist teachings.
Judaism prohibited usury against fellow Jews while the medieval Christian Church forbade it completely. Islam forbids it to this day.
What changed in 16th century Europe was the emergence of Christian scholars such as John Eck and John Calvin who argued that Christianity permits the charging of interest on loans and that the term “usury” refers only to “excessive interest”.
With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, interest-charging gained further respectability with the arguments put forward by the champions of capitalism such as Jeremy Bentham and Adam Smith.
It is to be noted from that period onwards the phenomena of financial crises came into existence.
It is my contention that the active existence of the lending-for-profit industry will inevitably and unavoidably lead to excessive lending, excessive borrowing and leveraging.
As long as there is a lending-for-profit industry, there will always be financial crises of varying magnitudes.
What is particularly worrisome is that some of the solutions offered, especially the fiscal stimulus policy, in my opinion may worsen the situation in the long run.
It is true that fiscal stimulus may boost the economy in the short run. However, this will inevitably result in the government taking up ever greater debt burden.
It is strange to note that people seem to suddenly and completely forget that excessive debt is the very thing that brought forth the crisis in the first place.
Stimulus packages are simply a postponement of the greater debt burden to a future date, to be paid by future generations. It is, in a sense, an ultimate act of irresponsibility and selfishness.
What is needed in these trying times is to challenge our fundamental assumptions about how the economy, industry and commerce are and should be run.
A paradigmatic shift of our mindset is perhaps required if we were to get out of this endless cycle of booms and crises with its ever increasing toll of economic and human pain and suffering.
Could the wisdom of the ancients, repeated by the world’s great religions, about the evil of usury not be a sound ingredient for the foundation of human happiness?
·Mohd Nazari is a professor attached to the Faculty of Business and Accounting at University of Malaya. Readers’ feedback is welcome to this article. Please write to starbiz@thestar.com.my

Malaysia in a good position to advise Hamas

2009-04-25T14:49:00.003+08:00

This is my letter to Malaysiakini sent on 19 Jan 2009 in response to a letter written by one Fernando Pastor. Mr. Pastor's letter is appended below.

Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:11:39 +0800
From: mdnaz...@um.edu.my
Reply-To: mdnaz...@um.edu.my
Subject: Letter:
To: edi...@malaysiakini.com

Dear Sir,
I refer to a letter dated 16 January 2009 by Fernando Pastor to Malaysiakini entitled `Malaysia in a good position to advice Hamas' and would like to express my complete disagreement with him. Mr. Pastor said he studied Islam. However I think he did not study enough of the religion because if he had, he would have found out that Islam is a religion that do not tolerate injustice. Mr. Pastor, despite his visit to the West Bank also obviously did not study the history of the Palestine-Israeli conflict too because if he had he would have found out that Israel is actually an ilegitimate or illegal state. This is because its establishment in 1948 involved the killing of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians, the theft of their land and the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians out of their country. To recognise the state of Israel is to legitimise all the atrocities mentioned above. Only people who are ignorant of history or devoid of any sense of justice will do such a thing. Fortunately the majority of Malaysians are not like that and I hope Mr. Pastor can take efforts to enlighten himself and join the majority of Malaysians.Furthermore Mr. Pastor also seems ignorant of the background of the recent Israeli massacres of the innocent Palestinians in Gaza. If he had bothered to do some investigation, he would have found out that Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election in 2006 but despite that was not treated as a legitimate organization by the US and Israel. Also for the last 18 months Gaza was under blockade by Israel causing deaths and sufferings for the 1.5 million people there due to lack of food and medications. The blockade was tightened further during the so-called 6-month truce period when Hamas did not shoot any rocket towards Israel. Moreover Israel killed 40 Palestinians during the truce period whilst no Israeli was killed during that time. As a result of these gross injustices as well as their sufferings, most people in Gaza were pressuring Hamas to fight against Israel with whatever weapons they have and that was the main reason the rockets were launched. In other words, the rockets were not launched by terrorists but by a group of desperate people who have been victims of atrocities committed against them for more than 60 years.Mr. Pastor, if he had done some readings beside walking the streets of the West Bank would have found out that the Israelis have been illegally occupying Palestinians lands and are still murdering the innocents, steal their lands and at the same time trying to starve Gazans to death. By the way Mr. Pastor may want to know that Israel, unlike Malaysia, is a racist state because Israel will not allow any Palestinian refugee to go back to their lands but will allow any Jew from any part of the world to emigrate to Israel.Lastly we should encourage Malaysians to educate themselves more bout the history of the conflict so that we can act justly towards the parties involved.

Thank you.

Dr. Mohd Nazari Ismail
_____

Malaysia in good position to advise Hamas

Fernando Pastor

Jan 16, 09 2:31pm

I should preface this letter by noting that I am far from being an Israel aficionado, a Zionist or whatever else you may wish to call me. I have no religious persuasion, yet have spent time in the Middle East, studied Arabic and Islam and had the pleasure of visiting the West Bank where I still have friends. I was in Ramallah during the funeral of Yasser Arafat. Whilst I was in Israel, at the height of the intifada, I was stripped to my boxer shorts and had guns put to my head by the Israeli Defence Forces. Malaysian responses to the current Israeli pummeling of the Gaza Strip have been interesting. Malaysians tend to view the crisis as a clear-cut attack on the ummah as a whole, a ‘clash of civilisations’ as some might call it. Given the timely death this week of Samuel P Huntington the eminent scholar (he was 91) famous for coining the notion of there being a post-Cold War stand off between the West and the Islamic world, it is important to recognise that the wider Muslim world must intervene to stop Hamas' feckless government from bringing more misery upon their own people who have already suffered enough. This conflict is not quite as black and white as the Malaysian (and Indonesian, for that matter) press have made it to be. Like many, I find the Israeli action in Gaza totally abhorrent. Nevertheless, some may argue that the actions of Israel (as disproportionate as it is - akin to the brief war with Hezbollah in the summer of 2006) were merited as a strong response from a sovereign state responding to terrorist attacks on their territory by a neighbouring territory.However, at the crux of this intractable conflict is not Israel. It is Hamas. When we repeatedly see Hamas firing rockets into Israel and in the process shunning the Egyptian-brokered cease fire, one has to question the motives of Hamas, who are, of course, the democratically-elected Palestinian Authority. With democracy comes responsibility. Hamas' whole cause de guerre is far too radical and has arguably won them few friends in a region where they need as much help as they can get. The Palestinian people deserve a homeland, rightly so as many Malaysian friends have told me over the last week or so. I couldn't agree more. Hamas (in Arabic 'Islamist Resistance Movement'), who project themselves as this, are not the party to make that peace happen. Let's just remind ourselves - Hamas' didn't even have an election manifesto when they swept to power in 2005 and four years on it appears as though they do not have a plan to get themselves (and their people) out of this terrible mess. Under their watch, we have seen infighting with Fatah, rampant corruption, not to mention the odd hijacking of a BBC journalist or scores of Katyusha rockets being fired towards Israel. This offers us the same salient message- Hamas do not want peace. A few years ago whilst in the West Bank myself, I witnessed young Palestinian men no older than myself (I am 23) firing machine-gun rounds in the air around the Muqatta, formerly Yasser Arafat's compound in downtown Ramallah. I asked the men, surely this wasn't the message they wanted the world to see? Kalashnikov fire aimed skywards that would only rain back down? That would never happen here in Malaysia, because the people know it's not the right thing to do. Successful moderate Muslim states like Malaysia can be doing a lot more to help the plight of the people they seem to care about so much. Perhaps when the dust has settled in a few days time, the wider Muslim world can start to stand up for the Palestinian people. Who has told Hamas that rupturing a cease-fire is not how to play ball with a neighbor with a penchant for excessive retaliation? It appears as though that while the quartet led by former British prime minister Tony Blair is unable to reach Hamas, maybe other Muslim states - like Malaysia - will be able to do so. The recent unofficial 'boycott' of US products like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s (who both, incidentally, employ a vast Muslim Malay workforce) does not send a good message to those suffering in Gaza. These boycotts largely damage the local economy, putting predominantly Malay Muslims at risk. Coca-Cola Malaysia employs 1,700 Malaysians - 60 percent of whom are Malay. What would be far more pro-active would be for moderate Muslim states like Malaysia, who have a good standing in the Arab world, to engage more directly with Hamas and other Arab governments in the region. But of course, for that to happen, they'd have to, at least, open a diplomatic representation there and recognise Israel as a sovereign state.

We Must adjust our distorted image of Hamas

2009-04-25T10:09:00.004+08:00

This article is not mine. It was written by William Sieghart, Chairman of an Organization called Forward Thinking and appeared on Times Online on Dec 31, 2008. Here is the link to the web-site: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article5420584.eceI thought it is such an excellent article that i decided to just append it below to make it easier for people to read it. Read on...

We must adjust our distorted image of Hamas

by William Sieghart, Chairman Of Forward Thinking.

Last week I was in Gaza. While I was there I met a group of 20 or so police officers who were undergoing a course in conflict management. They were eager to know whether foreigners felt safer since Hamas had taken over the Government? Indeed we did, we told them. Without doubt the past 18 months had seen a comparative calm on the streets of Gaza; no gunmen on the streets, no more kidnappings. They smiled with great pride and waved us goodbye.Less than a week later all of these men were dead, killed by an Israeli rocket at a graduation ceremony. Were they "dangerous Hamas militant gunmen"? No, they were unarmed police officers, public servants killed not in a "militant training camp" but in the same police station in the middle of Gaza City that had been used by the British, the Israelis and Fatah during their periods of rule there. This distinction is crucial because while the horrific scenes in Gaza and Israel play themselves out on our television screens, a war of words is being fought that is clouding our understanding of the realities on the ground.Who or what is Hamas, the movement that Ehud Barak, the Israeli Defence Minister, would like to wipe out as though it were a virus? Why did it win the Palestinian elections and why does it allow rockets to be fired into Israel? The story of Hamas over the past three years reveals how the Israeli, US and UK governments' misunderstanding of this Islamist movement has led us to the brutal and desperate situation that we are in now.The story begins nearly three years ago when Change and Reform - Hamas's political party - unexpectedly won the first free and fair elections in the Arab world, on a platform of ending endemic corruption and improving the almost non-existent public services in Gaza and the West Bank. Against a divided opposition this ostensibly religious party impressed the predominantly secular community to win with 42 per cent of the vote. Palestinians did not vote for Hamas because it was dedicated to the destruction of the state of Israel or because it had been responsible for waves of suicide bombings that had killed Israeli citizens. They voted for Hamas because they thought that Fatah, the party of the rejected Government, had failed them. Despite renouncing violence and recognising the state of Israel Fatah had not achieved a Palestinian state. It is crucial to know this to understand the supposed rejectionist position of Hamas. It won't recognise Israel or renounce the right to resist until it is sure of the world's commitment to a just solution to the Palestinian issue.In the five years that I have been visiting Gaza and the West Bank, I have met hundreds of Hamas politicians and supporters. None of them has professed the goal of Islamising Palestinian society, Taleban-style. Hamas relies on secular voters too much to do that. People still listen to pop music, watch television and women still choose whether to wear the veil or not. The political leadership of Hamas is probably the most highly qualified in the world. Boasting more than 500 PhDs in its ranks, the majority are middle-class professionals - doctors, dentists, scientists and engineers. Most of its leadership have been educated in our universities and harbour no ideological hatred towards the West. It is a grievance-based movement, dedicated to addressing the injustice done to its people. It has consistently offered a ten-year ceasefire to give breathing space to resolve a conflict that has continued for more than 60 years.The Bush-Blair response to the Hamas victory in 2006 is the key to today's horror. Instead of accepting the democratically elected Government, they funded an attempt to remove it by force; training and arming groups of Fatah fighters to unseat Hamas militarily and impose a new, unelected government on the Palestinians. Further, 45 Hamas MPs are still being held in Israeli jails. Six months ago the Israeli Government agreed to an Egyptian- brokered ceasefire with Hamas. In return for a ceasefire, Israel agreed to open the crossing points and allow a free flow of essential supplies in and out of Gaza. The rocket barrages ended but the crossings never fully opened, and the people of Gaza began to starve. This crippling embargo was no reward for peace.When Westerners ask what is in the mind of Hamas leaders when they order or allow rockets to be fired at Israel they fail to understand the Palestinian position. Two months ago the Israeli Defence Forces broke the ceasefire by entering Gaza and beginning the cycle of killing again. In the Palestinian narrative each round of rocket attacks is a response to Israeli attacks. In the Israeli narrative it is the other way round. But what does it mean when Mr Barak talks of destroying Hamas? Does it mean killing the 42 per cent of Palestinians who voted for it? Does it mean reoccupying the Gaza strip that Israel withdrew from so painfully three years ago? Or does it mean permanently separating the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank, politically and geographically? And for those whose mantra is Israeli security, what sort of threat do the three quarters of a million young people growing up in Gaza with an implacable hatred of those who starve and bomb them pose?It is said that this conflict is impossible to solve. In fact, it is very simple. The top 1,000 people who run Israel - the politicians, generals and security staff - and the top Palestinian Islamists have never met. Genuine peace will require that these two groups sit down together without preconditions. But the events of the past few days seem to have made this more unlikely than ever. That is the challenge for the new administration in Washington and for its European allies.

The Folly of the Blame Game at Davos

2009-04-24T23:28:00.001+08:00

This year, the meeting at Davos was reported to be somewhat subdued. One of the most interesting news that came out of the meeting was the criticisms leveled by some participants towards others regarding their respective roles in bringing about the current global economic crisis. These participants seem surprisingly unaware of the fact that in reality the fault lies in the global financial system itself. Therefore, it is a mistake to put the blame on one or only a few parties when in fact everybody who is involved in the system is responsible for the crisis, albeit in different degrees.

The group receiving the most amount of criticism is people from the banking industry. Realizing that harsh criticisms will be directed towards them during the Davos meeting, many of them failed to turn up. The main criticism regarding the banks is that their reckless behaviour in providing loans, especially to sub-prime borrowers, was the main cause of the crisis. It is argued that as a result, the banks themselves got into trouble with many of them becoming insolvent. This had the effect of drying up the credit market thereby starving firms in the real economy of much needed funds for their operations.

However, in reality that argument is overly simplistic. In the first place the crisis is the outcome of a situation of over-indebtedness in the global economy and especially in the US and the UK. The sub-prime mortgage crisis merely represents a `tipping-point’ or the proverbial `straw that broke the camel’s back’. The proof of this is the current problems faced by firms in almost all sectors including the car and airline industries. The reason why General Motors, Chrysler and Ford are in trouble is that they are highly indebted companies whose operations rely on borrowed funds.

Moreover, blaming the banks alone for the troubles that are being faced is grossly unfair. As the English saying goes, “It takes two to tango”. Lenders cannot lend recklessly without the existence of borrowers who borrow recklessly. That is why whenever we read of stories about borrowers getting into trouble with loan sharks or Ah Longs, we cannot help but also apportion some blame on the borrowers too. The fact is, the problem of over-indebtedness in the financial system is not possible without the active participation of willing and reckless borrowers.

However, it will also be a mistake to pin the blame totally on `reckless borrowers’. Notwithstanding the reports on the US carmakers ownership of corporate jets, in reality the firms in the car industry are not in a state of high indebtedness through choice. GM, Chrysler and Ford borrow money because they need it to compete against their competitors from Japan and Southeast Asia who are themselves huge borrowers of money. In other words, competition from firms who borrow huge sums of money forces firms to also borrow in huge sums. Otherwise they will be left far behind.

Moreover, banks also compete against one another and therefore banks that are reluctant to engage in risky leveraging activities will be less profitable compared to banks that are not so risk-averse. Managers of the latter group will not be able to hang on to their jobs for long if their competitors were showing stellar profits. Competition in the banking industry also forces banks to engage in risky lending. The reason why some banks in the US lend money to sub-prime borrowers is largely due to the fact that their competitors are also doing it. As such not engaging in it would have meant lower profits compared to competitors.

One irony that needs to be highlighted is that now some people are still blaming bankers for the credit freeze saying that the reason the economy is not moving is because bankers are reluctant to lend. Logic will tell you that if banks realize that the reason they got into trouble was because they were not cautious enough when lending money, now that the economy is in a downward tailspin the banks must be extra-cautious when lending.

To be sure, the blame game at Davos also involved parties other than banks. The Chinese premier, for example channeled his criticism towards the American authorities for their failure to control the consumption binge of their consumers. However, this is also ironic because all this while the Chinese have been very proud of their booming economy, which would have impossible if the US had not been swallowing up Chinese exports over the past decade or more.

The American authorities on the other hand blame the Chinese for their manipulation of the exchange rates. According to the Americans, Chinese intervention to prevent the Yuan from appreciating was the reason Chinese exports remain cheap and why the US continually records a trade deficit with China. However, the US forgot that the core of the problem is over-indebtedness which is due to the willingness of American consumers to live beyond their means. Their overconsumption was largely due to the ease with which they can obtain credit rather than the cheapness of Chinese goods.

The blame game at Davos was therefore a pointless and fruitless activity. It is very much analogous to motorists blaming each other when getting stuck in a traffic jam. A more useful activity is to identify the root cause of the problem and to figure out a way to remove it.

But obviously this has not happened as evidenced by the willingness of many governments to stimulate their economies by using borrowed funds and to encourage banks to be more liberal in lending. As pointed earlier, the root cause of the problem is excessive indebtedness. Even a primary school kid can tell you that promoting further indebtedness in order to solve an economic crisis caused by over-indebtedness simply does not make sense.

The Seemingly Unacceptable but Only Way Out of This Financial Mess.

2009-04-24T23:27:00.003+08:00

On Tuesday, 10 February 2009, the Obama administration, Federal Reserve and Senate announced the seriousness of their attempt to solve the deepening economic crisis in the US, an attempt which entails public and private money to the tune of more than $3 trillion. In response the Dow Jones industrials dropped 382 points. This disappointing response to the above initiatives points to a number of possible implications.

First implication is that the USD 3 trillion was judged by the market to be inadequate to solve the crisis. The problem is that nobody is able to figure out exactly how much is needed. It could very well be an additional USD10 trillion. Nobody really knows. But if the eventual amount is thought by the market to be too huge, then this can trigger a perception that the debt burden of the US taxpayer is beyond redemption. This could very well lead to a loss in confidence in the US economy thereby leading to a worsening of the situation.

Second, that the plan of action by Obama lacks the necessary details on how the huge sum of money is eventually going to solve the financial and economic crisis. But to expect Obama and Geithner to be able to come up with a crystal clear and convincing plan is simply illogical. After all if it is indeed possible to create a clear `road-map’ on how to get out of this crisis, then that will imply it was possible in the first place to create a plan that would have prevented the crisis.

Third, that the market players realize that whole world is in a deep financial quagmire, the solution of which requires a totally new and radical way of thinking and that the current solutions being offered are considered by them to be neither new nor radical enough. Well, actually that is what a lot of people are saying including our own governor of Bank Negara who, during the recent Bank Negara High Level Conference, reiterated the need for renewed thinking to reform the global financial system. Unfortunately, the reality is that these calls for reforms in the global financial system or `architecture’ are not new. More than a decade ago, during the Asian financial crisis, we heard similar choruses of calls for reforms to the global financial architecture. According to most people, there has not been any significant reform and that is one possible reason we were unable to prevent the occurrence of the present much bigger and wider crisis.

In reality what is needed is an acceptance by all that the current system is fundamentally flawed and must be abandoned. At their core, financial crises are problems of over-borrowing, over-lending and over-leveraging. Financial crises are also the outcomes of a relatively recent innovation which is the legalizing of the activity of lending for profit which led to the growth of the lending-for- profit industry. Prior to the 15^th century, lending in almost all societies and communities in the world were motivated by altruistic reasons. Lending was thus engaged in for the sake of helping people in need. As a result the scale of this type of activity was small. Only the most desperate people were in debt and, significantly, there was no interest charged on the debt. However, since usury was legalized, lending is now an industry and a massively huge one too. In fact it is the most important industry and the driver behind all other economic activities.

Lending and debt is now so embedded in people’s life that to be debt-free is an exception and to be in debt is the norm. From individuals to corporations to football clubs to countries, everybody is now indebted. Major corporations in the US are so highly indebted or leveraged that they cannot function without being able to borrow money. The moment credit lines slow they are in trouble. If the credit lines freeze, they become zombies. And since interest payments are due on outstanding debts, a highly indebted individual or company that is in trouble can easily become strangled by the debt. And if there is nobody willing to help, the strangle-hold becomes tighter and tighter by the day. For individuals, personal bankruptcy and all its worst implications stare in the face. For those who are not willing to face them, a bullet in the head or a rope around the neck seems the only option.

Help may come in the form of more loans to tide out the problem. However due to the interest that will be charged on those additional loans on top of existing unpaid and accumulating interest payments, those actions are simply equivalent to giving a person more rope to hang himself.

If we really want to help a person who is strangled in debt and unable to engage in meaningful economic activities, the best way is to freeze all interest charges. Better still is to forgive the interest charges and only ask for the principal back. If the debtor is unable to pay back the principal owed, the lender must give him time until his situation improves. This is how we unravel the knots around the neck of borrowers.

However, for this to take place the paradigm must change. Our actions described above must be motivated solely by a desire to help borrowers who are in trouble rather than to profit from their troubles. Lending must be seen as an opportunity to be benevolent rather than as an opportunity to enrich oneself. If we are unable to make that paradigmatic change in how we see the purpose of extending loans, then the solution I am offering will make no sense and will appear to be completely unacceptable and bizarre. But be cognizant of the fact that there is no other solution that can solve the situation and at the same time prevent future financial crises from happening again.

This article was published by Star on May 5, 2009 with the heading "Crisis Shows Financial System Must be Abandoned" ( http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/5/business/3799207&sec=business )

Is Hamas the Main Obstacle to Peace?

2009-01-08T09:24:00.000+08:00

Is Hamas the Main Obstacle of Peace in the Middle East?
As of today, almost 700 Palestinians have been killed and almost 3,000 injured as a result of the Gaza offensive by Israel. The world expresses its outrage at the inhumane carnage. Israel’s response is that the blame must be put squarely at the feet of Hamas which it describes as an organization that is the chief obstacle to peace in the region. Israel’s officials go to great pains to explain that Hamas leaders are the ones responsible for the death of the civilians and that what they are trying to do now in Gaza is to simply remove these bad guys so that the good guys can be in charge for the benefit of the Palestinians. And they also made it very clear who they think are the Palestinian good guys… none other than members of Fatah which is led by Mahmoud Abbas. This message is repeated again and again by Israel and her faithful partner in crime, The US. Amazingly however, the majority of the ordinary Palestinians, especially those in Gaza who the direct victims of the current onslaught appears to be unwavering in their support for Hamas. Moreover they are increasingly loathful of Fatah and Mahmoud Abbas. In this short article I will explain why this is so. I will also explain why it will be grave mistake to put the blame on Hamas and why we must resist all efforts by Israel and America to isolate Hamas.
To be sure the root of the problems in the Middle East goes back a couple of hundred years ago in Europe. Christian Europeans were very racist and the main victims of their centuries of persecutions include Gypsies and Jews. Attempts by Jews to overcome this problem by assimilating into European society met with no success. A group of Jews led by Theodore Herzl therefore decided to set up a Zionist movement in 1897 whose main aims include setting up a homeland for Jews where they can live on peace and prosperity i.e. a wholly Jewish state. Later these Zionists set about their plan to completely dispossess the indigenous Arab population of Palestine of their lands, with clear approval and active support of the British. The persecution of Jews by the Nazis during the World War Two only served to spur this process further. The Zionists even engaged in rape and murder in order to force the Palestinians to leave their lands (as related by Professor Benny Morris of Ben-Gurion University, Israel). This left the Palestinians no choice but to engage in armed resistance if they do not wish to see the complete dispossession of their nation. In the period up until the 1980s, the most important Palestinian organization which was engaged in these activities was the PLO led by the late Yaser Arafat. However, the PLO lost steam and beginning in the 90s until today the leader of this resistance movement is Hamas.
Hamas, which is a translation of the Arabic acronym for `Islamic Resistance Movement’, is noted for its steadfast refusal to recognise the state of Israel. For Hamas, such an act tantamounts to recognizing the legitimacy of the killings and rapes and dispossession of their lands by foreign invaders. Moreover it has also insisted that all Palestinian refugees which were forced by Israel to leave their country during the formation of Israel have the right to return to their homes. Lastly, it reserves the right to engage in armed resistance in order to prvent injustices committed against the Palestinians. As a result these stances, Israel, the US and EU have refused to recognise Hamas as a legitimate organization in representing the Palestinian people. Instead they have labelled it a terrorist organization and have engaged in numerous attempts to eliminate it. When the strategy to demonise Hamas failed, Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmad Yassin who was a quadriplegic was assasinated on 22 March 2004. A missile was fired from an Apache helicopter towards him which blew him to pieces as he was being pushed in his wheel-chair on the way home after morning prayers in a nearby mosque. He was replaced by Dr. Abdul Aziz Rantisi, a peaditrician. But a few weeks later on 17 April 2004 he too was blown up by Israeli missiles.
Nevertheless the killings of these top two founder members of Hamas failed to eliminate the organization. Instead it became stronger. The US government under the administration of George W. Bush decided to use a different strategy which was through the use of the democratic process. In the minds of the Americans, Hamas was an extremist and radical group and surely the group will be rejected by the majority of the Palestinians. A presidential election resulted in victory for Mahmoud Abbas. But Hamas did not contest that election. Instead it decided to focus on the general election which was held in January 2006. America and Israel was confident that Fatah would win that election to as the US thought that Fatah was a `moderate’ organization. Moreover Fatah which was once led by Yaser Arafat had a much longer history and is secular in character as opposed to Hamas which stated aim was to establish an Islamic state in historic Palestine. Many observers described the election to be free and fair, in fact the first truly genuine democratic election process in the Middle East. But to the surprise and dismay of the US, Hamas won the election by a landslide. The reason for the rejection of Fatah and the popularity of Hamas was obvious to all except for the Americans. Hamas is an organization that operates on the basis of Islam and their leaders were squeaky clean and selfless. Fatah on the other hand operates on the basis of Palestinian nationalism and their leaders were perceived to be highly corrupt and self-serving. Moreover Fatah was willing to cut a deal with Israel which includes recognition of the state of Israel, cessation of armed resistance and complete abandoment of the principle of `right-of-return' of the millions of Palestinian refugees many of whom are currently languishing in refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan. These stances were completely unacceptable to the majority of the Palestinians.
However, the US and Israel were not willing to accept the outcome of the democratic process which would have forced them to deal with an organization which they themselves designated as `terrorist’ organization. They then immediately conspired with Fatah to remove Hamas. In Gaza this was to be achieved by force. Fatah fighters there were led by the very-corrupt Mohammad Dahlan. He was supplied with tons of weapons including a number of armored personned carriers. Fatah operatives also began to assasinate Hamas’s leaders in Gaza. But before the plan was able to be carried out fully, Hamas became aware of it. They found out that the mysterious killings of some of their leaders were connected to elements linked to Dahlan’s military force. Hamas then decided that if they did not act fast they would be completely annhilated. Hamas’s military wing, the Izadeen Al-Qassam brigade then carried out a pre-emptive military coup which resulted in them successfully taking complete control of Gaza and routing Dahlan's force in the process. Since that time, Hamas’s control and influence in Gaza has been getting stronger by the day. The majority of Palestinians in Gaza were impressed with Hamas’s government which stresses law and order and is corruption-free. Hamas also runs a network of social services including free medical care and education. On the other hand, Fatah which is in control of the West Bank is getting weaker by the day. This is partly due to the fact that they are perceived to be corrupt. Moreover they have been unable to improve the living conditions of the ordinary Palestinians there too. Fatah’s grip on power in the West Bank is only possible due to the strategy of curtailing the activities of other opposition groups including the arrest and jailing of hundreds of Hamas leaders and the closing down of organizations associated with Hamas.
Meanwhile America and Israel have not given up their plan to weaken Hama’s grip on power in Gaza. The strategy pursued there by the US and Israel was by an imposition of a harsh blockade of the area. Gaza, in the words of many observers was `the largest open-air prison in the world’, cut off completely from the outside world. It was obvious to all that America and Israel were hoping that the blockade will weaken the resolve of the Palestinians and also weaken their support for Hamas. Even though the 1.5 million Gazans were undergoing severe hardships as a result of the blockade, the governments of Arab coutries in the Middle East such as Egypt and Jordan had little motivation to come to their rescue. This was mainly due to the fear that a successful, prosperous and democratic Gaza may serve to inspire their own restless populace who have been clamoring for more democratic rights and less corrupt governments.
The blockade did weaken the Gazans physically because of the lack of food, medication and other basic necessities. There were reports of people dying due to lack of medications and of widespread cases of hunger and malnutrition. But amazingly, the blockade failed to significantly weaken their political support for Hamas. In the meantime Hamas agreed to a 6-months `period of calm’ with Israel where they agreed to end rocket strikes towards Israel. Hamas was hoping that Israel would be tempted to relax the blockade in return for the security for the inhabitants of Israeli towns in the south such as Sderot and Ashkelon. Unfortunately that did not happen. Israel continued with its policy of imposing a harsh blockade of Gaza. In addition in the final weeks of the `calm period’ Israel embarked on a number of incursions into Gaza and killing more than 5 Hamas fighters in the process. Hamas decided that Hamas decided that they, as responsible leaders of the Gazans, had to fight against the efforts by Israel to slowly starve them to death. Clearly the truce that they agreed to with Israel over the previous 6 months was not helping to improve the living conditions in Gaza. In December of 2008, Hamas declared that the truce was over and duly launched a couple of rockets across the border towards Israel.
It is obvious now that this was what Israel’s leaders wanted to happen. The Israeli general election is planned for late February and the opposition leader Bibi Netanyahu has been leading in the polls due to his hawkish stance towards the Palestinians. Moreover Israel had long decided that the corrupt and unpopular Fatah will never be able to gain influence among the Palestinians without more active help from them. So now they have decided that the best way to do that is to remove Hamas by force from Gaza and to teach the ordinary Gazans that as long as they support Hamas they will pay a price in the form of increased sufferings. Israel and America also wants to give a clear message to the Palestinians that the bombs from their F-16s fighter planes will continue to fall on their head and kill them, their women, children and old people if they continue with their refusal to be led by Mahmud Abbas-led Fatah.
We are now therefore witnessing another round of atrocities committed by Israel towards the Palestinians. In the past Fatah was in the forefront in the fight against Israeli atrocities. But Fatah has clearly long decided to abdicate this role in favor of a strategy of peaceful negotiations with Israel. Even though the strategy is not yielding benefits for the Palestinian people as a whole, it was yielding personal material and monetary benefits for the leaders of Fatah. This therefore mean that the only major Palestinian group left that is willing to fight against injustices committed against the Palestinian people is Hamas. Hamas is the last and only hope for the Palestinians. Its fight is in reality not only for the rights of the Palestinians but also for the upholding of the principle of justice in this world. Therefore, an unequivocal expression support of Hamas’s struggle from us is an obligation, both from an Islamic as well as moral viewpoint

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