Sunday, October 7, 2007

What's the point?

"We do not want to pretend and say that everything is okay. We do not want to be in a state of denial. Tell the truth, even if it is painful." - PM Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on sugar-coating the facts pertaining to racial ties in the country. (front page of Sunday NST)

This posting is not a radical examination of race relations but Fer Fook's Sake would like to take up the PM's invitation to openly discuss things without a diabetes-inducing mountain of the sweet stuff.

As a non-Muslim, I'd like to share some observations with me fellow Malaysians. But please note that this post is in NO way intended to insult Islam or to provoke any sort of racial sensitivity (this is quite clear but morons will always somehow misinterpret things); instead it is hoped that it will instill a better understanding among us with an open & honest discussion of our Malaysian traits & idiosyncrasies. Ti's just me making some observations, so please feel free to discuss & comment.

RE: Common courtesy

On me commute home from work I have to pass the Sri Kembangan flyover exit on the highway & traffic on this stretch of the road is usually quite fooked up due to the number of vehicles making the turn off into the area.

A couple of days ago, the fooking queue was anaconda length as many people were obviously rushing home to break fast with family & relatives. Most people patiently waited in line but I spotted this tudung-wearing lady just zoom straight to the front & muscle her way into the queue. She's probably in a rush to get home but does she not realise that many of her Muslim brethren behind her are similarly pressed fer time? Is she aware that her anti-social behaviour negates the whole purpose of fasting?

Please note I am fully aware that bad road manners is problem among ALL Malaysians but I would have thought this special & holy month fer Muslims would at least curb such behaviour fer the time being among the faithful.

RE: The Buka Puasa Buffet

I was told by me learned Muslim friends that one of the main purposes of fasting is so you are able to appreciate being in the shoes of someone less fortunate ie making do with just one meal a day & so forth. Thus when a Muslim breaks fast, s/he is supposed to have a modest meal as befitting a person with limited means; NOT indulge in the all-out gluttony that is so prevalent during this time by gorging oneself silly at the many buffet treats at swanky hotels/restaurants.

Another Muslim colleague also says she has stopped going fer these buffets as they have become ridiculously expensive which again defeats the purpose of leading a rudimentary lifestyle during Ramadan. She says she is also disgusted by the typical Malaysian trait of hoarding as much food as the plate can hold simply because it is a buffet (& its usually the most expensive items). The wastage on every table is a sin any time of the year, nevermind Ramadan.

An elderly pakcik in the company also voiced his discomfort at having to attend a company sponsored buffet at a club house as he says this was a time fer spiritual reflection rather than focusing on one's own constant hungers & desires.

Fer Fook's Sake is also of the opinion that these Buka Puasa buffets have become de rigeour with mega corporations here. Many of the large organisations fall over themselves to treat their clients, vendors & media contacts to lavish & increasingly expensive affairs as a means to show off their status & credentials.

If these corporations want to belanja makan, wouldn't it be better & altogether more appropriate to supply food to the many orphanages, retirement homes or charity organisations throughout Ramadan to reflect the good will this holy period is supposed to instill in people.

These observations are just some of the examples of how ALL Malaysians are beginning to lose perspective of the truly important things in life & what should mark us out as a caring, sensitive & thoughtful human beings. We have come a long way since the 70s & not all of it is pretty or welcome additions to our culture . . .

19 comments:

Unknown said...

This Buka Puasa buffet is a farce and I am surprised that no Muslim leaders have raised an issue with it.

A relative, non-Muslim, told me that during Ramadan it is the practice in certain multi-national companies for all suppliers and contractors to book a few tables at a posh place and these tables are reserved under the company with the name of the person who pays the bill. This is blatant corruption especially under the guise of religion.

The Muslims know about this, but then it is another close one eye operation.

How sad.

senorita.. said...

oooh... didn't noe there's so many things to fasting..

and just wondering,are you aware of the BBC interview with our Foreign Minister?

anfield devotee said...

Dave: Without getting into issues of corruption, we are talking bout losing sight of what this month is supposed to represent. Yes, it is very sad.

Senorita: Yes, I am aware & he got off lightly given the way Hardtalk normally harangues its guests.

Syed artfully dodged all the questions posed & in the process made us all look like uneducated wankers . . .

senorita.. said...

yes... especially when he mentioned the "reason" why Lina Joy was denied the change of religion. he is such a fake..!

Bernard said...

That's Mr Syed "Waffle Shit" Albar for you then.

Yes, these buggers are as usual takng the holy month for granted turning it into another collect $$/favours opportunnity.

Bernard said...

PS : He's as fake as the toupee he's wearing!!

Afif said...

I have to agree with you on that Buka Puasa buffet trend. It's sheer waste if you ask me.

Then again I had to attend my company's Buka Puasa dinner last week cause it's the only we get to an annual dinner so..

redgav said...

Yeah, our Mr Albar evaded the questions like a Tai-Chi master! I guess that is the main pre-requisite of any politician nowadays.

Fasting aside, have you also noticed the price of mooncakes for the Chinese mooncake festival? My gosh! A plain mooncake that use to cost RM4 like 5, 6 years ago now can go for s'thing like RM10!

senorita :
When r we seeing you in full??? Haha!

anfield devotee said...

afif: sekali sekala, company belanja ok la. Its the sheer greed & wastage that irks me.

redgav: go to her blog to see her full pix of her wearing LFC jersey & er, not much else . . . !!!

Bernard said...

The lack of common courtesy is not a religious thing & sad to say its prevalent amongst Malaysians, be they a blue collar worker or highly paid professional. Best examples are always seen at the buffets, whether free or otherwise.

Dear Isa,

Yyou didn't go for any of those anger management courses we asked you to? Or did you fail it cos you kicked the counsellor in the balls?

& BTW, I've seen better behaved pigs than some people on the road or buffet tables. So its not fair to have such common misconceptions & comments about a pig.

Your friend

Unker Khinzir Lover

mark said...

The practice of piling your plate 10 stories high with the most expensive item during buffets is evident almost any bloody where in this country. People lack common courtesy and we blame Singaporean's for being 'kiasu'? Bloody hypocrites we are. Why don't they impose a fine for food you have left over on your plate like some restaurants do. I remember a Korean BBQ chain called Delique or something charging an amount for every kilo or so left on your plate. I agree though that it being a holy month and all makes it worse.

Every religion takes advantage of festivals or even funerals lah. How much does it take to buy one of those paper cars we burn for our relatives in the after life?

senorita.. said...

not a fan of buffet so i guess i don't really see that "ugly" side of Malaysians..yet. mainly because it's always so crowded and above all,i cannot eat that much..

and full me? if by chance you were at any viewing party that i've attended, then u'd viewed me in full... =P

Jon-C said...

And there are Malaysians that keep on harping on the Singaporeans being "kiasu." I honestly think we're in the same boat lah. Another common trait shared among us "kiasi."

anfield devotee said...

Yes, people, please note that I did say that lack of common courtesy & buffet orgies are a problem fer ALL Malaysians. But you would have thought this excess would be curbed during this holy period fer Muslims. Instead it is magnified!

It is just reflective of how fooking retarded & barbaric Malaysians are.

But I draw the line at S'pore. I have personally seen food fights break out at buffets. And they act all high & fooking mighty when talking bout us. S'porians can go fook themselves.

Sorry, its the trauma of having worked fer two fooking kiasu bloody S'pore companies which equated stinginess with efficiency. Aaaaargh!

PS: Isa you said it, not me . . . habis la lu, esok kena from the serban gang fer insulting yer religion. . .

ISA said...

well, my dear bala, the truth hurts doesnt it? i for one can only speak with much authority for those who profess my faith.

if my "in your face" attitude gets me into trouble, so be it (not that it hasnt..hahaha)

to the contrary my friend, i never insulted my religion..its those wankers who dont really understand the true concept of being courteous and mutual respect for a fellow human being that is universal to all religions...

anfield devotee said...

Isa: Yes, you made it is crystal clear in yer posting u did NOT insult yer religion. It is those wankers who behave like oink who have.

But u know la sini, everything is an "insult to our Religion". . . regardless of how it is phrased & whether it is true or not.

Will visit you in Kamunting if permitted.

weiyin69 said...

Well said, anfield. i personally have wondered why those who fast during puasa month can get away with gorging down so much after buka puasa. defeats the purpose of fasting in the first place. having said that, i must say some misguided Catholics do the same thing on Fridays.

Most practising Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays but somehow, it's okay for them to eat lobsters, crabs, tiger praws, cod fish, etc ... as long as it's not meat. The whole point of abstaining from meat is almost akin to fasting - to experience not being able to have good food (meat has been used as an example because it was considered luxury food item in the old days). but these misguided souls forget that seafood is just also "premium" food.

I don't get it. you're right, hypocrisy cuts across all races and religious backgrounds!

mark said...

I know some vegetarians who eat eggs and other that don't. Some even eat fish. Are there any set guidelines or do people just do what they do so long as it's convenient?

anfield devotee said...

mark: if it is convenience & it doesn't hurt/bother anyone else, its that person's perogative.

It depends on whether a person is vegetarain fer personal health reasons or religious ones. If the latter, there is usually some form of guidelines. But again I believe it is up to the person to decide so long it doesn't cause any offense to others.