Because of nafsu some people became very resourceful - nafsu nak bini orang (other people's wife), some would seek the help of bomoh siam, nafsu nak cepat kaya, they work around the system, beat the system, and became corrupted. Nafsu nak jadi cantik, they resorted to susok.
Its all "nafsu".
So, what is nafsu? Its quite difficult to describe nafsu in one word. Goggle says its "lust".
Yes, if we talk about sex. Some says its greed; but then I think greed is a direct result of nafsu.
To me, nafsu is the strong desire for something - (either material or emotional) - beyond ones means or ability to handle such desire.
For example, a person yearns to own a brand new Mercedes Benz despite ones low monthly income - thats nafsu; spending way above ones income - its nafsu; having meals more than what is normal - its nafsu.
Having wild, multiple sexual relationship - its nafsu buas. Nafsu made an ustaz 'terlajak' to another nearby opening.
According to a dear friend, some aunties, while already have a cupboard full of tupperwares, would still insist on buying more whenever they attend a parti tupperware; that too is nafsu.
As earlier mentioned, nafsu led to greed - nothing seems to be enough; nafsu made people lose their common sense and forget their purpose in life. Nafsu brings out the worst of a person.
Yes, nafsu is a global thing, but in this write up, I am confining myself to the Malays.
A dear friend shared with me an article on how, in early 1906, nafsu bankrupted my home state, Kedah. It was said that HRH Sultan Kedah at the time, held a three months long wedding celebrations for a few of his children. In doing so, he bankrupted the state when he borrowed heavily from Siam to cover the cost of the said celebrations (amount borrowed: about three million dollars).
That three million dollars in 1906 is probably worth hundreds of millions of ringgit today. If that is not nafsu, what is it then ?
Its sad; when the English were negotiating with Siam towards Anglo Siamese treaty 1909, Kedah was made to cede a big chunk of her territories to Siam.
It was implied that there was no way Kedah would have a say in that agreement; she had huge debts to settle with Siam.
I have always wondered; the Malays, from a young age, were brought up with Islamic indoctrinations - that nafsu is the mother of all evil, and yet corruptions, abuse of power, drugs and rape cases among the Malays is so wide spread.
The number of ongoing corruption cases, or ongoing investigations gives you the full spectrum of the Malays involved; ministers, deputy ministers, senior politicians, KSUs, heads of departments, DOs, army and police senior officers, right down to the lower district level administrators.
Another friend reasoned out that though Malays were exposed to Islam from the early age, most of such exposures were limited to rituals - how to pray, how to puasa, how to take wudhu etc - very little is done to inculcate the deep understanding and appreciating of why certain things were done in a certain way.
As we were bombarded with rituals, we forget about values of being a good human being and a good Muslim. Thus, the Kelantanese has no qualm about distructions to their eco system, which led to a near non existence of proper supply of clean water for the last sixty years.
Today, Kedah is sliding down into that direction.
It surely doesn't help when the political party forming state government in Kedah and Kelantan are fast becoming the political chameleons of the country - interpreting basic islamic principles at their own whimps and fancies, conveniently suiting to their position and environment - what was unislamic yesterday is OK today.
I too have always wondered; why do petty corruptions are almost non existance in certain advance countries.
I meant, do you dare to offer "duit kopi", say £50, to a UK cop who caught you speeding? or some of the country's commitment towards eco system and environment related issues.
Another dear friend cautioned me: do not run down the Malays....well, I do not run down the Malays. Its just that I am so very sick and tired of some Malays who are destroying the Malay society.
From the days of Bank Rakyat scandal early 70s, to Bank Bumi scandal in the 80s to todays scandals in Tabung Haji, Felda and MARA, its all the doing of the Malays - its self inflicting - to the extend that others in the country are making fun of the Malays.
It all boils down to nafsu of wanting to get rich in the shortest time possible that some, have no qualm in selling ones dignity and principle in life.
Yes, the Chinese are corrupted, and the Indians are equally corrupted as well, but using that fact as a reason will never never justify why the Malays should also be corrupted.
Ketuanan Melayu is never about the keris but its all about how one conduct himself in public office, and how one respect law and order, and how one control ones nafsu.
Nafsu made people do the unthinkable, and when nafsu rule, everything can be bought. Its just a matter of how much.
Rahim Hj Zainun
Alumni 2nd College, UM
1 comment:
Lawan tetap lawan
haji.
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