In 1994, nearly 23 years ago, I (Khairul Hisham Hassan) graduated from The University of Sheffield in the UK with a Bachelor of Laws degree or LLB. And one of my core subjects was International Law. Hence, together with my 3 Jakarta friends who come from Indonesian legal background and who graduated 15 years ago from Fakultas Hukum of Universitas Trisakti in Jakarta, I have set-up an international consulting firm in Jakarta which provides 'Consultancy on Doing Business in Jakarta' comprehensive services. Currently, most of our clients are Malaysian companies and factories which set-up their PT PMA branch company or Representative Office in Jakarta. These companies were referred to us by Matrade in Jakarta which is part of the Embassy of Malaysia in Jakarta. Having said that, at the end of the day it is purely and entirely up to those Malaysian investors to select or appoint any consulting firm or legal advisor of their own choice for their "Doing Business in Jakarta" matters.


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Sahabat-sahabat saya sekalian, tolong benarkan saya berkongsi dengan anda semua sedikit rasa gembira dan sedikit rasa bangga saya (Khairul Hisham Hassan) atas kurniaan anugerah darjah bangsawan "Raden Tumenggung" oleh Sultan Pakubuwono XIII dari Keraton (Istana) Surakarta, Jawa Tengah seperti dalam photo di atas. Sebenarnya selepas Indonesia merdeka, Sultan Keraton (Istana) Jogkakarta dan Keraton Surakarta hanya berperanan sebagai "Gabenor" di Jawa Tengah sahaja. Tapi Perlembagaan Indonesia tidak menghalang pihak Istana ini memberi anugerah darjah kebesaran kepada sesiapa yang Baginda Sultan mahu. Penyanyi Rossa juga ada menerima Darjah Kebangsawanan dari Sultan yang sama i.e Sri Sultan Pakubowono XIII pada 26 Jun 2011. (http://www.cumicumi.com/news/read/20596/rossa-senang-bergelar-bangsawan). Syukur kepada Allah atas anugerah ini.


Tapi yang penting ialah saya tidak pernah meminta-minta, tidak pernah melobi dan tidak pernah membayar kepada pihak Istana Surakarta untuk mendapat gelaran bangsawan ini. Sri Sultan Pakubuwono XIII berkenan menganugerahkan, maka saya terima sajalah anugerah bangsawan ini dengan rasa sangat berterimakasih kepada Sri Sultan dan rasa syukur kepada Allah yang takdirkan semua ini. Anda mahu lihat Mohor Diraja Tulisan Jawa Lama? Sila klik dan besarkan photo di atas. Kemudian sila anda lihat disebelah atas kanan foto. Anda mahu tahu siapa itu "Sultan Pakubuwono XIII"? Sila anda lihat: http://id.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasunanan_Surakarta dan juga http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/pakubuwana_XIII serta anda lihat http://www.karatonsurakarta.com/.


Saya beritahu isteri saya, di Malaysia kita ini biasa-biasa saja tapi Alhamdulillah di Pulau Jawa nama kita berdua secara rasmi ada di dalam "Senarai Bangsawan Istana Surakarta". Nenek-moyang saya yang ratusan tahun dulu datang dari Jawa Tengah pasti bangga dan gembira dengan gelaran bangsawan Keraton Jawa ini. Saya sering berkata kepada diri sendiri seandainya orang mengetahui siapa sebenarnya nenek-moyang atau leluhur saya, maka pasti mereka tidak merasa aneh kenapa saya bisa mendapat gelaran bangsawan Tanah Jawa ini. Hmmm... Namun semua ini tidak penting sehabuk pun bagi saya kerana akhirnya nanti saya akan berbaring di dalam liang lahad kubur seorang diri, tanpa gelaran "Raden Tumenggung" atau gelaran apa pun. Yang penting adalan amalan soleh saya. Period. Full stop.



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January 2015 photo of my 2nd DAUGHTER (Not my wife) i.e Intan Nur Qistina Khairul Hisham (Left) with my 4th kid, Mehmed Al Fateh Khairul Hisham (Right). Intan Nur Qistina is 20 years old now. She is now studying at University of Malaya (UM) after completing her SPM at an Islamic boarding school in Kelantan while Mehmed Al Fateh in this photo was 4 months old newborn son. Now Mehmed Al Fateh is a two years old active 'young man'





THIS IS MY LIFE PRINCIPLE
(KHAIRUL HISHAM HASSAN)
(A 47 YEARS OLD REAL MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALIST)
(i.e PROGRESSIVE, HONEST, HARDWORKING AND ROMANTIC MUSLIM)

As a Muslim I believe that the day will DEFINITELY come when my helpless dead body or jenazah finally will be carried away to the grave. As a Muslim I also believe that the day will DEFINITELY come when I will be in my Liang Lahad alone, dealing with Malaikat Munkar & Nakir. And that will be the day when anything else does not matter anymore except my good deeds, my amalan and my amal jariah that I have done when I am still alive. At the end of the day it does not matter anymore whether or not while we are living on this Planet Earth we have a big business empire or a beautiful wife or a big house or a big car or a high position in a big company etc. Does not matter anymore, my friend. Does not matter.




As a Muslim, I solemnly believe that: "The only true measure of my success in life is as to how far I have obeyed Allah's commandments, according to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W". Ukuran kejayaan SEBENAR seseorang manusia itu ialah sejauh mana dia dapat taat perintah Allah, berpandukan kepada sunnah Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. Justeru itu, kalau seseorang itu kaya-raya atau berpangkat besar atau berwajah cantik atau berumah besar atau berkereta mewah atau bergelar 'Datuk', 'Datuk Seri', 'Tan Sri' tapi dia lalai solat, tidak berakhlak Islam dan tidak amalkan apa yang Islam suruh, maka di mata saya orang seperti ini bukanlah orang yang berjaya. Saya langsung tidak hormat orang seperti ini. Orang seperti ini tidak ada nilai di sisi Allah dan juga tidak ada nilai sehabuk pun di mata saya. Apakah saya kagum dengan kekayaan dan kedudukan orang seperti ini? Jauh sekali. Am I scared of this type of rich and 'powerful' people? Never. Insya-Allah I am not scared of any human-being in this world. Not even for a nanosecond. In my eyes, he or she is nothing. Yes, nothing. Period. Tetapi saya sangat hormat, sangat kagum, sangat kasih dan agak gementar apabila berhadapan dengan orang yang sebenar-benarnya 'Orang Yang Berjaya' iaitu orang yang menjaga solatnya, membaca Al Quran setiap hari, berdisplin Solat Tahajud setiap malam, berakhlak Islam dan tidak pongoh, pemurah dan tidak kedekut-pahit serta cuba mengamalkan keseluruhan ajaran Islam dalam kehidupannya.




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On 28 January 2017 my age will be 47 years old. By the way, my eldest daughter is now 22 years old. She is currently studying at International Islamic University (UIA) Malaysia. My second daughter is 20 years old and she is now studying at University of Malaya. And my third child is a 13 years old son. He is now studying to be a hafiz at Pondok Moden Saadah Addaarain. Alhamdulillah after a gap of 10 years, my wife who was 44 years old at that time delivered our fourth child on 24 September 2014 (Photo Above). Well...I do not call myself 'The Descendant of Majapahit Palace Warrior' for nothing, right...? :-) Syukur Alhamdulillah my wife has a smooth and safe delivery. Actually I have told my wife that if our newborn child is a baby girl I will name her 'Intan Nur Iriana'. The meaning of Iriana in Greek is 'peace'. Iriana is also the name of the wife of new Indonesian President Joko Widodo. However, it is our destiny to have another son, not daughter. Hence, I name my newborn son 'Mehmed Al Fateh Bin Khairul Hisham'. Sultan Mehmed Al Fateh is the Muslim Chalip whom at the age of 21 conquered Constantinople which is the modern-day Istanbul. He also brought Islam to Bosnia, Albania and Southern Europe. It is said that Sultan Mehmed Al Fateh has never failed to perform Solat Tahajjud every single night throughout his life from the age of puberty (akil baligh) until the day he died on 3rd of May 1481. It is my wish and also my wife's wish that our son, Mehmed Al Fateh Khairul Hisham will be a brave and pious Muslim like Sultan Mehmed Al Fateh and will never fail to perform Solat Tahajjud each and every night. Amin Ya Allah.



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These are my two beloved daughters: (Left) Intan Nur Farhana Khairul Hisham. She is my 22 years old eldest child. She is the one who is now studying at International Islamic University (UIA) Malaysia. (Right) Intan Nur Qistina Khairul Hisham. She is my 20 years old second daughter. She is now studying at University of Malaya (UM). Yes, both are my lovely princesses! Or shall I say my Javanese and Kelantanese princesses because I am a Javanese warrior and their mother is a Kelantanese lady! I have 4 kids. Apart from two daughters, I also have two sons. Their name are Mahathir Khatami Khairul Hisham who is now 13 years old who is now studying to be a hafiz at Pondok Moden Saadah Addaarain and Mehmed Al Fateh Khairul Hisham who was born 15 months ago on 23 September 2014.




Kepada Teman-Teman Sekalian Di Mana Jua Pun Anda Berada: Saya Ucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri Dan Salam Lebaran Minal Aidin Wal Faizin. Saya (Khairul Hisham Bin Hassan) Adalah Seorang Manusia Yang Banyak Kelemahan. Maka Sempena Hari Raya Aidil Fitri Yang Mulia Ini Saya Memohon Agar Anda Bisa Memaafkan Saya Jika Selama Ini Ada Bicara Saya Yang Menyalakan Api Kemarahan Anda, Jika Ada Perbuatan Saya Yang Menimbulkan Kebencian Anda, Jika Ada Tulisan Saya Yang Menyinggung Perasaan Anda, Jika Ada Akhlak Saya Yang Berbau Keangkuhan Dan Jika Ada Jenaka Saya Yang Berlebihan. Sesungguhnya Suatu Hari Nanti Pasti Akan Tiba Jua Saatnya Saya Akan Bersendirian Di Dalam Liang Lahad. Dan Semoga Pada Hari Apabila Jenazah Saya Diturunkan Ke Liang Lahad Itu, Tiadalah Dosa Sesama Manusia Di Antara Saya Dan Anda. Amen...









The above photo was taken by my wife near our rented house when both of us lived in Sheffield, north of England 24 years ago. I publish this photo here in my blog just to share my sweet memory with my dear blog readers only. Not to show-off whatsoever. That time I was doing my law degree at The University of Sheffield. It's Winter 1993. Being newly married I just wanted to impress my wife with some steps of my Pencak Silat during the snowfall. Maybe, just maybe, I was the first Malaysian man to perform Pencak Silat (an Indonesian and Malaysian martial art) during heavy snowfall in Sheffield. Well...I do not think Hang Jebat or Hang Tuah dares to perform Pencak Silat during -5 degree Celsius snowfall just by wearing their thin Baju Melayu. Yes, no doubt that Hang Jebat was a brave and hot-tempered man. Yes, he was also the only Malay who was not afraid to tell the cruel Sultan of Malacca more than 500 years ago: "Wahai Sultan Yang Zalim, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry". But I am sure this -5 Celsius degree snowfall will melt whatever spirit left in this great 'Incredible Hulk of Ancient Malacca Kingdom' who loved to run amok here and run amok there.


And...what about Gusti Adipati Handaya Ningrat? (For your information, Gusti Adipati Handaya Ningrat was a Majapahit Palace Warrior who failed to assassinate Hang Tuah. He was also a hot-tempered Majapahit Prince with a significant high blood pressure problem who could not accept any slightest criticism on his style of leadership. His sister by the name of 'Gusti Putri Retno Dumillah' eventually became the legendary 'Puteri Gunung Ledang'. Legend has it that even after 500 years, Gusti Putri Retno Dumillah is still residing at Gunung Ledang in Malaysia although the Malaysian Immigration Department has never granted her any Expatriate Visa, Permanent Residency or even Spouse Visa). I guess Gusti Adipati Handaya Ningrat would easily win 'Mr Bean Of The Year Award' if he did perform his Pencak Silat here in Sheffield just by wearing his traditional shirtless Majapahit warrior's costume. But one thing for sure..., no matter how sakti this Gusti Adipati Handaya Ningrat was, the -5 degree Celsius temperature would make him shivering non-stop to the extent that the English people would think this shirtless Majapahit Palace Warrior was high on drugs or narkoba while performing his Javanese Pencak Silat!











Who's that guy in the above photo snapped by my wife during Winter 1993 when we lived in Sheffield? Is he Dicky Zulkarnaen The Indonesian Famous Actor? Wrong. Is he Si Pitung Macan Betawi? Nope. He is just 'Si Khairul Kucing Malaysia'! A blast from the past. Look at the background of the photo. Oh! I love living in England. For me, the Victorian style houses in England make it so picturesque. It's a romantic place to live especially in the northern part of England like Sheffield which is near the lake districts. That Winter 1993 was the most memorable winter because I just married in that year. So that Winter 1993 was the first Winter that I had a halal companion sleeping next to me, as husband and wife during long cold night. My wife said I was her 'Natural Winter Heater' that kept her warm and comfortable throughout very cold -5 degree Celsius Winter night.


Sekadar menggamit secebis kenangan lalu saja nih. Hmmm...selagi dinamakan manusia, kita nggak akan bisa melupakan kenangan lalu. Pasti nggak akan bisa. Nggak seperti komputer yang kapan-kapan saja bisa di delete memory dalam CPU. Maka, apabila kenangan lalu tiba-tiba datang menjelma dan mampir di Inbox pikiran kita, tanpa kita minta, tanpa kita undang, tanpa kemahuan kita, sama ada kenangan itu kenangan yang manis ataupun kenangan yang amat menyedihkan dan sadis, sebagai seorang Muslim mari kita redha dengan Qada dan Qadar yang Allah telah tentukan untuk kita.
Seperti kata teman saya dari Surabaya yang ganteng, Bapak Firman Hadi Sukma Pratama (Pakar Kuasa Pikiran Bawah Sadar dan Founder Wahana Sejati): "Iya, nikmati ajalah..."


JUST MY SPECIAL NOTE: Mari kita tenang-tenang aja karena sebagaimana Allah bisa menjadikan apa pun untuk hal-hal yang sudah pun berlaku, maka sesungguhnya Allah juga bisa mentakdirkan apa pun untuk hal-hal yang akan datang walaupun kelihatannya mustahil untuk berlaku jika menurut logika akal. Bukankah dalam Surah Al Maidah Ayat 40, Allah berfirman: "Dan Allah Maha Kuasa atas segala sesuatu".










PHOTO: THESE BAMBOO TREES FORM A MIND-SOOTHING PANORAMIC VIEW AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE PONDOK PESANTREN AT DESA KERTARAHAYU. I SPEND EVERY WEEKEND AT THIS PONDOK PESANTREN; LEARNING TAFSIR AL QURAN, CONDUCTING MY FREE ENGLISH CLASS TO 'SANTRI & SANTRIWATI' AND MAKING A CONTINUOUS EFFORT TO BE A HAFIZ AL QURAN BEFORE I DIE. AMEN YA ALLAH...


No doubt I love every single minute running my own consultancy business from Monday to Friday at my Jakarta office located not far from the Embassy of Malaysia. BUT for me, the most beautiful thing about living in Jakarta is being able to spend my time every weekend at a Pondok Pesantren Tahfiz Al Quran at Desa Kertarahayu in Kecamatan Setu. This Islamic traditional learning place is located at a panoramic remote village which is a two-hour drive from Jakarta. This is my Paradise. This is my 'Heaven on Earth'. The Pondok Pesantren is located in the middle of a green aromatic ginger and sesame farm, surrounded by paddy fields and green hills. During my weekend stay at this Pondok Pesantren, I diligently learn in-depth about Tajwid and Tafsir Al Quran directly from a charismatic ulama by the name of Pak Kiyai Sarno who is very religious and very well-versed in Ilmu Fiqih, Tafsir Al Quran and Ilmu Hadith. Every single of his explanation is substantiated by the relevant verses in Al Quran and Hadith Sahih.










PHOTO: THREE BEAUTIFUL MUSLIMAH AND HAFIZAH OF PONDOK PESANTREN AT DESA KERTARAHAYU WHO WON THE “MUSABAQAH TAHFIZ AL QURAN SE-JABODETABEK" RECENTLY. THEY ARE ISTIQOMAH IRSYADIAH (LEFT) AND AMATULLAH ASSAATIRAH (YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF PAK KIYAI SARNO)


Pak Kiyai Sarno is a Hafiz who has memorized 30 Juz of Al Quran and could recite the Al Quran verses from memory. His wife (Ibu Rachmah Julaeha) is also a Hafizah. And the 3 sons of Pak Kiyai Sarno are Hafiz Al Quran too. They are Mas Salahuddin, Mas Muhammad Al Fateh and Mas Mujahid. By the way, Mas Salahuddin and Mas Muhammad Al Fateh are now studying at Al Azhar in Egypt while Mas Mujahid is assisting Pak Kiyai Sarno to run his Pondok Pesantren. But Pak Kiyai Sarno plans to send Mas Mujahid to further his study in Sudan in 3 years time. Pak Kiyai Sarno's 10 years old beautiful youngest daughter (Amatullah Assaatirah) so far has managed to memorize 10 Juz of Al Quran.


Actually this is not so much about how many verses, chapters or Juz of Al Quran that a Muslim has managed to memorize. Having said that, it is indeed a proven fact that in order to succesfully memorize all 6,666 verses or 30 Juz of Al Quran, a Hafiz needs to observe his behaviour, akhlak and ibadah strictly based on Islamic rules and regulations. They must also lower their gaze. It is extremely unlikely that a person can eventually be a Hafiz or Hafizah if he or she is not humble. And for a Hafiz or Hafizah, patience is definitely a virtue. They also need to ensure that they do not use their mouth to talk bad about others or insult other human-beings or cause hatred among human-beings. These underlying principles which actually have shaped a Hafiz or Hafizah's behaviour or akhlak to be a very well behaved human-being or 'manusia berakhlak mulia' that makes our Planet Earth a better place to live. Since they have to put in practice in their daily life all the life principles outlined in the Al Quran verses that they have memorized, they ultimately become 'Al Quran Bergerak' or 'The Moving Al Quran'.










PHOTO: THIS IS THE VILLAGE ROAD OUTSIDE THE PERIMETER WALL OF THE PONDOK PESANTREN. FOR ME, THIS IS THE ROAD TO MY 'HEAVEN ON EARTH'. FRIDAY EVENING IS MY BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK BECAUSE EVERY FRIDAY EVENING I WILL TRAVEL TO DESA KERTARAHAYU TO SPEND MY WEEKEND AT THE PONDOK PESANTREN. FROM MY OFFICE, IT TAKES ABOUT 2 OR 3 HOURS TO REACH THERE. I CAN'T DESCRIBE TO YOU THE NATURAL SENSE OF HAPPINESS IN MY HEART WHEN I SEE THE ENTRANCE GATE OF THE PONDOK PESANTREN, THE PADDY-FIELDS NEARBY AND ALSO THE VERY MOMENT I SEE HIJAB-CLAD MUSLIMAH STROLLING AROUND THE PONDOK PESANTREN AREA. AND USUALLY 10 TO 15 MINUTES AFTER I HAVE ARRIVED AT THE PONDOK, THE MUSLIMAH OR HAFIZAH WILL SERVE ME DELICIOUS INDONESIAN VILLAGE DISHES. OH DEAR! I LOVE THE 'SUASANA AL QURAN' AT THIS PONDOK. I LOVE THE HEAVENLY BEHAVIOUR OF THE PEOPLE AT THIS PONDOK. I LOVE THE VILLAGE FOOD SERVED TO ME AT THIS PONDOK. WHAT CAN I SAY...I SIMPLY FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS PONDOK PESANTREN!


The truth is I am a 47 years old man. So, I asked Pak Kiyai Sarno whether it is too old for me to start memorizing all 30 Juz of Al Quran, slowly but surely, during my weekend stay at this Pondok Pesantren and Insya-Allah eventually become a Hafiz Al Quran. Pak Kiyai Sarno answered that no, it is not too old because he has seen a 50 years old man successfully memorizing the whole 30 Juz of Al Quran and became a Hafiz at that later stage of his life. This true story really inspires me. Yes, Monday to Friday I am an International Law Consultant who run my own consultancy business at the heart of Jakarta City Centre but that does not stop me to start learning to become a Hafiz Al Quran during my weekend rendezvous at this Pondok Pesantren. I told Pak Kiyai Sarno that no matter how challenging it will be and no matter how long it will take to become a Hafiz Al Quran, I will persevere and I will istiqomah because I want to die not just as a businessman. In fact I want to die as a Hafiz Al Quran. Yes, I do. This is despite the fact that I come from British law education background and not from Islamic studies background. Indeed this is my new personal ambition. Amen Ya Allah... By the way, to read the 12 benefits and prerogatives of being a Hafiz Al Quran please scroll your mouse to the bottom left of my blog. Each prerogative is supported by the relevant Hadith and verses from Al Quran.










PHOTO: THE MUSLIMAH AND HAFIZAH OF PONDOK PESANTREN ARE IN THE MIDST OF PERFORMING MURAJA’AH OF THE VERSES OF AL QURAN. THESE KIND-HEARTED MUSLIMAHS ARE BEAUTIFUL, SOFT-SPOKEN, POLITE, RELIGIOUS, OBEDIENT AND NO DOUBT THEY ARE SMART


Each time I am at this Pondok Pesantren, the Muslimahs ('Hafizah' or future 'Hafizah') who are learning Islam at this Pondok Pesantren would happily serve and cook for me very delicious Indonesian village dishes for my breakfast, lunch and dinner. These kind-hearted Muslimahs are beautiful, very soft-spoken, very polite, religious, obedient and no doubt they are very smart (what can I say, they memorize 30 chapters of Al Quran). These virgins have the discipline of performing Solat Tahajjud and Solat-Solat Malam every night. For me, it is an honour and a privilege to conduct my free English Class to them every Saturday and Sunday during my weekend rendezvous at this Pondok Pesantren, learning Tajwid and Tafsir Al Quran from their Guru (Pak Kiyai Sarno). And I must confess that by looking at their mind-soothing face alone is enough to make the work stress of my consultancy business in the heart of Jakarta City Centre from Monday to Friday simply gone with the wind. Oh dear...no kidding. And I am very sure this such a soft-spoken Pondok Pesantren lady can definitely make even an extremely violent man like Mike Tyson or Incredible Hulk purrs like a kitten. Yes, you hear me right, purrs like a kitten...


JUST MY SPECIAL NOTE: The purpose I disclose that I am now conducting free English class during my weekend stay at Pondok Pesantren is NOT to show-off or menunjuk-nunjuk. On the other hand, my ONLY purpose is I hope by sharing this story I can inspire all my other friends wherever they are, who have certain skills and specialization to infaq (donate) their skills for the benefit of others by giving their free services or free class during their weekend or free time. Pak Kiyai Sarno has taught me that infaq does not necessarily in the form of money or tangible assets only. Well...besides spending our weekend at Wet World, Taman Negara, Zoo Negara, Pantai Seri Tujuh, Genting Highland, shopping mall, restaurant or other entertainment centre, wouldn't it good if we can also do something and infaq our skills for the benefit of other human-beings during our weekend, right? Wrong? Of course 'right' lah, right...










PHOTO: IN FRONT OF THE 'KAMAR TAMU' ALLOCATED BY PAK KIYAI SARNO FOR ME AND MY KELANTANESE WIFE TO PUT UP DURING MY WEEKEND STAY AT THE PONDOK PESANTREN


Pak Kiyai Sarno has also allocated a comfortable Guest Room for me and my Kelantanese wife to put up during our weekend stay. What a romantic night at this Pondok Pesantren with extremely mind-soothing night breeze blowing from the nearby mountain and paddy fields. I always have a 'feel-good' feeling whenever I am at this Pondok Pesantren. It reminds me of the same feeling during the honeymoon time with my wife when we were newly married 20 years ago in 1993. At that time both of us were nothing but just a 23 and 22 years old young innocent couple who married at such a young age to get Keredhaan Allah. And what a feeling to have my bath here using very clean natural mountain ground water from the well. Oh Mammamia! Mammamia!


JUST KIDDING: But please do not have any slightest imagination of a gagah-perkasa man like me having a romantic private bath or bermandi-manda with a beautiful virgin Muslimah or Hafizah during my weekend rendezvous here. Sheesh...Tak elok tu.










PHOTO: THIS PONDOK PESANTREN IS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A GREEN SESAME FARM, SURROUNDED BY GREEN PADDY-FIELDS AND GREEN MOUNTAIN. INDEED IT’S MY GREEN PARADISE!


Furthermore, I can't find any word in any dictionary ever published on this Planet Earth to describe my happiness performing Solat Tahajjud and Solat-Solat Malam together with these 'santri-santri' each night when I am staying at this Pondok Pesantren. And what a satisfaction to conduct free English lesson class for them every weekend at this Pondok Pesantren. The unique thing about this Pondok Pesantren is apart from Islamic studies, this Pondok Pesantren also teaches 'modern' subjects such as English Language, Mathematics and Computer Skills because for their school-age 'santri' they also sit for Indonesian Ujian Nasional which is similar to SPM Exams in Malaysia or O-Level Exams in the UK.










PHOTO: PADDY-FIELDS AROUND THE PONDOK PESANTREN MAKE THE VIEW HERE VERY PICTURESQUE ESPECIALLY DURING SUNRISE AND SUNSET. INDEED THIS IS MY ‘HEAVEN ON EARTH’


Perhaps it's worth mentioning that it's my dream and also my wife's dream to spend most of our post-retirement time later in a Pondok Pesantren like this which is located in a beautiful Indonesian village surrounded by green hills. We also plan to contribute something to the Pondok Pesantren in term of our skills. I plan to continue teaching these 'anak-anak Pondok Pesantren' English Language and my wife can teach them Computer Skills. By spending our time at Pondok Pesantren, my wife and I plan to learn more about Tafsir Al Quran from the Pak Kiyai. It's also our dream to have the discipline to perform Solat-Solat Malam and Solat Tahajud each and every night together, as a husband and wife, at the Pondok Pesantren. And during day time we will enjoy doing some farming over here. No doubt, it is Heaven on Earth in whatever way both of us see it. Indeed it is.










PHOTO: THIS IS THE ACCOMMODATION BUILDING FOR THE MUSLIMAH AND HAFIZAH OF THIS PONDOK PESANTREN. THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR ARE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PRAISE TO ALLAH, ALHAMDULLILAH I HAVE MANAGED TO GET MANY OF MY MALAYSAN FRIENDS TO TRANSFER MONEY TO THE PONDOK PESANTREN AS THEIR ‘INFAQ AMAL JARIYAH’. PAK KIYAI SARNO HAS TAUGHT ME THAT IN SURAH AL BAQARAH (VERSE 261) ALLAH HAS PROMISED THAT FOR EVERY 1 THING YOU INFAQ, ALLAH WILL MULTIPLY IT AND GIVE YOU BACK 700 TIMES. INDEED. ALLAH WILL NEVER BREACH HIS PROMISE. NEVER. NEVER. EVER.










PHOTO: THIS IS THE PONDOK PESANTREN MOSQUE WHICH IS USED AS THE CENTRE OF ACTIVITIES. I CONDUCT MY ENGLISH CLASS DURING MY WEEKEND HERE INSIDE THIS MOSQUE. AND EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT I HAPPILY WATCH ISLAMIC FILM INSIDE THIS MOSQUE BY USING PROJECTOR AND PORTABLE WHITE SCREEN TOGETHER WITH ALL THE HAFIZ AND HAFIZAH. WHO SAYS IN ISLAM WE CANNOT 'MENONTON WAYANG'? OF COURSE WE CAN. BUT WE MUST OBSERVE THE SYARIAH GUIDELINES. NO PROBLEM AT ALL. I CAN SEE THEY ENJOY 'NOBAR' AND THEIR WEEKLY MOVIE WATCHING SESSION...











PHOTO: I WISH M.NASIR, THE LEGENDARY MALAYSIAN SONG COMPOSER IS HERE WITH ME, SPENDING TIME UNDER A TREE NEAR THE PADDY-FIELDS AROUND THE PONDOK PESANTREN. THIS SCENIC VIEW MAY STIMULATE M.NASIR’S CREATIVE MIND TO COMPOSE MANY NEW ROMANTIC SONGS! OH I LOVE ROMANTIC SONGS COMPOSED BY M.NASIR SUCH AS 'KEPADAMU KEKASIH' AND 'SUATU MASA'. DO YOU REMEMBER THESE BEAUTIFUL LYRICS?: “BAGAIMANAKAN KU MULA, DAN APAKAH KATA-KATA, YANG INDAH UNTUK DIABADIKAN, TIAP WAJAH BERKISAH, TIAP MADAH BERERTI, MANAKAH ILHAMKU…, CAHAYA DI MATAMU, SENYUM DI BIBIRMU, MENGUKIR SERIBU TANDA PERTANYAAN, MUNGKINKAH KAU JUA DALAM KERINDUAN, DI SAAT BEGINI AKU MERINDUKAN…” (WELL...GEMUK-GEMUK SAYA PUN ADA PERASAAN JUGA..., SIAPA BILANG ORANG GEMUK NGGAK DIBENARKAN ADA PERASAAN 'JIWANG' YA...? NGGAK SALAH KOK..., APATAH LAGI PERASAAN 'JIWANG' ITU HANYA TERHADAP ISTERI SENDIRI. GITU...) BY THE WAY, SINCE M.NASIR ALREADY COMPOSED 'KERONCONG UNTUK ANA' SONG, PERHAPS IT’S A GOOD IDEA IF HERE AT PONDOK PESANTREN HE CAN COMPOSE 'KERONCONG UNTUK ANTA'. I CAN BE THE PENYANYI LATAR











PHOTO: THE PONDOK PESANTREN IS SURROUNDED BY PADDY-FIELDS ON ONE SIDE AND THIS JUNGLE GREENERY ON THE OTHER SIDE. BEING HERE IS LIKE SPENDING TIME IN OUR TAMAN NEGARA BACK IN MALAYSIA. DURING NIGHT TIME ALL SORTS OF MUSICAL VOICE OF INSECTS AND BIRDS CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM THIS JUNGLE. BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD THE SOUND OF TIGER OR LION ROARING. THAT’S GOOD NEWS BECAUSE COMPARED TO 20 YEARS AGO; I CAN’T RUN THAT FAST ANYMORE. FURTHERMORE, I MUST CONFESS THAT I AM A MAN WITH 3 MONTHS 'PREGNANT' TUMMY. THANKS TO INDONESIAN DELICIOUS FOOD SUCH AS ES TELER, BEBEK KALEYO, PECAL LELE LELA, AYAM BAKAR MAS MONO, AYAM BAKAR WONG SOLO, CHICKEN STORY, SOTO GEBREK, PISANG BAKAR, AYAM KALASAN, MARTABAK BANGKA, KONRO DAENG TATA, AYAM GORENG MBOK BEREK, GADO-GADO BOPLO, SOTO BETAWI, SOTO MAKASAR, SATE SENAYAN, RAWON SETAN, TAHU PETIS KEDUNGDORO, BEBEK SONGKEM, SEMANGGI DEMPO, NASI KRAWU BU RIDA AND MANY MORE. IT SEEMS THAT UNLESS AND UNTIL I CONSUME 'ALPHA LIPID SLIM DIET 2', I WILL BE FOREVER PREGNANT....

















Mari Kita Tetap Rendah Diri Meskipun Punya Wajah Cantik,
Karena Wajah Terakhir Kita Adalah Wajah Jenazah Pucat Pasi

Mari Kita Tetap Rendah Diri Meskipun Punya Rumah Besar,
Karena Rumah Terakhir Kita Adalah Liang Lahad

Mari Kita Tetap Rendah Diri Meskipun Punya Busana Mahal,
Karena Busana Terakhir Kita Adalah Kain Kafan

Mari Kita Tetap Rendah Diri Meskipun Punya Kulit Mulus Dan Kinclong,
Karena Kulit Terakhir Kita Adalah Tanah Kuburan

Mari Kita Tetap Rendah Diri Meskipun Punya Mobil Mewah,
Karena Kendaraan Terakhir Kita Adalah Keranda Mayat

Mari Kita Tetap Rendah Diri Meskipun Punya Minyak Wangi Bergengsi,
Karena Wangian Terakhir Kita Adalah Kapur Barus








"Ya Allah...Jika Dengan Terus Hidup, Saya Khairul Hisham Bin Hassan Akan Dapat Terus Beribadat Untuk Menambahkan Pahala Dan Akan Dapat Terus Berbuat Amalan Kebaikan Serta Akan Dapat Terus Memberi Manafaat Kepada Orang Lain, Maka Saya Mohon Tolonglah Panjangkan Umur Saya Ya Allah..."

"Tetapi Ya Allah...Jika Dengan Terus Hidup, Saya Khairul Hisham Bin Hassan Akan Hanya Menambah Berbuat Dosa Dan Akan Hanya Menyakiti Hati Orang Lain Serta Akan Hanya Memberi Mudarat Kepada Orang Lain, Maka Saya Mohon Tolonglah Matikan Saya Secepat Yang Mungkin Jika Mati Itu Lebih Baik Bagi Saya. Dan Matikanlah Saya Dalam Husnul Khotimah..."





Sunday, February 13, 2011

Jakarta-Valentine's Day-Luna Maya-Cyber Khalwat



Photo: Beautiful Monumen Nasional or "Monas" During Night Time. Located At Jalan Medan Merdeka Jakarta Pusat, Monas Is A Must See Attraction For Tourist Visiting Beautiful Jakarta. Oops!...What Does Jakarta Have? Monas. What Does Malaysia Have? Mona Fendy.



Photo: This Is A Pretty Javanese Pencak Silat Lady. Indeed. But Gentlemen.., Don't You Dare To Break Her Heart. Because If You Do, She Will Break Your Neck Or Break Your Hand Or Break Your Leg Or Break Your Nose Or Break Your Hairs. You Name It. And...The Scariest Part Is She Definitely Can Break Your "Dotdotdot" Too By Using Her "Jurus Pangeran Majapahit" Or Her Bare Hands In Just 3 Seconds! 1..2..3...It's Broken! Oh Mamma Mia!



Photo: "Monumen Pancasila Sakti" Is Located At Lubang Buaya Near Halim Perdanakusumah Air Force Base. The Monument Consists of "Museum Of PKI Treason" (34 Dioramas Showcasing Alleged Brutality Committed By Partai Komunis Indonesia Or "PKI"), Sacred Pancasila Museum (9 Dioramas Of The Events Pre-And-Post Failed PKI Coup) And Also A Well-Preserved 50 Years Old Building In Which The kidnapped Generals Were Allegedly Tortured (You Can See A Life-Sized Diorama Of The Said Torture There) And Also A PKI Command Post. I've Been There 3 Times But I Still Want To Go There Again. It's Mystical & "Keras" Place. When I Performed My Dzuhur Prayer At The Musholla There, I Felt There Were A Few Invisible People Praying Behind Me. No Kidding. Goosebumps? Nope. "Elephantbumps" Indeed. This Monument Honouring 6 Indonesian Generals & 1 Lieutenant Killed By Communist On 30 September 1965. The Generals Were General Ahmad Yani, General Parman, General Panjaitan, General Suprapto, General Siswomiharjo, General Haryono And Lieutenant Pierre Andreas Tendean. Phew...Alhamdulillah There Was No General Khairul Hishamono!


WELCOME NOTE!

Welcome back to my blog. I have so many stories to tell you about my latest venture in Jakarta but in my today's posting I'm not going to write about my interesting stories in Jakarta. That topics will be for my next week blog-posting.

Today I will write about Malaysian Islamic Development Department's (Jakim) directive on Valentine's Day, about the so-called "khalwat" via internet" and about Dato' Siti Bahyah's comments in YouTube linking Christianity with vices in a sermon about Valentine’s Day



 
I'M NOW SETTING-UP MY BRANCH IN JAKARTA. I USED TO WORK IN JAKARTA IN 1998

By the way, I was already in Jakarta since 10 August 2010. Jakarta is not a new city for me because way back in 1998 I had the experience of working and living in Jakarta together with my wife and my children before we "ran away" from Jakarta due to chaotic conditions after President Suharto resigned. That was 12 years ago.

But my mission this time is to set-up my own Indonesian incorporated company which runs my branch here in Jakarta.
Photo: President General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) Is The Son Of Bapak Raden Soekotjo And Ibu Siti Habibah From Tremas, A Village In Arjosari, Pacitan, East Java. Despite Wikileaks Revelation (As Reported In Sydney Morning Herald & The Age Australia Newspapers On 11 March 2011) About President SBY's Alleged Corrupt Practices, I Still Believe He Is The Cleanest President In Indonesian History. He Won The Presidential Direct Election With A Landslide 61% Popular Votes In 2009. Nonetheless, Nowadays He Is Heavily Criticized For Being Slow And Indecisive. I Call This: "Abdullah Badawi Syndrome"! And Not Only That...He Is Also Perceived By Many Indonesians That I've Personally Talked To As A Leader With No Real Vision & Mission Who Spends His Precious Time More On "Curhat" Here And "Curhat" There. Well...Another Clear Symptom of "Abdullah Badawi Syndrome"!


MY CONSULTANCY SERVICES

My company is providing the following consultancy services:
  • Consultancy on "Doing Business in Jakarta" 
Photo: Barack & Michele Obama Visited Istiqlal Grand National Mosque In Jakarta On 10 November 2009. Michelle Obama Wore The Hijab During That Trip. And From The Photo We Can Clearly See The President Padded Round In His Socks While Michelle Also Removed Her Shoes As Another Sign Of Respect In The Place of Worship. Both Obama & Michelle Strolled Along A Carpet Laid Across The Courtyard. The Macho Indonesian Man In The Photo Is None Other Than The Grand Imam Ali Mustafa Yaqub. By The Way, Obama Used To Live At Menteng Dalam, Jakarta For 4 Years In 1967. So, During His Public Lecture At Universitas Indonesia On 10 November 2010 He Spoke In Bahasa Indonesia: "Pulang Kampung Nih". He Also Impressed The Audience When He Said: "Sate, Baso, Saya Ingat Pedagang Keliling Itu Selalu Berteriak Sateee! Basoooo!..Enak Ya". Perhaps It's Worth Mentioning That President Barack Obama's Step Father Was Bapak Lolo Soetoro, An Indonesian Muslim..


MY "BONUS" SERVICE. FOR MEN ONLY!!

And....here comes the most exciting part. For a Malaysian Muslim man who appoints my company as their A to Z consultant for all matters concerning their Jakarta branch office set-up, I would be glad to offer them my "bonus" services, free of charge, which is to find for them a beautiful, religious, super soft-spoken Javanese or Sunda lady from Pesantren religious schools in Bogor or Sukabumi to be their wife with the following condition: That Malaysian Muslim man is still single!

If that man is only "single-at-heart" or "single-in-his-wild-imagination' but in reality he is already married in Malaysia, then he must really need to convince me that he has got at least an "implied" permission from his Malaysian wife to have a second Jakarta wife.

And one more thing...that Malaysian man should not be too ugly in order not to give other Malaysian men "bad name" among Jakarta ladies. He may not need to be as handsome as me but at least he must be deemed as "reasonably handsome" to maintain the good image of Malaysian men among Jakarta ladies.-)
Photo: Indonesian Lady Is Undoubtedly Beautiful, Sweet, Soft Spoken, Polite, Caring, "Manja" & Can Make Even A Fierce Monster Like Mike Tyson Purrs Like A Kitten. And...This Is Beautiful Indonesian Actress Inneke Koesherawati. Her Parents Come From Purworejo, Jawa Tengah. But It Goes Without Saying That My Very Own Beautiful "Inneke" Is My Wife! My Dear Wife..I'm Forever In Love With You. And Only You.

 
JAKARTA HUGE MARKET

Jakarta is a huge market with its 240 million Indonesian population. And out of that 240 millions, there are 24.9 million Middle Class and Upper Class Group in Indonesia (Ref: "Litbang Kompas Report" 2009).

Therefore, I have set-up an Indonesian company, "PT Pro-Versatile BTL" just to handle the marketing and operations for Indonesia huge market.

Alhamdulillah, in October 2010 officially my Indonesian subsidiary company by the name of "PT Pro-Versatile BTL" was successfully incorporated with the Indonesian Ministry of Justice (SK Kehakiman) and the Investment Coordinating Board (BPKM). Currently my Jakarta branch office is located at Sampoerna Strategic Square, Jalan Jenderal Sudirman.

My Jakarta branch office address is:
PT Pro-Versatile BTL
Sampoerna Strategic Square
South Tower 18th Floor
Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Kav 45-46
Jakarta 12930
Tel: +6221 5750923
Fax: +6221 5750803
Photo: Sampoerna Strategic Square Building

TEDIOUS PROCESS OF SETTING-UP AN INDONESIAN COMPANY

These are altogether at least eight tasks that need to be fulfilled before I manage to have my Indonesian incorporated company in Jakarta:
(1) Akta Pendirian Perusahaan (Article of Association of the Company)
(2) BPKM (Investment Coordinating Board's Approval for foreign-owned company)
(3) SK Kehakiman (Approval From Ministry of Justice)
(4) NPWP (Registration With Tax Department)
(5) TDP (Company Registration Certificate)
(6) BNRI (Berita Negara R.I Notice Announcement)
(7) Domisili (Compulsory Permission From Pak Lurah)
(8) KITAS Visa (Permission To Live & Do Business In Indonesia)Alhamdulillah, without any hassle the Indonesian Immigration has also approved my KITAS application which is a Visa that allows me to set-up my business and live in Jakarta legally.



Photo: Having Es Durian & Delicious Ribs At Mamink Daing Tata Restaurant Located At Jalan Casablanca, Tebet, With My Brother-In-Law (Right) Who Came To Jakarta For A Vacation With My Younger Sister. Look At His Macho Face. He Has The Look Of A Typical Engineer Who Can't Part With His Gadgets And Gizmos! And...The Photo Shows Out Of Sudden He Was Staring At The Floor, As If He Saw An Indonesian Gadget "Crawling Mysteriously" On The Restaurant Floor!

What a tedious process and bureaucracy to set-up a company in Jakarta! But I still love Jakarta with all my heart. For me, Jakarta is a paradise-on-earth. No doubt about that. The people here is definitely very much more polite and very much more soft-spoken as compared to citizens of other parts of Planet Earth, the food is very delicious and the countryside panoramic and beautiful view makes my heart cries and my mind blows...
Photo: Indonesian Green Countryside. There Are Many More Villages With Panoramic Views Throughout Beautiful Indonesia. Well...If Mr M. Nasir, The Legendary Malaysian Composer Lives Here Surrounded By Mountains And Waterfalls, I Believe He Can Compose Many More Mind-Soothing Songs Better Than His "Kepada Mu Kekasih", "Nota Terakhir" Or "Keroncong Untuk Ana". Who Knows...Over Here He Can Compose "Keroncong Untuk Anta" Which Is More Touching Than "Keroncong Untuk Ana" Or Maybe "Keroncong Untuk Altantuya"! What Say You, Mr Razak Baginda? Traumatic?


MY NEXT WEEK BLOG-POSTING WILL BE MORE ABOUT JAKARTA VENTURES

My blog-writing for next week will be regarding my exciting personal experience living and doing consultancy business in Jakarta. So I will keep my Jakarta venture collection of stories and photos for my next blog posting. As for today, please me to comment on 3 issues here:


MY COMMENT ON JAKIM'S REMARKS IN THE STAR, 12 FEBRUARY 2011: "VALENTINE'S DAY SYNONYMOUS WITH VICE, JAKIM TELLS MUSLIMS"

If you read The Star, a Malaysian newspaper yesterday, 12 February 2011, under the topical heading "Valentine's Day Synonymous With Vice, Jakim Tells Muslims", the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz was quoted as saying that Valentine's Day is associated with Christianity and vice activities.
Well...I do not want to get involved in a debate whether Valentine's Day celebration is associated with Christianity or not. To my understanding, the Council of Churches of Malaysia general secretary Reverend Dr Herman Shastri has issued a statement that “Valentine's Day is a secular observance that is not celebrated religiously by churches in Malaysia or worldwide”. To know more about the history of Valentine's Day you can get the complete information at Wikipedia.

The following are my comments about Valentine's Day:
Hmmm...talking about Valentine's Day, for how many years whenever approaching 14th February, I always sent SMS to many of my Muslim friends that if celebrating Valentine would be such a never-ending big issue, why not we as a Muslim community in Malaysia create our very own one annual special day to display our affection or extraordinary pure love towards our wife, fiancee or whoever that we love passionately.

And for many times I suggested to them for the Malay Muslim why not we create our own so-called "Kassim Selamat Day", as an alternative to "Valentine's Day". Note: Kassim Selamat is character played by P.Ramlee in "Ibu Mertuaku" a 1962 film
Photo: The Legendary Kassim Selamat in "Ibu Mertuaku", a 1962 Film. By The Way, Valentine's Manifestation Of Love Is Nothing Compared To Kassim Selamat's. There Is No Way Valentine Will Ever Dare To Poke Or Dig-Out His Own Eyes With Abnormal-Sized Wooden Fork And Spoon Without The Help Of An Eye Surgeon And Without Anesthetic, Like What Kassim Selamat Did 49 years Ago! "Happy Kassim Selamat Day" Everybody!


Well...Kassim Selamat's display of pure love towards his wife, Sabariah is legendary. There is no way Valentine will ever dare to poke or dig-out his own eyes (with abnormal sized wooden fork and spoon without the help of an eye surgeon and without anesthetic) like what my Kassim Selamat did 49 years ago!

All in the name of his pure love towards Sabariah. Ralph Waldo Emerson used to say: "Let not a man guard his dignity, but let his dignity guard him". That was exactly the reason as to why Kassim Selamat did that mind boggling dare-devil stunt. Mind you...what Kassim did was not a suicide attempt which is sinful. He simply wanted to return to his "status quo" as a blind man. It is more honourable than seeing his beloved Sabariah cuddled by notorious Dr Ismadi.

Silly? Maybe. But were you born yesterday? Don't you ever know that love between a non-mentally retarded man and a non-mentally retarded woman often filled of "mad" things. Indeed.

Oh I hate Dr Ismadi, the opportunist eye-surgeon and also Nyonya Mansoor, the mother-'outlaw' of Kassim Selamat. Both of them were so 'zalim' and have never appreciated Kassim Selamat's pure love towards sweet Sabariah.

And yes you are right....tomorrow, 14th February when I wake up I will say to my wife with a lot of passion in my sweet romantic voice: "HAPPY KASSIM SELAMAT DAY to you, my dear wife!" Sound weird? You bet. But at least I am not uttering the word "Valentine". And shall we say this Kassim Selamat (the blind man "not-by default") can certainly say with authority that "Love is Blind"!

My same comment can also be read under "Comments" in Malaysia Today.
(http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/38094-valentines-day-is-associated-with-christianity-and-vice-activities)

 
MY COMMENT ON DATO' SITI BAHYAH REMARKS: "VICES, GOING TO DISCOS AND TO BE IN REMOTE PLACE WITH A PARTNER AS CHRISTIAN TRADITION.”

Dato' Siti Nor Bahyah Mahamood’ is a Muslim preacher and motivational speaker who has appeared many times on national TV.

In a television programme aired on TV9 (actually more than than a year ago but the brouhaha only started very recently) she was claimed to link Christianity with vices in a sermon about Valentine’s Day. To be exact, she said “vices, going to discos and to be in remote place with a partner as Christian tradition.”

You can listen to the recording of her comment in YouTube is viewed by close to 100,000 visitors. And the displeasure on her remarks has been voiced out by many Christian groups in Malaysia as stated in Malaysian Insider.
(http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/church-group-seeks-muslim-preachers-apology-over-vice-link/)
Photo: Mind-Soothing Scene. Muslim Women Praying On The Main Road In Jakarta During Eid-Adha Morning Prayer. What About Road In Malaysia? Oh...That Is The Place Where The Notorious "Mat Rempits" Would Try Their Very Best To Commit Suicide With Their Fool Antics During Their Saturday Night "Non-Halal" Motorbike Racing. And When I Write "Non-Halal" I Don't Mean To Say These Young Illegal Motorbike Racers Love To Race Against Pigs Or Dogs During Their Routine Illegal Motorbike Racing On The Road Of Kuala Lumpur!


In an attempt to discourage Muslims from celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 14, Dato' Siti Nor Bahyah also presented several versions of the origin of the celebration and declared the day as a Christian festival.

The following are my comments about Dato' Siti Bahyah's remarks:

I am a "full-time" practicing Muslim and I love my religion very dearly but I can't stop whispering to my heart how wrong this Dato' Siti Nor Bahyah is. (Thank God it is not my favourite Dato' Siti Nurhaliza). Look...just because some Westerner practices pre-marital sexual relationship, "clubbing" and any other hedonistic way of life this does not simply means that Christianity as a religion teaches its followers that kind of way of life. In fact far from the truth. Far, far as far as Greek in Europe from Grik in Perak.

The same way many idiots who claim they are Muslim, yet they practice terrorism, or incite violence against their own wife, or have very rude manners, or break promises, or bomb other Muslim's mosque who is of different school of thought (like in Pakistan). Not to mention those jokers who claim they are leaders of Muslim countries, yet are so corrupt, autocratic, oppressive and cruel.

In other words, it is extremely wrong to conclude that Islam teaches all of those negative values just because some Muslims idiots practice that with no shame at all. Then by using the same logic, I honestly do not see how a wise person like Dato' Bahyah can make such an easy conclusion to link Christianity with vices. And mind you...I am a Muslim. However, it will be an insult to my intelligent mind granted by Allah if I blatantly agree with Dato' Bahyah's misleading opinion

It is a real tragedy that a learned person like Dato' Siti Bahyah can have that kind of thinking. Even my uneducated but religious Javanese aunties and uncles who are living in a small village who have never been given a chance to be in national TV channels (unlike this glamorous Dato Siti Bahyah) will never make a wrong conclusion that just because some Christians followers are alcoholic or practicing pre-marital sexual relationship then it simply means Christianity teaches all of those things.

As a matter of fact, I shook my head in disbelief for roughly 3 continuous minutes listening to the speech given by this Dato Siti Bahyah either at YouTube or during the TV programme. Simply can't belief it how easy a so-called "Researcher" or "Motivational Speaker" or "Cakaran Rimau-Making Love-Technique-Proponent" or whatever you call her, can reach a conclusion.

By the grace of Allah, I had the opportunity to live and mingle with the British Christian community in 1994 when I did my law degree in Sheffield, UK . Unlike other majority of Malay students who love to mingle most of the time with their Kelantanese, Johorean, Kedahan, Air Baloian, Taipingan or Batang Berjuntaian friends, I really mixed around with many Christian British friends when I lived in the UK while still practicing my daily Muslim routine religiously.

And let me humbly say with authority here that Dato' Siti Bahyah is very wrong to link free-marital sexual relationship, "clubbing" and any other hedonistic way of life with Christianity teaching.

On the other hand, there are so many real Christians that I met there on daily basis who were very decent human-beings, extremely polite, caring, very much against pre-marital sexual relationship and definitely were not practicing hedonistic way of life.

Oh...I can still remember the face of my neighbour when I was living in the UK, Father Bernard McGary, whom when we bumped into each other would never fail to greet me with : "How are you today my son? Are you alright my friend Khairul? Tell me my dear friend how can I really help you today?" If my memory serves me right, I hardly hear such a greeting from my felllow Muslim Imams or Ulamak. What about Dato' Siti Bahyah? Hmmm...My same comment can also be read under "Comments" in Malaysia Today.
(http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/38108-of-sin-siti-and-small-minded-men-without-sagacity)
Photo: A No-Nonsense Javanese Pencak Silat Warrior. Even John Rambo Can't Handle This Guy. Seriously. With His "Ilmu Majapahit" And "Powerful Eye-Staring", John Rambo Can't Even Move, Can't Breathe, Can't Sweat, Can't Think, Can't Cough, Can't Scream, Can't Blink His Eye, Can't Pee, Can't Smile And Also...Can't Even Cry. So How..?
MY COMMENT ON DATO' ZAWAWI REMARKS ABOUT: "BERDUAAN DI ALAM SIBER SAMA SEPERTI BERKHALWAT"

A motivational speaker Datuk Mohd Zawawi Yusoh said a man and a woman who are not married to each other and are chatting in cyberspace are akin to committing "khalwat" i.e close proximity between unmarried man and woman. It is reported here in The Star.
(http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/beritakomentar/37973-berduaan-di-alam-siber-sama-seperti-khalwat)
Photo: A Serious Discussion In Front of A Pesantren (Religious School). Khalwat? You Must Be Out Of Your Mind! No Way It Is A "Khalwat". Look Carefully At The Photo My Friend...Can't You See This Guy Purposely Broke His Hand Before Seeing This Beautiful Pesantren Lady Just Because He Wanted To Have Absolutely Zero Probability That His Hand Will Touch Or Caress The Body Of This Innocent Sweet Religious Lady! Just Kidding.


This simply means although I am in Jakarta and Manisha Koirala is in Kathmandu, both of us are deemed to be committing "khalwat" if we are chatting alone, without any third person involves throughout our chatting session, regardless whether or not I use a formal language and not romantic language during the chatting, regardless whether or not while typing at my laptop keyboard here I am using my hand gloves and not caressing Manisha Koirala's beautiful silky-skin, regardless whether or not Manisha Koirala is wearing her black Triumph's Butterfly Bra throughout the chatting session.
Photo: Maya Karin With Her Ex-Hubby, Steven Shorthose. Yes, His Surname is Shorthose But No, I Don't Think Steven's "Hose" Is Short. Yet They Have Divorced. The Moral Of The Story: It Doesn't Really Matter Whether It Is "Short" or "Long"!


GROUP SESSION? SHEESH! AN ORGY? NA'UZUBILLAH...!

So honestly speaking, what if, throughout the chatting session there is a third person involves. Let's say the third person is my sweet Maya Karin, a beautiful Malaysian-German actress. This means there are three of us are chatting together through internet, not just two persons. So it can't be "khalwat", can it? Then what should we call that one? Group Session khalwat? Sheesh!...An Orgy? Na'uzubulillah!

 
MY COMMENT ON KHALWAT VIA INTERNET
Photo: "Pesantren Cinta" Is All About The Beauty Of Love Based On Islamic Teaching. Look At Their Innocent Faces. But Don't You Worry My Friend...No Matter How Innocent Their Faces Are, After They Are Solemnized As Husband And Wife They Will Definitely Know How To Kiss Passionately And Make Love Romantically! In Fact More Romantic And "Hotter" Than Maya Karin, Julia Roberts Or Brad Pitt. You Don't Believe Me? Try To Find A Wife From Pesantren. You Will Be On Cloud Nine My Friend. It's Heaven On Earth! Heaven...Heaven...Heaven...


Here are my comment about Datuk Zawawi's opinion. By the way, to my non-Malaysian blog readers, I am sorry this comment is in Malay language because I originally wrote this comment to be posted under "Comments" topic at Malaysia Today in Malay language because the original news was reported in Malay language. Maybe I will translate my comment into English next week:

Adalah sangat zalim untuk menyalahkan internet sekiranya terjadi keruntuhan rumahtangga. Internet ini seperti pisau. kalau pisau itu diberi kepada Maya Karin, dia akan guna untuk memotong kek yang enak untuk saya dan dia makan bersama di tepi kolam renang, sambil saya cuba nasihat-nasihatkan dia memakai Bikini Muslim agar nggak menunjukkan bentuk tubuhnya yang indah itu.

TAPI kalau pisau yang sama diberi kepada Hang Jebat, pastinya tanpa menunggu walau 3 menit pun dia akan guna pisau yang sama itu untuk mengamuk membunuh para koruptor di Putrajaya.

Begitu juga dengan "alat kelakian" seseorang, sekiranya diguna untuk melakukan persetubuhan penuh nikmat dengan isteri yang halal, malah bisa jadi IBADAT pula karena membanyakkkan umat Rasulullah S.A.W tapi "alat" yang sama pula bisa jadi LAKNAT kalau diguna untuk berzina seperti kes Ariel dan Luna Maya.



Photo: Bapak Puspo Wardoyo (The Founder of "Ayam Bakar Wong Solo" Franchise Business) With His 4 Religious And Beautiful Wives. This Is A Classic Example Whereby "Alat Kelakian" Can Be A Tool For Ibadat.
Photo: Ariel "Peterporn" And Luna Maya, Infamous For Their Porn Video Scandal. This is A Classic Example Whereby "Alat Kelakian" Can Be A Tool For Laknatullah.


Kesimpulannya, buruk atau baik sesuatu MEDIUM atau ALAT itu tergantung kpd KITA. Maka untuk mengatakan intenet bisa menghancurkan rumahtangga, kalau menurut saya nggak berapa betul. Semuanya tergantung kepada ORANG yang menggunakan Internet itu.

Bagi diri saya yang terpaksa "out-station" ke banyak negara karena urusan bisnis, internet adalah karunia Allah yang teramat indah sekali karena dgn internet saya bisa saja chatting hari-hari dengan isteri bagaikan pasangan "anak-muda yang sedang mabuk berpacaran" walaupun sudah 17 tahun bernikah. Dengan adanya internet juga saya bisa menatap wajah lembut dan ayu isteri saya yang mendamaikan jiwa itu HARI-HARI secara "LIVE" guna Webcam.

Nah...kalau ada rumahtangga hancur karena ada pasangan yang curang menggunakan intenet, itu bukan salah Internet "mengandung", tapi salah isteri curang itu yang rela dimengandungkan oleh lelaki durjana teman selingkuhan!My same comment can also be read under "Comments" in Malaysia Today.
(http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/beritakomentar/37973-berduaan-di-alam-siber-sama-seperti-khalwat)


RE-VISIT: COLLECTION OF MY PREVIOUS BLOG-POSTING THAT ALSO TALKED ABOUT INDONESIA


Date Posted: 12 July 2009


Are KFC And McDonald Using 'Ilmu Pelaris' (Black Magic) To Increase Their Global Sales? 

I believe I don't need to use a Shaman or 'Dukun' in my business venture. I believe in my own effort and then I believe in my pray or doa to Allah in everything I do. I do not believe in black magic. Have you ever heard KFC or McDonald use black magic or 'pawang' to increase their global sales, have you?What about Bill Gates? Has he ever used a Red Indian traditional black-magicians to increase his Microsoft Windows Vista sales or to kill competition from Google? The answer is a resounding "No". Even Bill Gates cannot use any black magic to contain or create a 'gate' against any virus attack in Windows system. We need Karpesky or Norton anti virus to combat it, not a Shaman like Pawang Subagio or Pawang Adiwata from Kalunggung Mountain to resolve this virus problem.

Photo: British Ladies Performing Pencak Silat, The Indonesian's Martial Art. What Can I Say...The Body Movement of These Fantastic British Ladies Are Like Cartoons. But That's Okay. That's Alright My Dear. That's Their Version Of Silat Dance And I Salute Them. Or Shall We Say That's Their Silat "Accent"!


Can "Ilmu Pengasih" (Black Magic) Make George Bush And Osama Bin Ladin Intimately Having Breakfast Together?

I used to work in Jakarta in 1998. In the newspaper that I read those days there were so many advertisements promoting this super natural powers to resolve any problems, whether it is to win the heart of your girl friend ("Ilmu Pengasih"), to make your business performs better ("Ilmu Pelaris") or even to make you not being injured from any weapon ("Ilmu Kebal"). For this group of people there is no no need to read "How to Win Friends and Influence People" book written by Dale Carnegie. For them, everything can be resolved just by using the service of this Shaman or 'Dukun'

They claim their super natural ability can do everything and can do wonders. They maybe can claim that their super natural power can make George Bush and Osama Bin Ladin intimately having breakfast together at Kabul Hilton Hotel while smiling and patting each other like a romantic gay couple who has not made love for 6 long months!

 
 If Indonesian Shaman or "Dukun" Is So Good, Why Indonesia Is Not The World Cup Champion? 

For me it's simple, if the Indonesian "Dukun" (Shaman) is so powerful why on earth Indonesia has never won any World Cup football tournament. Not even once. Why? If this black magic really works well we should have at least Indonesia qualified to compete in the final round of FIFA World Cup, if not win it. The fact remains they have never qualified, let alone win the World Cup.

What about the claim that if you are a goal keeper, you can use black magic to ensure that nobody can score a goal passing through you? I heard about this claim even when I was competing in my primary school football competition. Again, if this Javanese "Dukun" or Shaman can do wonders why we have not seen any imported Indonesian goal keeper plays in English Premier League or Spanish La Liga and saved a very clear cut sure-goal kick from Fernando Torres or Christiano Ronaldo?
Photo: The Great Save By Gordon Banks, Not By "Guntur Bagong" Or Any Other Indonesian Goal Keeper! If Javanese Shaman Or 'Dukun' Can Do Wonders Why We Have Not Seen Any Imported Indonesian Goal Keeper Plays In English Premier League Or Spanish La Liga And Saved A Dangerous Free-Kick Taken By Fernando Torres Or Christiano Ronaldo?


It was Gordon Banks, the English Goal Keeper And not "Guntur Bagong", an Indonesian Goalie That Made That Great Save!

Do you remember in Mexico 1970 World Cup when Jairzinho delivered an inviting cross from the right wing which bypassed the English centre halves? And then out of nowhere Pele, the King of Football rose majestically in the air. Everybody saw Gordon Banks seemed to be beaten as he scampered despairingly across his goal post. Although Pele's header was perfect, Banks somehow managed to tip the ball over the crossbar. That made the crowd were simply stunned by that great save.

Mind you, the name of that great goalkeeper was Gordon Banks. If the black magic from the Indonesian 'Dukun" is very powerful, why not the name of the goalkeeper say "Guntur Bagong" instead of Gordon Banks?, or Budianto, Prabowo or Joko Sembung?


RE-VISIT: COLLECTION OF MY PREVIOUS BLOG-POSTING THAT ALSO TALKED ABOUT INDONESIA

Date Posted: 12 June 2009

Photo: This Is Manohara Odelia Pinot, The Ex-Wife Of Tengku Fakhry of Kelantan. Hmmm...I Can't Simply Understand Why On Earth Tengku Fakhry Wanted To Go To The Hassle To Get This Lady As His Wife Whereby There Are So Many Ladies In Kelantan Itself Who Are More Beautiful, More Religious, More Well-Mannered, More "Berjuruh" And Definitely Having Much Better "Body Design" Or "Body Curve" Or "Body Architectural Structure" Than Manohara Odelia Pinot's. Much, Much, Much Better My Friend. How Do I Know? Excuse Me..Should I Highlight To You Again That My Wife Is A Kelantanese..? By The Way Many Indonesian Newspapers Reported That Manohara Cried When Indonesian Nearly Lost In The Second Leg Match of 2011 AFC Suzuki Cup Final in Jakarta.




  
The Moment I Told Them "My Wife Is From Kelantan", The Response Is "Oh That Tengku Fakhry Who Tortured Manohara Odelia Pinot"

The essence of the case is very simple. Manohara Odelia Pinot announced to the whole world that she was treated like a sex slave after her marriage last year to Tengku Fakhry, whose father is the Sultan of Kelantan. She escaped the prince's guards at a Singapore hotel and returned to her family in Indonesia with tales of abuse, rape and torture at the hands of the 31-year-old prince. But of course Tengku Fakhry has denied abusing his estranged teenage US-Indonesian model wife and he even threatened to launch legal action against her for making false allegations.


Who To Believe? Manohara Odelia Pinot or Tengku Fakhry?

Well..I cannot say for sure who are actually telling the truth. So I reserve my comment, at least for now. But as a Malaysian who used to work and live in Jakarta back in 1998, let me share with you my general opinion about the so-called 'socialite' like Manohara.

I am very reluctant to swallow everything narrated by Manohara, a well-known socialite in Jakarta and her mother, Daisy Lajarina who herself was on Interpol 'Red Notice' for the past one year. Mrs Fajarina was reportedly a suspect in a case of an Indonesian maid locked up in her house when she was in France last year. There are many ladies like Manohara Odelia Pinot not only in Jakarta but also in the whole world who are waiting to struck the 'lottery of their life' by being a 'princess' or consort of their respective prince charming.


Withdrawal of Support By Fellow Indonesians

I read in various newspapers including the Indonesian newspapers (via the internet), that an Indonesian NGO women activist (Ratna Sarumpaet) who previously offered her assistance to Manohara has also withdrawn her support because of the issue related to the real existence of evidence of sexual torture and abuse purportedly suffered by Manohara as a direct result from Tengku Temenggong's awkward sexual demands.

Another prominent Indonesian public figure that has withdrawn his support is OC Kaligis, a well-known lawyer in Jakarta. When I was working in Jakarta in 1998, I used to deal with OC Kaligis's law firm pertaining to certain legal matters of the company that employed me (but only with his senior staff, not with OC Kaligis directly). So I know the fact that people like OC Kaligis, Hotma Sitompoel and Adnan Buyung Nasution are all big names in the Indonesian legal fraternity.

So when OC Kaligis who initially offered his legal services to Manohara later also withdrew from representing her, citing difficulty of getting cooperation to gather evidences, my initial belief in the story of Manohara sexual torture has greatly diminished.


The Doctor's Claim. Can We Just Swallow It?

What about a forensic doctor by the name of Dr Mun'im Idries who told AFP news agency that there are slash wounds on many parts of Manohara's body, especially on her chest which he claimed some are still fresh?

Well..Let me put my response this way. Even if I really want, I myself can 'make' a Sudanese doctor to announce to the world that there are many slashes and wounds all over my body as a result of endless torture by a Sudanese lady. It maybe difficult to find that kind of doctor but it is still possible to get just one doctor who can make that claim, especialy if I have a lot of money and if I can guarantee the doctor that there will be a very high possibility he will not be subjected to any vigorous verification by any third party on his claim.

My point here is how credible is this doctor who made that claim on behalf of Manohara and her mother? Will this doctor be subjected to any cross-examinations by Tengku Temenggong's lawyer in a court of law? My experience living in Jakarta shows that you can buy almost everything in Jakarta when you have 'Dollars' in your hands. With all due respect to all my Indonesian friends, it is indeed a reality in Jakarta's life. I do not mean to insult the dignity of all the Indonesians by making this general statement. Of course the majority of Indonesian people are very honest and reliable with high integrity. Thus, there surely have many more reliable doctors in Jakarta. But unless any third party doctor (not an Indonesian or a Malaysian doctor) who can validate the claim by this Dr Mun'im Idries, the claim of torture and abuse remains just a claim.

In a way, OC Kalingis and Ratna Sarumpaet's withdrawal of support shows that not all Indonesians are emotional and blindly supported their fellow citizens without solid evidence.


Do You Know What Substance You Injected Your Wife?

Having said that, I do not in any way try to say that Tengku Temenggong absolutely did not commit this heinous act of barbarism. Maybe he did. Who knows. Maybe he really cut Manohara's chest with a razor as claimed by Manohara. Maybe it is true that he injected Manohara with 'unidentified substance' before having sexual intercourse with her, also as claimed by Manohara. I do not mean to talk dirty here, but to all the Indonesians ladies I would like to say that we, the Malaysian men will definitely know fully well what kind of substance that we injected our wives during making love. For us, (normal Malaysian men) there is no such thing as 'unidentified substance'. Not like in your Manohara's case.


It's All About The Art of Making Love

If you really study very carefully all the news related to Manohara's saga, it seems that all her accusations against her husband, the Tengku Temenggong related to his treatments towards her during their private time as a husband and wife. In other words, most of the accusations related to the way they make love. Isn't it disgusting?

If it is proven true that Tengku Temenggong engaged in such an inhumane act, this kind of behaviour is definitely not condoned by any average Malaysian men who are generally very romantic and loving.


Human, Not Cats and Dogs, Has Become More Daring In The Art of Making Love

But nowadays we never know. Human has become very complicated in fulfilling their sexual desire. Even the famous David Cardine, the star of 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" found hanging in a Bangkok hotel room last week. The Thai police have said they suspect Carradine died from a sex act that went wrong after his body was discovered on June 4 hanging from a wardrobe rail in a Bangkok hotel room, naked and with ropes attached to his neck and penis. You see! human are becoming very daring and strange.

I do not think animals dare to do this kind of act. I solemnly believe cats and dogs maintaining their very same way same when comes to making love, right from the Gengis Khan time until the present day. They never practice any sadism in their sexual intercourse. But please do not make any assumption that I know about this 'cats and dogs' thing because I keep on observing how these cats and dogs making love!


Leave Bigfoot Alone!

That's why in certain aspects, animals are sometimes better than certain group of human being. Those who know me surely can recall three years ago I strongly objected to the mission of so-called 'Bigfoot researchers' to capture Bigfoot that was said still roaming our Endau-Rompin jungle.

For me, leave that Mr Bigfoot alone. If they really exist, they have done nothing wrong to us, the human being.

Anyhow, have you ever read in any newspaper about any news regarding any Bigfoot was captured for raping Malaysian lady at Jalan Haji Taib? Have you ever watched any news in our television regarding any Bigfoot as a snatch-thief, riding on a motorcycle on broad daylight in Malaysia, snatching lady's handbag? No! Only human-being did that. With that I rest my case.

That's all for today. Thank you for your time reading my blog. Till we meet again next week with my Jakarta story and many more photos! Permisi dulu Bapak-Bapak dan Ibu-Ibu. Have a fantastic and bombastic day! Khoda hafiz, Wassalam..

Note:
Constructive feedback from my blog readers are welcome. Please either:
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