Krisis Egypt : Impak Pada Dubai (UAE)

ramai rakan taulan dan keluarga terdekat yang tertanya-tanya : apa khabarnya tanah arab dubai dan serata arab emiriyah bersatu (united arab emirates; UAE) di kala rakyat tunisia dan egypt bangkit menggulingkan presiden mereka?

dubai pun arab jugak kan? sekarang kan negara-negara arab semua tengah sibuk dengan revolusi dan kebangkitan rakyat masing-masing? dubai macamana? tak bahaya ke? tak nak balik malaysia ke?

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(image : google) burj arab, dubai & the sphinx & the pyramid in egypt

 

oh dubai!

aku yang tinggal di dubai bersama suami dan 3 anak semuanya alhamdulillah selamat sejahtera, dan hidup di sini macam biase je. biase sangat-sangat biase. insyaAllah harap kekal selamat macam ni.

aku jumpa satu artikel ni yang membincangkan tentang kesan revolusi di tunisia dan egypt terhadap UAE. caranya terang dan jelas, sambil mengemukakan contoh-contoh yang aku pun boleh faham. kalau nak baca artikel tu dalam bahasa inggeris, klik sini.

di sini aku terangkan dengan bahasa aku, supaya 10 tahun nanti aku baca balik pun boleh faham. hihi.

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PERTAMA, UAE BERSIKAP NEUTRAL

pihak kerajaan uae bijak dengan tidak mengemukakan sokongan mahupun bantahan terhadap demonstrasi secara terang-terangan. ye lah, kalo kata sokong demonstrasi tu, goyanglah persahabatan dengan kerajaan egypt. kalo kata bantah demonstrasi pulak, nanti manalah tau rakyat UAE pulak yang marah. jadi diorang senyap-senyap je.

(tapi menteri luar UAE ade lah jugak melawat bekas presiden egypt hosni mubarak masa krisis tu huhu)

 

KEDUA, PERBEZAAN SISTEM PEMERINTAHAN EGYPT & UAE

rakyat egypt yang sibuk memprotes dulu ni macam-macam tak puas ati. mahukan perubahan, PERUBAHAN dalam sistem pentadbiran dengan meminta presiden mereka hosni mubarak blah selepas 30 tahun memegang jawatan. dah la 30 tahun memerintah, pehtu nak anak dia pulak ambik alih, padehal presiden dilantik melalui pilihanraya. mane tak bengang!

tapi kat UAE takde teringin nak ubah-ubah ni. UAE menggunakan sistem monarki (pemerintahan beraja) jadi tahta kerajaan memang diwarisi oleh anak atau adik beradik. keluarga diraja UAE sangat dihormati oleh rakyat jelata dan status ketuanan mereka tak pernah dipersoalkan.

diorang memang sayangkan bapa pembangunan UAE iaitu sheikh zayed (pegang tahta sejak merdeka kalo tak salah, meninggal 2004, skang anak dia pegang tahta UAE), jadi anak, atau sedara mara dia pun diorang sayang la kot. hihi.

 

KETIGA, PERBEZAAN POPULASI EGYPT & UAE

egypt ngan uae ni populasinya sangat berbeza.

bayangkan rakyat tempatan UAE adalah MINORITI! yes, pak-pak arab tu minoriti di negara sendiri! macamana tu ye? dalam 6 juta je penduduk UAE, hanya 15 peratus adalah rakyat tempatan. rata-rata berkehidupan selesa, dan menikmati kemudahan yang sangat best sebagai rakyat tempatan, walaupun diorang sikit. jarang dengar pasal rakyat merungut tentang kerajaan.

ini berbeza dengan egypt yang sebilangan besar penduduk adalah rakyat tempatan, sebanyak 79 juta la lebih kurang. ramai gile tu! mereka menuntut perubahan dalam sistem pentadbiran, pendidikan dan paling pentingnya; kebebasan bersuara. mereka menentang keganasan pihak polis, kerajaan korup, dan banyak lagi. 60% rakyat hidup miskin – tiada peluang pekerjaan dan pendidikan yang sempurna.

punya la ramai rakyat tak puas hati, mana taknye mencetuskan revolusi ye tak.

revolusi negara-negara arab pulak skang ni rata-rata dicetuskan oleh RAKYAT TEMPATAN. jadi berbalik pada UAE tadi, rakyat tempatan dah le sikit sangat, hidup pulak selesa. jadi ape yang nak diprotes?

expats (rakyat asing) yang tinggal kat UAE (termasuklah aku) memang la sangat-sangat ramai berbanding dengan rakyat tempatan, tapi selalunya rakyat asing ni mane la nak libatkan diri sangat dengan situasi politik kat negara asing yg diorang tinggal tu.

rakyat asing kat UAE nak buat demo? dari india, filipina, indonesia, US, UK, lebanon, iran, iraq, afrika sampaila ke rakyat malaysia sendiri kebanyakan berpusu-pusu ke UAE pun pasal nak cari keja. semua nak sara keluarga, terutama yang tinggalkan anak bini kat negara asal masing-masing. dah dapat keja tu dah cukup best. duk je diam-diam.

kalo tak puas hati bole balik negara asal!

* * *

ini je la 3 poin utama yang aku dapat fahami, dan kasi fahamkan kat korang-korang yang baru nak tahu. kalau ade tersalah maklumat, tolong khabarkan okay, sebab aku tulis ni pun berdasarkan fahaman aku dengan apa yang aku baca dan saksikan di media masa.

memang, rata-rata negara arab memiliki konsep yang sama : diperintah oleh diktator tua yang dah berkurun-kurun pegang tahta. ditambah pulak dengan ekonomi yang meruncing dgn kehidupan rakyat yang tertekan. lepas tunisia, egypt. diikuti pulak demonstrasi yang lebih kurang kat jordan, yemen, algeria dan yang terbaru bahrain – jiran sblah rumah je ngan UAE.

memang ketua-ketua negara arab tengah gabra sekarang. presiden yemen awal-awal dah ckp, “korang xyah la buat demo, aku janji hujung tahun ni aku letak jawatan la. betul. korang tolonglah xyah demo-demo ni.” oklah dialog ni aku buat je hihi, tapi betul, memang lebih kurang mcm ni la presiden yemen umumkan.

harap-harap keamanan di UAE berkekalan, sebab kalau jelas kehidupan tu selesa, tak payah la nak diada-adakan revolusi ni. tak pasal-pasal rakyat asing macam kami ni tersepit di tengah-tengah, macam pelajar-pelajar malaysia di mesir yang dah selamat sampai di saudi dan malaysia.

ok, pak-pak arab kat dubai sila jangan buat demo ye. buat demo camne nak buat nasi mandi ok la jugak. (ok, bad joke. hihi.)

Erupt in Egypt : Syukur My Sis-in-law in Dubai!

what’s the conflict?

president of egypt is hosni mubarak. the 82-year old dude has been in power for 30 years. The problem is, the people of egypt does not want mubarak. but mubarak stubbornly wants to cling to power. even after 4 days of violent protest, dengan selambanya he announced sacking of cabinet ministers, but showing NO reaction or action the what the people really want – for him to step down!

"It was never about the government, by God. It is you (Mubarak) who has to go! What you have done to the people is enough!" said one protester.

source : gulfnews.

result?

• peaceful demonstration that turned ugly
• 150 people killed, more wounded
• police station burnt
• soldiers roamed the streets
• curfew set, but defied when people still go out
• looting – youth gangs break into luxury houses, supermarkets since police have disappeared!
• some even went as far as trying to steal the valuable artefacts inside the cairo museum; including the golden mask of king tut. luckily some young egyptians managed to barricade the compound, and saved their heritage from these opportunist-looters
• internet connection was blocked, and phone lines cut. i read in one blog that a family tried for more than 2 days to contact a loved one but failed ~ i hope our malaysian brothers and sisters are safe!
• thousands prisoners escaped from prison
• 19 private jets carrying wealthy egyptians and arab businessmen have fled with their money. destination? katanya dubai!

 

i was watching the LIVE coverage by al-jazeera on this devastating conflict – the angry citizens of egypt like ants at tahrir square cairo, walking here and there despite the curfew stated. kalau ade curfew tapi keluar jugak, bukan kena tembak ke? but i guess they didn’t come up 8-10 people – more of hundreds and thousands. who’s gonna shoot them then?

i have to admit, i’m following this conflict closely more so because my sister in law is currently doing dentistry in al-azhar university. alhamdulillah she’s NOT there right now, she’s right here in dubai, spending winter holiday with her brother and nephews.

at the time of writing, everyone is advising her to stay put, and not go back to egypt until this matter blows over. she’s thankful of course that her brother managed to have the foresight to bring her here, but she’s still very worried about the fate of her friends over in cairo.

harap semuanya selamat, insyaAllah.

* * *

this uproar in egypt is said to be inspired from the civilian’s overthrow of tunisia’s president not to long ago. i hope this is not a wave that will catch on to a few more countries!

in the meantime, khaleef, kahfi and kazim will have their ateh for more weeks than they expect!

Good Luck PM Najib!

hmm. not me to write about politics. so this posting is not about politics. it's not! it's about a humble rakyat sharing her feelings about her country getting a new prime minister. the much talked-about change is in the air. a little, but it's a start.


Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was sworn in as Malaysia's 6th Prime Minister earlier this morning, succeeding Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

it was a historical moment as he is the son of our 2nd prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak. father and son, both prime ministers! i hope he will make his father proud by changing the face of malaysia amidst this economic turmoil and political instability.




datuk seri najib took his oath of office before Yang di Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara, attended by many including former prime minister tun dr mahathir and his wife.

i like what datuk kadir jasin wrote in his blog about datuk seri najib taking over from paklah at this most trying time for malaysia. big job! big responsibility! big hope! hope he's able to turn things around!

"Tidak seperti Abdullah yang mengambil alih ketika ekonomi teguh dan politik negara stabil, Mohd Najib mewarisi ekonomi yang lemah dan politik yang kucar-kacir.

Kalau Mohd Najib berjaya menstabilkan ekonomi, mengurangkan kesan kemelesetan ke atas rakyat jelata dan mengembalikan kewarasan politik, dia akan dikenang sebagai penyelamat.

Tidak ada Perdana Menteri sebelum ini yang mengambil alih pemerintahan dalam suasana yang serba tidak kena seperti yang akan terbeban di atas bahu Mohd Najib."

- from datuk a. kadir jasin's blog

datuk seri najib cites "One Malaysia. People First. Performance Now." at the end of his maiden speech as the 6th prime minister. in spite of what fugly things said about him, i say give him the chance to walk the talk.

to me he might not be as influential and charismatic as dr. m, or a fierce orator as anwar, having the grace of pak lah nor the wisdom of nik aziz but i hope he steps up and prove his worth, and not let the rakyat down.

"Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak takes over as captain of the nation when the seas are choppy and the weather stormy, but being a decisive and effective leader, he should be given a chance to prove his mettle."

~ the star online

not enough has been written about change. regaining the rakyat's trust. strengthening the government's credibility. datuk seri najib has a lot of fixing up to do! probably starting from within...

to pak lah, or tun lah now - we say thank you for the five years of service and let him have his rest. we will miss your warm presence and infectious smile. at least he is gentleman enough to resign and admit his weaknesses, which not many of the present leaders are willing to do. read about how i met tun lah in dubai, here.

good luck, datuk seri najib. as rakyat i send my doa, may you govern the country with honesty, high integrity and stay true to your promise : people first. performance now.

visit his blog 1malaysia.

Save My Perak Darul Ridzuan

i cried hard tonight.

i saw a very disturbing video clip.
it lasted approximately 9 minutes.


no, it is not about what happened in palestine.

that was a real war zone.

the clip i saw was about what had ensued in front of the sacred ubudiah mosque in kuala kangsar.


no, it is not about desperate palestinian men and women seeking peace and freedom from extreme oppression, violence and total disregard for humanity.

that was a real suffering.

the clip i saw was about men and women obsessed in finding a reason to be a pejuang, with total disregard for the existing peace and harmony of the country.


no, it is not about little palestinian children looking peacefully asleep but soaked in innocent blood, never to wake up again.

that was a real tragedy.

the clip i saw was about a child in white and green sampin baju sekolah agama with no business being there, being carried away from tear-eye gas.


no, it is not about people crying, running away from bombs and flying bullets, protecting their women and children.

that was a real sacrifice.

the clip i saw was about people shouting, running towards water-pump truck and tear-eye gas.


the video clip i watched tonight,

was not - no, it is not about real war.
it was about a trivial battle that could have been avoided.


tonight i cry.
to see what it has come to.
seeing how low we have gone to fight this war, when there is a situation much worse.

moga Allah lindungi Perak Darul Ridzuan.


p/s: thanks niraku for providing me the posted pict.

Stop the Perak Drama

there's a lot of hoopla going on back home. drama kings, heroes, jesters and fools all playing their part in a great big political drama. and by home i don't just mean malaysia, but my beloved hometown - perak. people who knows me well would guess which side i'm on - but let me just state for the record - that i really do not mind who reigns in perak, just as long as it stays peaceful and harmony, a quiet little town where i can come back to and feel belonged. where everybody knows your name and some things stay the same.

perak state emblem

i hate to read about silly-time-wasting demonstration. so i didn't. did anything happen?

ipoh, a favorite film and ad location for film director yasmin ahmad - has an old charm about it that just soothes me. i have simple needs; a big mall that has everything i need, my awesome school just around the bend - and the food - aw, man -

• makcik goreng pisang at kampung melayu
• cendol at ipoh jaya
• char kuey teow at ipoh parade
• roti canai medan gopeng
• laksa at niraku's house

kl is all fun and exciting, but perak is where the heart always is. i would like to dedicate a lovely song about my hometown, to all those anak perak out there. read the lines and remember what we worked for to begin with. no matter which party rocks our boat, let us pray for the best - and let God do the rest.

Perak Darul Ridzuan

Perak Darul Ridzuan
Negeri indah permai
Penduduknya hidup aman damai
Dinaungi keadilan sultan

Kuala Kangsar Bandar Diraja
Iskandariah istana ternama
Tempat bersemayam Baginda Paduka Seri
Menjadi lambang tunggak negeri

Bukit Larut
Waktu malam... berkelipan
Udaranya sejuk nyaman menyegarkan
Indahnya ciptaan Tuhan

Di tengah samudera biru
Pulau Pangkor dengan pantai yang bersih
Tempat bersukaria tumpuan para pelancong
Pemandangan indah yang terbentang

Lihat padi menguning
Menambah seri Daerah Kerian
Di Hilir Perak
Nyiur melambai-lambai
Oh sungguh subur tanah airku

Kinta daerah tengah
Hasilnya bijih timah
Batu Gajah bandar yang bertuah
Tempat keputeraan seri sultan

Hulu Perak nun di utara
Kaya dengan sumber hasil hutannya
tersergam
Empangan tinggi menjulang
Segagah wira di perbatasan

Pasir Salak...
bersejarah dan berdarah
Dato Sagor Dato Maharajalela
Gugur pertahankan bangsa

SITC maktab tertua
Gedung ilmu bakti suluh budiman
Lahirkan cendekiawan
Pejuang bangsa negara
Kekal abadi sepanjang zaman

Perak makmur bahagia
Dengan sembilan daerah yang ada
Betapa indah tanah air tercinta
Sejahteralah Perak oh negeriku
Perak… Perak… oh negeriku.

i know most of you perghok people out there were singing this song along, huh? cammon, admit it! me too!

Meeting Pak Lah in Dubai

arriving at shangri-la dubai

much has been said about the 5th malaysia prime minister, datuk seri abdullah ahmad badawi. and sad to say, most of what's out there is in the negative.

so why was i excited to attend this dinner with the 5th PM?

• i consider it a romantic date with mr. khairul - just the two of us
• i consider it a big maiden outing after my pantang
• i love fancy dinner (but that doesn't mean i'm not a mamak or cendol tepi jalan person!)
• i just enjoy meeting famous people!
• suka hati la!
  

hey, i'm a fan of dr. m but when i saw anwar ibrahim at a wedding one time, i was pretty psyched up too - you know what i mean?

pak lah & datin seri jeanne so excited to take pict with me! ;)

datuk seri abdullah ahmad badawi or fondly known as pak lah was in uae for a 2-day official visit. definitely incomplete without a mesra-bersama-rakyat night, hence the dinner.

venue
held at shangri-la hotel, dubai - i was hoping atlantis or burj al-arab!

food
there was yummy nasi lemak! and the fried meehon was nice too. lauks include daging rendang, gulai nangka and the only one i took - ayam panggang berempah. for delicious sweets i took choc and cheese cakes plus slices of honey dew and strawberry. sigh!


chronology

• we came
• we were seated at a table right up front, just a table apart from pak lah's table
• tan sri muhyidin yasin arrived
• pak lah arrived, gave a speech
• makan! dinner! buffet! *fav part*
• PM went 'bermesra bersama rakyat' going from table to table
• took picture with PM
• took picture with PM's wife
  

berborak with datin seri jeanne abdullah

she was just the sweetest, so pretty and radiant. and so warm and approachable. and i even had a brief chat with her.

"no matter how far you've travelled, nothing is like home (malaysia)." datin seri said.

trying to be cute i said, "yes, i can't even find a good char kuey teow here...i've tried so many places.."

"then you learn how to make one.." alamak, kena balik! "..you go back you duduk mana? kat malaysia? where are you from?"

"kat malaysia? oh, ipoh.."

"kat ipoh? ipoh is the best place to get char kuey teow...should be easy for you to learn.."

and that was it. we laughed together in that brief, peaceful moment - away from the ugly stories of her husband and all political crap. it was just about that night. the night i met the prime minister of malaysia and his wife.

and it felt great.

well, like i told mr. khairul - one day when i'm a grandma, i will take out my pandora box of junks and historic memorabilia - take out two photographs - the one with my fav PM, and the one with pak lah. i can tell my grandchildren,

"this is wan (what i want my grandkids to call me) with 2 PMs that made history.."

i bet most of my cucu would immediately recognize the first one.

"this is wan with him during one UMNO general assembly. this one when he came to UIA where wan did my degree. and here's us at a buka puasa do with uni students in putrajaya. he is the greatest malaysian prime minister of all time. he's the reason we're on the map. and he was PM for 22 years, the longest anyone ever served as PM!"

and i will see my grandchildren's faces beamed in awe of their cool grandma.

"..and here is another historic PM. he was PM in the shortest while. and i met him while i was staying in dubai with atuk. he was very friendly. warm smile."

and that's just that.