Friends from Sri Lanka

Last Friday, my family and I went to May Tower Hotel in Jalan Munshi Abdullah to meet Uncle Zahedi, Aunty Suzana and Brother Hisham. They came from Sri Lanka to send Brother Hisham who is currently doing his Master’s Degree in Islamic Finance here in Kuala Lumpur.

We met them after the Friday prayers. When we reached there, Aunty Suzana looked at me exclaiming, “Oh, she looks just like Aishah”. Aishah Salihue is Aunty Suzana’s niece and a friend of mine who lives in San Jose, California. Coincidentally, Aishah shared the same name with my little sister, Aeshah, while Aishah’s little brother shared the same name with my little brother, Ali. I had met her and her family twice during my visits to the USA in 2005 and 2006.

I remember going to her house in 2006. Her huge backyard is like a wonderland  filled with many kinds of fruit trees. On the day I visited her, Aishah found out that their first apple had ripened in the backyard. She excitedly pluck it and ran with the apple indoors to show it to her mum. There was also a tent, Aishah’s bike, his little brother, Ali’s wagon, a table with benches and a trampoline in the backyard.

I remember feeling so excited as I succeeded to ride Aishah’s bike without any difficulties even on the grass. It was actually my second time riding a bike without the two tiny side wheels to help me balance. I also remember pulling Ali’s wagon with both ‘Alis’ giggling inside. We also drew pictures and wrote stories on the wooden table. But the best part of the day was when I met Aishah’s grandparents who came all the way from Sri Lanka. Aishah’s grandfather gave me a lot of very beautiful Sri Lankan stamps which are now safely kept inside my stamp album.

We had a great time. Before we left, Aishah’s mother gave me a beautiful brown hijab. We still keep in touch through emails and we sent stamps to each other several times. I really hope that Insya Allah, I could once again visit Aishah in her wonderful backyard.

It was so enjoyable meeting Uncle Zahedi, Aunty Suzana and Brother Hisham. They are very nice and wonderful to be with. Aunty Suzana is very sweet, beautiful and friendly and she really reminds me of her younger sister who is Aishah’s mother.

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Halal labeling

Muslims should make sure that they only consume halal food. In Food Facts, I had voiced out my concern regarding the free use of illegal halal labels on food products in Malaysia. The worst is, some of those products are actually questionable in their halal status.

Living in a multiracial country, Muslim consumers must be knowledgeable and well informed on this matter. Since the halal labeling is considered only as a ‘ticket’ for a big and profitable business by some, consumers must be smart as not to fall in their ‘traps’. The government and the islamic authorities must be more serious in handling this matter for halal food is actually a basic need for Muslim.

I guess honesty and responsibility are the keys in solving this problem. If those in halal food business are honest and responsible, we won’t be facing all these problems at all. But since some people are driven only by making money, we as the consumers have to fight for our rights.

I’m happy to say that not everybody are greedy, dishonest and irresponsible. There are people who took pride in being honest even though they are non-muslim. See’s Candies of California (whose candies and chocolates are truly delicious) only took a couple of days to respond to dad’s e-mail regarding the (very) detail of their chocolate making process and the nature the ingredients used. And an owner of a slaughter house in Australia  fired one of his Muslim staff after the guy was caught drunk on his night off. The reason given was – since the company slaughter halal meat, a person who do not follow the true teachings of Islam is no good for the job.

If only everybody are honest and responsible the world will be a better place for all of us; regardless our religions. But since cheating and taking advantages of others are the ways of lives for those who only value power and money – life is hard. Is it really important to have the halal label on food product? I guess the labei is important for Muslim as well as other labeling on food product; as long as halal label means the food is halal for Muslims.

Crimes And More Crimes

Today, picked pocket, snatched theft and stealing are considered as a part of our everyday lives in KL (and also other cities and town in Malaysia). It is very unfortunate that more people are getting so ruthless and commit crime openly.

A few months ago someone smashed the window of my aunty’s car. The car was parked at a well lighted parking lot (outside a restaurant) by a busy main road near Ampang Point (refer to ‘A Sad Incident In Ampang’). Last week my sister saw a man took something from her teacher’s car after smashing the car’s windows in the bright daylight. The car was parked in front of her school (by a busy road). And my mom was so close to become another victim of snacthed theft only that Alhamdulillah she did not carry her handbag on that occasion.

My siblings and I used to be able to run around and enjoy ourselves in parks and playgrounds; but now our parents won’t dare to let us out of their sight in those places. And I dare not go to my neighbour’s house next door without at least having my sister Aeshah watching over… Unsecured? How else can we feel when kids were kidnapped, abducted and some were even killed for no reason; for example the tragic cases of Allahyarhamah Nurin Jazlin and Sharlinie.

Is this a part of civilisation? Or is this a price to pay as we become a more developed nation? How odd when all these nasty incidents are almost unheard of in Columbus (Ohio), Palo Alto (the city of the prestigious Stanford University, California), Chicago or in San Francisco (except in slum areas).

I hope that we can put a stop to all these problems. And we could Insya Allah if we are willing to help each other to make our world a better place to live in (please refer to ‘Our Solution To A Better Future’).