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CJ

Sep 06

孟卡兰：不受物欲控制‧知足可减少社会问题

By Compassion
孟卡兰（Mother Mangalam）：真正瞭解自己宗教，对宗教有信心的人，是不会排斥其他宗教知识的。（图：星洲日报）

孟卡兰（Mother Mangalam）：真正瞭解自己宗教，对宗教有信心的人，是不会排斥其他宗教知识的。（图：星洲日报）

“人生最大的財富就是知足；凡事知足，就不会被物质的欲望控制，也就能减少许多社会问题。”

知足常乐是中国人常说的一句话；荣获第三届默迪卡奖（教育与社会奖）的清心慈善社主席孟卡兰修女，虽然不是华人，却也深明知足常乐的道理。

她说，在国家不断发展、时代日益进步后，现代人最缺乏的就是一颗知足的心。

大马人格素质未提昇

她表示，与过去相比，大马社会確实进步了很多，可惜人们的人格素质並没有相对的提昇。

“我还记得50年代，在外头若口渴了，想到商店买一瓶水喝都很难，因为当时的资源有限；现在人们的生活几乎应有尽有，但人却变得更懒惰。”

“现代人不愿意努力工作，只想赚快钱以追求最好的物质享受；如果没有能力从事高薪职业，他们寧可去偷去抢，也不要辛勤地工作，用劳力换取正当的钱。”

她在接受星洲日报专访时说，人们若能按照自己的收入能力花费，不盲目追求或贪恋虚华的物质享受，就能脚踏实地的生活，因为名利而衍生的问题如贪污、抢劫、犯罪等都能避免。

孟卡兰现年84岁，从少女时代开始投身社会服务事业，同时也是一名春风化雨的教师，一心一意为社会培育有用的人才。

“我最爱看到的事，就是孩子一天天地健康长大，成为一个有用的人；看到纯真的孩子在良好的照顾下生活、受教育，是我最开心的事。”

缺乏人饥己饥同理心

她表示，目前社会最缺乏的就是人饥己饥的同理心，导致人与人之间的谅解、包容、互助等精神日益匱乏，宗教与种族之间的纠纷则越来越多。

“我们一直谈宗教和谐、各族团结， 但光说是没有用的，真正的和谐来自心灵；心是否靠在一起、接纳与尊重彼此？只有心的距离近了，各族及宗教间的隔阂才会变小。”

陈禎禄辛班登翁嘉化 是孟卡兰眼中英雄

孟卡兰表示， 在她的社会服务工作中出现不少给予她协助，或影响她的人，如敦陈禎禄、敦辛班登、拿督翁嘉化等，这些人都是她眼中的英雄。

“有一次，清心慈善社创办人兼我的人生导师斯瓦密萨特亚南达带我到敦陈禎禄的家拜访，当他们在討论事情时，敦陈禎禄的太太在厨房为我们准备食物，而我独自参观敦陈禎禄的家。”

“最让我印象深刻的是他家那一排排的书架，放眼望去就像是个图书馆，书海一片，书架上甚么种类的书都有，包括各种宗教书籍，显示他是一名博学的人。”

“ 我隨手拿一些书来翻看，几乎每一页都有他的笔记、標记等，证明他很用心去认识及吸纳各种知识；一个知识渊博的人，就会有像海一样包容一切的胸怀。”

提到敦辛班登时，孟卡兰表示，敦辛班登朴实简约的生活方式令她钦佩不已。

她说， 敦辛班登受印度国父甘地的影响深远，不求名利，只求为社会大眾谋取更多福利。

“ 他永远是一身简单的粗布白衣，连出席国会会议也一样， 要东姑阿都拉曼提醒他在一些特別重大的场合应该穿大衣，他才穿比较华丽的衣服。”

她说，如果国家领袖都能树立这样的好榜样，自然能以身作则，成为国人的楷模。

真正达一个大马目標 一视同仁对待各族

孟卡兰表示，国家领导人必须对各宗教与种族的人民一视同仁，才能真正达到“异中存同”及“一个马来西亚”的目標。

她认为，首相拿督斯里纳吉提出“一个马来西亚”，是因为他看到国人越来越分离，不同种族及宗教的人开始走上不同的道路。

瞭解自己宗教 不抗拒他教

“国家独立初期，人们是很团结的，早期的领袖如敦陈禎禄、敦辛班登、拿督翁嘉化等，才是真正瞭解种族与宗教和谐的真諦的领袖；但到了80年代，一些政治人物开始分化国人。”

谈到国民团结及种族与宗教和谐，孟卡兰表示，只有不瞭解自己的宗教、对自己的宗教没有信心的人，才会抗拒其他宗教。

“如果有强大的信心，別人就不能轻易动摇你对宗教的信仰，既然別人无法动摇你，你就不会担心接触及认识其他宗教；说到底是看你有没有一颗诚恳的心。”

她针对国內曾发生回教徒烧教堂的问题指出，每一个宗教精髓都是一样的，所有宗教的重点都是教导人不妒嫉、不偷盗、不怀恨、不愤怒等，不同只是一些不重要的形式，如祈祷的方式、习俗等。

“只要明白这一点，瞭解宗教的真諦，我们就不会害怕受其他宗教威胁或排斥其他宗教；一个虔诚的回教徒也可以喜欢耶穌基督，如果你可以喜欢巨星麦克杰逊或其他西方国家的明星，为甚么不能喜欢耶穌基督？”

“人们会对其他宗教做出不好的行为，是因为他们对自己没有信心，还不瞭解本身宗教的真諦。”

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Sep 06

A surprise guest, JJ to Melaka

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
JJ, my ex-college friend who came with Yih-Shyang to Melaka

JJ, my ex-college friend who came with Yih-Shyang to Melaka

During the mid of August, I got a visit from my formal college friend, Yih-Shyang. He came and visited me months ago and then he was to come again. This time Yih-Shyang rang me and informed me that he would bring another friend with him from Kuala Lumpur. I didn’t question on that and thought that it would be his partner.

On that morning, Yih-Shyang drove and arrived at my place. It was really surprise when I saw the guest in the car! He was another ex-college mate whom I had not met for 7 years. JJ was the friend whom Yih-Shyang came with. We were so happy to see each other again because we had so much fun back in college. He was always a kind and easy-going guy.

JJ at the Cheng Ho Tea House

JJ at the Cheng Ho Tea House

It was rather a brunch, I brought the two of them to Jeta Groove. It is one of my favorites local Nyonya restaurants and also my favourite dessert, Nyonya durian chendol. After having some food at the restaurant, the durian chendol was served. It is a dessert which consists of shaved ice, coconut milk and red bean, and sweetened with gula Melaka (a kind of brown sugar). Its main ingredient is chendol, or noodle-like strips made of green bean flour strips. By the name of it, durian chendol is the chendol with some durian meat added into it and becomes so tasty. Both Yih Shyang and JJ just fall for it after taken.

After the meal, we had no idea where to go. They didn’t make plan for the day, rather to visit me and unwind in Melaka. Thinking it would be a great idea to sit down and have a good chat, we then went to have a Chinese tea ceremony at the Cheng Ho Tea House. We chatted while enjoyed the tea ceremony done by Mrs. Lai from the tea house. Before long Yih Shyang went into photography topi. Yih Shyang was suggesting doing some portrait photography and I nominated JJ.

JJ was however reluctant to be our model initially. Giving an excuse of keeping a memoir for JJ, we then took some photos of JJ at the tea house. Gradually we started to pose him and giving him commands what to do. He knew he was tricked but he was always nice and soft-hearted, therefore being obedience. So we had a nice tea and good photography session.

During the afternoon, we then headed to the seaside close to the Eye of Malaysia. After sight-seeing, we went to the bush area and continued our portraiture shooting of JJ. He was demanded to jump while we took some shots, until he got his muscles hurt. Yih-Shyang and I felt sorry for him and promised him a delicious dinner on that evening.

JJ posing for the camera in the bust near the Eye of Malaysia

JJ posing for the camera in the bust near the Eye of Malaysia

Soon the dusk fell and we were starving. We then drove the Portuguese Settlement and quickly took some shots of sunset with only Yih-Shyang’s camera as the battery of my camera had gone flat. Then we picked a restaurant and had what Yih-Shyang requested, a Portuguese style seafood dinner. The serving was far more than what we ordered. Without wasting any food, we had everything on the dining table. In addition to that, both of them again fall for the local mango juice and each of them had 4 cups of it.

They would want to go to the Jonker Street for a walk of the night market. After the extravagant dinner we had, we were however so full that we wanted to go home and just sleep off the food coma that we were in. Yih-Shyang then took me home and we said goodbye.

Thanks to Yih-Shyang and JJ, who came all the way from Kuala Lumpur to visit me. I had a good time and was happy to see the both of them and update of their living. Sometimes it’s amazing to see how old friends have changed, to see how their lives are exciting or tragic or full of love (both of them good qualifiers of a life well lived).

Yih-Shyang and JJ had promised to come to Melaka again soon. Hope that they are happy now and I am looking forward to see them again. Share some shots of JJ.

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Sep 03

Why animal rights?

By Compassion, Wisdom
Newborn (by Yannis Charatsidis)

Newborn (by Yannis Charatsidis)

“The question is not ‘Can they reason?’ nor ‘Can they talk?’ but ‘Can they suffer?'”
– Jeremy Bentham

Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. Many of us bought our beloved “pets” at pet shops. We had guinea pigs and kept beautiful birds in cages. We wore wool and silk, ate McDonald’s burgers, and even fished. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question “Why should animals have rights?”

In his book Animal Liberation, Peter Singer states that the basic principle of equality does not require equal or identical treatment; it requires equal consideration. This is an important distinction when talking about animal rights. People often ask if animals should have rights, and quite simply, the answer is “Yes!” Animals surely deserve to live their lives free from suffering and exploitation. Jeremy Bentham, the founder of the reforming utilitarian school of moral philosophy, stated that when deciding on a being’s rights, “The question is not ‘Can they reason?’ nor ‘Can they talk?’ but ‘Can they suffer?'” In that passage, Bentham points to the capacity for suffering as the vital characteristic that gives a being the right to equal consideration. The capacity for suffering is not just another characteristic, like the capacity for language or higher mathematics. All animals have the ability to suffer in the same way and to the same degree that humans do. They feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, loneliness, and love. Whenever we consider doing something that would interfere with their needs, we are morally obligated to take those needs into account.

Supporters of animal rights believe that all animals have an inherent worth—a value completely separate from their usefulness to humans. We believe that every creature with a will to live has a right to live free from pain and suffering. Animal rights is not just a philosophy—it is a social movement that challenges society’s traditional view that all nonhuman animals exist solely for human use. As PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk has said, “When it comes to pain, love, joy, loneliness, and fear, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. Each one values his or her life and fights the knife.”

Only prejudice allows us to deny others the rights that we expect to have for ourselves. Whether it’s based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or species, prejudice is morally unacceptable. If you wouldn’t eat a dog, why eat a pig? Dogs and pigs have the same capacity to feel pain, but it is prejudice based on species that allows us to think of one animal as a companion and the other as dinner.

[source: http://www.petaasiapacific.com/issues-animalrights.asp]
Sep 01

Happy birthday to Cinda

By Drawing and artwork
Happy birthday to Cinda

Happy birthday to Cinda

A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun, and today, the editor of juesatta, Cinda has started a new journey. It’s a special day for Cinda and the all of us.

Cinda is always a kind and faithful friend, someone who always cares about others more than herself. Not only does Cinda create laughter among us, rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.

Happy birthday to Cinda and hope all your birthday dreams and wishes come true. We’d also like to express our gratitute and thanks to Cinda for helping in juesatta. May you be happy always.

Aug 31

地球村

By Beautiful Melaka, Compassion, Photography
地球村 - 马来西亚国庆节快乐

地球村 - 马来西亚国庆节快乐

今早翻开了报纸《星洲日报》，我看见了一个熟悉的名字–曾昭智。他写了一篇“甲王朝治国理念的启示”的文稿，刊登在全国版的言路，发表他对我国马六甲皇朝时治国的理念与精髓。

曾昭智先生是我读书打工时的老板的股东，也算是半个老板。他为人没有架子且非常友善。记得打工时，曾老板很注重团队精神，差不多每个星期都约我们整组人一起吃晚饭。一方面促进员工们的友情，另一方面听取我们工作上的诉求或建议。他要求我们有话直说，十分开明。

自从几年前曾老板的儿子遭遇不幸后，他淡出了生意，过着半退休的生活。虽然我再也没有看见曾老板本人，却偶尔看到他缴稿到报刊的短文，作出对社会世事的评论。今天我再次看见了曾老板的文稿，而在这个富有意义的一天，刊登于全国版。

全文如下：

先父常对我说，我是家中最幸福的人了，因为我是在1957年独立后出生，理所当然是马来（西）亚公民，不必如兄姐般，须另申请公民权。因此，我是这块国土的子民，绝不是“寄居者”或“乘客”，国家宪法可以证明这一点。

我不是道地马六甲人，因为我在幼时跟隨父母举家从柔佛搬来的。倘若以一些有心人对土著与非土著的片面评断，我应该是马六甲的“外来人”了。然而，我却不曾遇过、听过，任何马六甲土生土长的人，把我当成外来人看待。我也不再把柔佛当成我家，因为我已定居於此，就是这么简单。

马六甲在15世纪全盛期，王朝版图涵盖整个马来半岛，苏门答腊东部，以及暹罗南部，堪称本区域之强国。马六甲与中国的关係始於明朝，至今已有600年，並曾接受过这个“外来者”的保护，以抗拒暹罗人的入侵，友好关係在郑和七下西洋时更臻最高峰。

这里有一条別名叫“Harmony Street”（和谐街）的街道，因为该街100米不到的距离间，並排了3座宗教场所：建於18世纪的古兴都庙，同样建於18世纪的回教堂，还有一座建於17世纪最古老的青云亭。不同宗教，种族，文化的人们，在这条街上和谐共存数百年，可见当时马六甲王朝之民风包容与宽厚。最为特殊的，要数该老回教堂了。因为在其屋簷下，还刻了相当显著的华人婚礼常用吉祥字“囍”，这验证了各族人民当时的宗教包容精神。市郊的一个老回教坟场，里头立有一座凉亭，亭內石碑刻有“蔡氏兄弟建於清朝宣统二年”的字样。

市內闹街与Hang Kasturi英雄墓隔邻的华人百年老庙；圣约翰山麓的华人古墓与回教老墓相依为伴了数百年，这些都证明了些甚么？我也还清楚记得儿时玩伴Abu，如何在其甘榜家中教会了我我星期一至星期天的马来文名词。

生活在这个曾见证了本区域古老歷史的马六甲，各族的集体记忆都是温馨的。15世纪时期，因为大家的和平共处努力建国，才会有当时的辉煌国势。

当下大马当政者，是否应该溯本逐源，探討马六甲王朝苏丹满速沙全盛时期的治国理念与精髓，看看先哲的治国政纲，给予了我们甚么样的启示？

我国向来都是以多元文化而闻名，却因为一小撮人为了势力与私利，作出了不负责任且破坏了种族之间和谐的言论，导致各族间的友情逊色于马六甲皇朝时期的那份和谐温馨。各族人的肤色也许不一样，流着的血却同样是红色的，流出的泪却是一样苦涩的。这世界也只有一种人，那就是地球人。我们的国，我们的家，就在这个地球村。

今天，是马来西亚独立53年后的国庆日。愿人人能够放下傲慢，走出偏见，互相体谅与包容，制造出一个温馨团结的家园。

亲爱的朋友们，祝国庆节快乐。Selamat Hari Merdeka.

Aug 31

Portrait photography – Anita

By Photography
Anita, the model at the Lisbon Hotel of Portuguese Settlement

Anita, the model at the Lisbon Hotel of Portuguese Settlement

Two weeks ago, I received a call from Anita, a good friend of Henry and Jaron. She was the model for a portraiture shooting on the next day, and invited me to join the session with another two photographers. Since it took place at Portuguese Settlement where near to my house, I’d decided to come round.

Anita, the model

Anita, the model

Next evening when arriving at Portuguese Settlement, I was surprise to see the other two photographers being Loo-Wei and Max, the two friends from photonian. Max is one of the founders and also the one who introduced me to group. He takes photography seriously but always willing to share his knowledge with others. He is probably one of the friendliest yet craziest guys I know from the group.

It had been quite some time since Max and I had a shooting together, therefore we were so excited. We began the shooting session with Anita at the jetty area then moved to the sea front of Lisbon Hotel. With the patience and tolerance of Anita, Max and I were trying on shots from different angles and settings. Sadly it was cloudy and sunset was hardly being seen. What we could get was the soft light of the cloudy sky instead the mixture of lighting from the sunset.

After an hour of shooting, it was getting darker when we had to stop. While walking our way through the Lisbon Hotel to the car park, we passed by a large patio with a beautiful fountain. The fountain is illuminated with lights and it just came to our thoughts to shoot with these lights. Besides, Anita was ready to get soaked. By blending the motion of water and natural lighting available, we got some nice shots. Spending a few minutes at the fountain, we then headed off.

After sharing some of the shots I took, Max gave me some comments which were valuable and constructive to me. I really enjoyed shooting with Max and definately looking forward for another outing with him. And many thanks to Anita too for inviting me and also being nice and patience throughout the whole session. Luckily she didn’t get sick after getting wet that evening.

May all beings be happy. Share some shots I took.

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