Speakers Getting Tired.

 

For the past four years (since before 2019) I have almost completely stopped attending meetings, seminars, conferences, almost the whole works (except for one or two) which I used to attend so often before. I have gone almost completely invisible.  Plus the pandemic put a stop to everything for over two years and then last year I had my bypass surgery too.

Ever since the BN fellows were kicked out in 2018 (I did my job as well, you are all welcome) things have changed. But horror of horrors not for the better at all. The four prime ministers we have had since just seem to have completely lost their direction. The job is so simple, so easy and so achievable. But they have all deliberately missed the point. There is something seriously wrong with these folks. 

And the way they are mishandling things now - they are headed towards a meltdown. 

But back to the topic - the past week I have decided to venture out a little again, after four years. I attended two talks by two different Islamic speakers from overseas. One speaker was new while the other person was a familiar face whom I have heard for over 15 years I think.

They had nothing new to say. One person did repeat the now increasingly unrealistic mantra that the Muslim people will show the way for the rest of the world. I wish they would stop saying this because it is just not happening or going to happen anytime in the near future.

Someone did ask me if they are not saying anything new then why do you go and listen to them? Like its wasting time. I have to. I keep up with what they are thinking and saying, even if they have no new ideas at all. Even when they do not say anything new that is still useful information for me.

But I did meet some people (the pejuang Islam types) whom I have met and known since the early 1990s - over 30 years ago. I can see that not only have they aged, just like me, but they have grown tired and disappointed as well.  You can see it on their faces. 

One person brought up the sad story of Sudan (at Q&A). He lamented that how come no one (meaning the Muslims) is talking about Sudan when there is a war going on there where Muslims are killing Muslims (nothing new there). I could see the guest speaker actually flinch like 'why are you asking me about Sudan?' (The topic was quite wide, making it open for any and all types of questions). And he did not answer the question either. Maybe it was not his expertise but I think he was also at his wits end.

In 2011 the Arab Spring certainly brought violent change through the Middle East. But after 12 years the Arab Spring has become Arab Hell. Before the Arab Spring the Libyan people ate more than three meals a day, they were rich, happy and they had a viable country. Now after they murdered Gaddafy the Libyans are literally jumping into the sea to escape to Europe, across the Mediterranean. Libya has been almost totally destroyed.

I have blogged numerous times about Sudan. The never ending civil war split Sudan into two. Christian South Sudan and Muslim rump Sudan. South Sudan is settling down but the civil war in Muslim Sudan has never stopped. Arab speaking Sudanese Muslims are continuing the civil war against non Arab speaking Sudanese Muslims. 

And look at Malaysia. What is happening to us now? The tiger has run away. There were some Madani people there as well (at the talks). I know them. They too looked dejected and sort of 'Lost in Space'. Dont know what is going on and dont know what to do.

The solutions are so simple, so doable and most importantly they will bring positive outcomes. But these folks just cannot see it.

One of the speakers mentioned something about Islamic economics, Islamic finance. I asked him 'how would you determine cost of funds in an Islamic banking system that is different from the conventional banking system?'  Cost of funds is the cost to the banks to raise money. How many percent do the banks have to pay (for example that OPR thingy). There was no answer.  After 30 years of "Islamic banking" here there is still no answer on how to determine 'cost of funds' that SHOULD be different from the conventional banking system.  The speaker did mention 'superficiality'. It means pretending.

So everyone is becoming older. Aging biologically. 20 years, 30 years have gone by. The Messiah is not coming. The Mehdi is not coming. The end is nigh but for you and me. 

Yet the guest speakers keep speaking and they keep talking - although with less gusto and more tiredness in their voices. 

Its just not happening ok. Until you throw out the unworkable and start using your common sense. Its as simple as that. The real world is all around us.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.