Fleeting, a cm away from earth.
August is about to end, and my country is still on fire,
A fire of varying degree,
Felt uniquely by each and every one,
Nevertheless, we haven’t stop burning.
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I’ve been loving every single read this month. I can safely say that this month’s reads are the most satisfactory as a whole. The thing about reading books, the fun part for me, is to combine and find different but complementary messages and ideas, blending into a wonderful new drawing.
Started from Algojo, that brought me violently into a world of politics, dirty and reality, spearheading a message that power and money corrupts, unless handled with restraint and moderation. To unravel the mess, to break free from the chains of corruption, one needs to see beyond black and white.
“Tapi kemajuan bukan mesin, kenderaan, senjata dan wang. Itu adalah kemunduran. Kemajuan adalah sesuatu yang membolehkan semua orang hidup dengan cara mereka mahu hidup, atas pilihan mereka sendiri. Itulah kemajuan yang sebenar.”
“Itu kemajuan dari perspektif mereka sahaja. Atau perspektif awak, Badriya.”
“YB, apa yang ada dalam dunia ni kecuali perspektif? Semua perkara adalah perspektif. Kita mesti mengiktiraf perspektif, terutamanya dalam isu kebajikan orang Asal. Sebab selama ini, perspektif mereka tidak dipedulikan.”
Sonogram delivered a message that the powerful, rich and elite forms a safety bubble, refusing to pop their bubble and help each other to live safely, and freely, in that sphere. Those with power are, and can be, and most likely are cowards. The higher you rise, the longer the fall. Be careful of the snakes. They lurk in the shadows. Ok, it’s actually a story of a boy chasing “ghosts” haha.
“Jadi teruskan berlagak macam tak ada apa berlaku. 90% orang yang ikut motto ni selamat dalam dunia yang dikuasai ahli politik sekarang.”
Di Situ Langit Dijunjung dragged me into the screams and blood of racial tensions due to poor leadership and unbalanced socioeconomy. People on the ground cries and digs for a roof, living in fear due to the doings of the ones who were supposed to help and bring dignity towards the land.
“Mama sedang mencari tempat untuk bertahan. Untuk merenggut sesuatu supaya boleh bergantung harap, seperti seseorang yang sedang lemas dan hanya tunggu masa nak ditelan ombak, tapi masih percaya akan wujudnya keajaiban. Perlahan-lahan juga aku lihat Mama seperti seseorang yang kelemasan, bila dia sedar bahawa kadang-kala, hidup ni memang tak punya harapan, dan di depan mata aku ni juga Mama mengecil dan mengecut, sampai yang tinggal hanyalah kelongsong. Kosong. Hilang. Aku nampak dekat mata Mama tu semua. Mama dah putus asa, hilang harapan. Dia dah parah dengan apa saja nasibnya. Mama dah bersedia untuk lemas, ditelan ombak jahat.”
Then i jumped into the wisdom of Syed Hussein Alatas that cleaned my brain from the confusion of social media and opinions of the masses. A dusty window that needs polishing so that I can look outside clearly without any obstructions. The book reminded of the role of leaders towards a nation, how rotten leaders are the root for many destructions in this country, the role of looking at any issue fairly using the appropriate knowledge and sources, and to be the saviour and builder of your people, and not to be among those who degrade their own kind while blindly following the “wisdom” of the west.
“Jika hanya menganjurkan usaha-usaha yang baik itu bukan revolusi, apa lagi jika anjuran-anjuran ini disalurkan dalam wadah falsafah golongan kerajaan yang berkuasa. Ini namanya idoktrinasi bukan revolusi! Revolusi biasanya menyerang sistem masyarakat, nila-nilai berkuasa, perbuatan-perbuatan yang berkuasa, penyelewengan hukum yang terjadi, penindasan golongan-golongan tertentu, ketidakadilan sistem ekonomi, sistem kerajaan, sifat pimpinan dan sebagainya. Bukan memburukkan peribadi bangsa sendiri.”
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I feel like I’m constantly in a tug of war between reality and imaginary. Finding one in another, finding another in one.
