Google and China: Sovereignty VS Freedom of Speech

Google moves out from China since earlier January this year was a biggest step taken by the largest internet search engine in the world to express dissatisfaction over the China rules on censorship to its google.cn. A dispute blown up when Google found its Chinese user from the human right activists was attacked by determined hackers accused to be sponsored by Chinese government, shown the illegal intimidation to Google site. As a simple way of showing unprecedented disgust and outrage of situation occurred, Google jolted to Chinese government to plan a complete withdrawal of Google operation from China. In fact, recently Google delayed the planned China launch of two phones that use its Android operating system, which is a great signal that Google may retreat from its endeavour to pursuit in China cell phone market. The decision as well is an effort presenting the Google commitment to promote freedom of speech in this country as some called as Authoritarian country and to urge the Communist government to loosen up its rigidity and strictness over the public access of information. Google inc. Chief Executive Eric Schmidt recently talked in Davos, the World Economic Forum, about the Google firm’s stand on its decision to leaving China if the rules upon its internet access through Google search engine remain restricted.

However, this action has received different views on whether the plan taken by Google was an effective way to frighten or pressure the “Dragon” to pull back its decision on censorship over its search engine or it is a fool step that can, in turn, causing a huge loses for Google to take advantage over China big market on the one hand, and mounting up the clashes between U.S and China that are inherited from series of dispute over recently disagreement on China’s role on climate change control in Copenhagen, and tensions over trade and economic issues like China’s currency, on the other hand. These views have their strong argument over the Google’s decision but I would rather believe respecting the country rules and regulation and its socio-political environment is a symbol of respect to the country’s sovereignty within their perspective. The pluralist of culture and acceptation of liberalism indoctrinate in U.S culture could not be put as a standard benchmark over the other practices outside the U.S. Anything that goes parallel to U.S culture is recognised as a symbol of democratic and liberalism that protecting human right, while others that against it would be alleged to be authoritarianism and oppression to human right and freedom. This idea is totally unacceptable and a direct intimidation over the country’s sovereignty in which is even a bigger sin than the intimidation over the Google mailbox. It is an obligation to any visitors to understand the culture and socio-belief of the place they plan to visit. If they think their coming to that place is to earning some benefits from there, they should, at first place accepting the differences over the culture that others have from their homeland and on the top of it respecting it. There might be reasons why China meticulously controlling all of these open-media from disseminating any info to public. Among the main reason which I could assume is for public security and preserving Chinese culture that is highly connected to political and economic stability in China. As China’s rocketing global status nowadays, the Dragon is likely under scrutiny from the world. Any silly steps taken would rather ransack their status and thus allowing others along the rivals to supersede them. Thus, they craft a meticulous national development schedules to maintain positive growth and as well to retain market beliefs from outsiders.

The control of media from one perspective is a good action to maintain stability. In fact, the opponents would always utilize these rapidly changing technology to pesticide their belief and create chaos and wavering environment into their rival with the propagation of notion “freedom of speech”. The national problem which should be resolve within the nation can be played as a global issue through media. If country do not pre-empt it through controlling and inspection of all sources coming in, it would rather allow unnecessary false information to be spread in public and yet fuelling up unnecessary social tension and riot in the country. Free speech is subject to reasonable restriction for such purposes as maintaining public order, decency and morality. As Google broadens its reach, it must increasingly tweak the way it operates to suit new culture.

The dissent over the treatment of Chinese government to foreign business in one side is undisputable. Some accused China for purposefully inconsistent and non-transparent enforcement of regulation, state’s penetration to the multinationals through union and Communist party organization, unfair treatment for foreign business especially through its politicized courts and agencies, creative and selective enforcement of WTO requirements and many others more. Despite so many accusations forwarded, China economy remains stable and consecutively increases its growth and as well its world market domination. Why is that so? Their lifestyle and moral values upheld in Business and any others activities are receiving deep respect and salute for their hard-earned success from foreign business community. Such factors attracting business from outside to grab opportunity in China that is enormously number of cheap labours benefit from large population and larger market size that amalgamated with positive culture and decent working attitude. If these uncensored search engine that bundle with pornography, social-networking sites and many others information which are not filtered allow to be operated in China, it would degrade cultural and moral values of Chinese and making them intoxicated with hedonism and pleasure-seeking lifestyle, that Deng Xiaoping, the former of Chinese president, termed as “spiritual pollution” . We are not denying the advantages of internet to present life but to allow it operating overtly without restrictions may produce evil greater than benefits. Thus, China should always be firm to what they are doing and the outsiders like Google who want something from China should respect China’s policy and sovereignty.

Abu Mardhiyyah

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Bagaimana Mendidik Pelajar Sekolah untuk Mengikuti Sunnah

(Soalan yang dibincangkan dalam forum intis)

Assalamualaikum wbt.

Bagaimana ye?

Mereka yang pernah menjadi fasi INTIS mungkin boleh berkongsi pengalaman bagaimana mendidik.

Mereka yang bukan fasilitator INTIS pun boleh turut sama menceritakan pengalaman, memberi idea dan tips bagaimana mahu mendidik adik-adik di sekolah untuk mengikut sunnah nabi.

Jawapan:

Mendidik satu perkara yang flexible dan tidak ada satu cara yangg tetap untuk mendidik tetapi kita yakin bahawa isi kandungannya masih sama cuma pendekatan sahaja yang berbeza..

Dalam program selalunya kita dapat lihat macam-macam jenis pelajar yang datang daripada pelbagai latar belakang, ada yang masyAllah baik daripada awal dan terddik dengan syahsiah yg baik di rumah tetapi ada juga yg Astaghfirullah perlukan kepada injeksi kesedaran yang lebih untuk berubah...

Berdasarkan pengalaman saya..para pelajar ni tahap mentaliti dan cara berfikir mereka berbeza daripada satu tahap umur kepada tahap umur yg lain..saya rasa semua org setuju dalam hal ini, ada yang cepat daya kematangannya dan ada juga yang lambat..tetapi rata-ratanya saya boleh bahagikan kelas umur kematangan mereka kepada 3 tahap:

1) pra-matang: 5-10- baru kenali dunia,sedikit demi sedikit cuba memberikan respon pada perubahan yang ada tetapi dunia kanak-kanak masih tinggi dalam diri, sukakan hadiah-haidah, ucapan-ucapan yang memuji untuk memberi semangat dan lain-lain (tidak dinafikan seawal umur 2 tahun lagi, kanak-kanak sudah bertanya tentang macam-macam perkara tentang apa yang berlaku di sekitar mereka, tetapi saya mengambil kaedah melihat tahap perubahan yang agak jelas daripada kematangan mereka)

2) separa matang: 11-14- sudah berusaha untuk cuba perkara baru yg lebih ekstrem dan bersifat dewasa, jiwa kanak-kanak sedikit demi sedikit cuba dihilangkan, sudah merasai adanya tanggungjawab terhadap diri, adik-adik, kawan-kawan dan lain-lain..

3) agak matang: 15-18- tahap umur yg rata-rata bagi lelaki dan perempuan sudah mencapai baligh, sudah cuba mencari personaliti sendiri, ingin dilayan seperti org dewasa, dunia kanak-kanak sudah banyak ditinggalkan, inginkan jiwa yg bebas, tidak mahu terkongkong dan diarah dengan paksa..tahap imaginasi yg tinggi dan mampu berfikiran kritis dan kritikal...

(tahap ni mungkin tidak mewakili kesemuanya tetapi kebanyakan yg saya lihat hasil pengalaman hidup saya sebagai guru, bapak sedara, kawan dan pemerhati)

kalu kita sudah tahu tahap umur adik-adik ni, maka modul atau apa sahaja bentuk penyampaian mestilah bersesuaian dengan peringkat umur mereka, isu-isu yang dirasakan perlu kepada penjelasan lebih, kita boleh dedahkan pada yangg berumur 15-18 kerana mereka cepat memberikan respon dan tahap IQ mereka dalam keadaan yg baik untuk menerima sesuatu perkara yg baru...perkara-perkara yang menguji minda mereka adalah sangat digalakkan kerana tahap umur yg sebegini, umur hang jebat lah katakan, mereka pantang di cabar..haha...aktiviti yg bersifat kanak-kanak seperti menyanyi-nyanyi atau berteriak riang ria ala kanak-kanak punya mode, isi kandungan presentation yg sudah menjadi "common sense" pada mereka akan membuatkan mereka rasa bosan dan cepat menunjukkan reaksi yg negatif mskipun tidak ekstremis untuk menunjukkan rasa tidak setuju tentang pendekatan yang kita bawa..memek muka akn berubah, kurang daya tumpuan dan lain-lain akan ditonjolkan jika kita samakan tahap minda mereka dengan dunia kanak2 yg mereka cuba tinggalkan....

Manakala, budak-budak yg pra dan separa matang, masih boleh kita kategorikan dalam zaman kanak2 lagi, mreka mudah patuh arahan meskipun agak sdkit nakal, tetapi approach agak sedikit berbeza berbnding tahap umur yang agak matang, agak sukar untuk dedahkan perkara yang baru yang sedikit bertentangan atau berbeza dengan apa yg mereka belajar..kerana otak mereka masih lagi menerima dengan bulat-bulat dan kurang kritis dalam memikir..tetapi kotak input mereka bagus dan mudah tangkap dan ingat perkara baru meskipun terkadang mereka tidak tahu kenapa dan mengapa mereka perlu lakukan sebegitu...golongan begini kita bagikan input-input asas tentang solat (apa yg mereka mahukan cara bgaimana nak buat sesuatu, soalan-soalan mudah mungkin ditanya tetapi jika kita selitkan sesuatu yg agak sdikit berbeza, mereka segera rasa sangsi dan cuba mengaitkan apa yg ada di sekolah atau apa yang mereka lihat di rumah, agak lambat untuk faham dan menerima tetapi mudah melekat apabila sudah faham sesuatu, terkadang ada juga yg cepat tangkap dan ikut tanpa tanya apa-apa cuma bile ditanya kenapa adik buat mcm ni?, jawabnya mudah sahaja , mereka geleng kepala atau kata "saya tak tahu")..haha, anjuran saya juga supaya banyakkan bercerita tentang syurga, neraka, azab dan lain-lain untuk mereka ambil pelajaran, mereka mudah rasa takut, sedih, gembira dan tawa meskipun bersifat sementara tetapi cara untuk mmpengaruhi diri mereka agak mudah...jiwa org yang mengajr mesti ada sedikit sifat keibuan, lembut, memberikan galakan dan motivasi, membalas usaha mereka dgn sedikit gnjaran sebagai penghargaan...meraka akan cepat menghargai kerana merasakan diri dihargai dan dikasihi...elemen ni juga boleh kita gunakan kepada tahap yang agak matang tetapi pendekatan serta intipati mesti agak menarik dan luas sesuai dgn tahap umur mereka

setakat ini itu dulu..nanti kita smbung lagi..lontaran idea ni sekali lg lahir daripada pengalaman diri, ia mgkin tidak sama dgn apa yg orang lain lihat....nasihat saya sampaikan ilmu agama mengikut tahap keupayaan mereka berfikir nescaya mereka lebih mersai agama itu sentiasa selari dgn fitrah hidup mereka....wallahualam

Abu Mardhiyyah

READ MORE - Bagaimana Mendidik Pelajar Sekolah untuk Mengikuti Sunnah

Terima Kasih Atas Sumbangan (Updated)

Salam muhibbah saya ucapkan kepada semua, selaku wakil kepada penganjur program Majlis Makan Malam Amal bersama Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin yang diadakan pada malam tadi (09.01.2010), bertempat di Shah Alam Convention Center (SACC CONVEC) telah berjaya dilangsungkan dengan jayanya. Tetamu yang telah hadir pada malam itu mencecah seribu orang dengan kehadiran beberapa dif-dif terhormat termasuk beberapa orang Yang Berhormat Ahli-ahli Parlimen dan Adun daripada pelbagai parti politik termasuk Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan bin Kassim, Adun Tambun Tulang, Yang Berhormat Zulkifli Noordin, ahli parlimen PKR kawasan Bandar Baru Kulim, Yang Berhormat Zuraida Kamaruddin, PKR Ampang, dan Adun Ulu Klang, Yang Berhormat Shaari Sungib, ahli-ahli akademik dan golongan agamawan. Manakala Tun Dr Mahathir yang dijemput khas selaku tetamu jemputan bagi menyampaikn ucaptama pada malam itu terpaksa membatalkan hasrat untuk bersama-sama dengan hadirin atas sebab-sebab yang tidak dapat dielakkan. Walau bagaimanapun, pihak kami sangat berbesar hati di atas sokongan yang tidak berbelah bagi oleh semua pihak tidak kira umur, pangkat atau jawatan dalam menyokong hasrat murni agenda Tajdid, arus perubahan minda ini.

Sekali lagi kepada yang membeli sambil menderma untuk program Majlis Makan Malam Amal ini, pihak kami mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih atas sumbangan yang tidak terhingga daripada anda. Keikhlasan anda adalah penentu segalanya pada penerimaannya di sisi Allah, moga ia dihitung sebagai satu amal jariah kepada usaha dakwah dalam menyebarkan risalah agama yang berpaksikan Al-Qur'an dan As-Sunnah mengikut fahaman Salafussoleh (generasi terdahulu dikalangan sahabat, tabi'en dan tabi' tabi'en). Mohon kemaafan atas segala kelemahan dan kekurangan, apa yang baik itu daripada Allah dan apa yang buruk itu datangnya daripada kelemahan kami sebagai manusia biasa yang sentiasa mendambakan cintaNya.

Salam perjuangan untuk semua

"1Akidah, 1Manhaj"

Intis Consultant & Training

READ MORE - Terima Kasih Atas Sumbangan (Updated)

Daftarlah Segera!!!: Majlis Makan Amal Bersama Dr MAZA

Kepada sahabat-sahabat sekalian yang berminat untuk membeli tiket bagi majlis makan malam amal bersama Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin bolehlah berhubung dengan saya (Abu Mardhiyyah@ Hafizi) di talian 013-3005129 atau kepada nama-nama yang tertera di dalam poster majlis makan amal ini untuk pendaftaran. Pembayaran bolehlah dibuat melalui Bank Islam atas namaNik Md Yusof Nik Ismail 12-0650-1002-1659

Untuk para pelajar universiti, tiket dijual dengan harga RM 100 bagi setiap satu kerusi manakala untuk selain pelajar dijual dengan harga RM 150.

Hasil penjualan tiket ini sebenarnya akan disalurkan untuk menampung kos perbelanjaan bagi program Muktamar Sunnah Kebangsaan 2010 yang bakal diadakan pada 19.02.2010- 21.02.2010.

Untuk pengetahuan sahabat-sahabat sekalian, tempat bagi majlis makan malam amal ini adalah terhad. Oleh itu, daftarlah segera selagi tempat masih ada untuk anda. Sekiranya anda berminat untuk membeli tiket ini sebagai satu bentuk sumbangan terhadap usaha dakwah sunnah tetapi tiada masa untuk hadir ke majlis ini, bolehlah berhubung dengan saya dan saya akan cuba dapatkan beberapa orang sahabat yang berminat tetapi tidak berkemampuan untuk membelinya bagi mewakili anda di majlis itu nanti berdasarkan jumlah kerusi yang dibeli.

Sekian terima kasih

"MEMBELI SAMBIL MENYUMBANG, DAKWAH SUNNAH TERUS TERBILANG"

READ MORE - Daftarlah Segera!!!: Majlis Makan Amal Bersama Dr MAZA

World Issues 2

China targeting on 8% GDP next year

China is targeting 8% GDP for the next year amid fragile economy recovery. The double digit target may not be good at the moment due to the rising risk of bubbles in stock, real estate and commodity price. But economist at Moody’s Economy.com in Sydney, Alaister Chan, said that the official target of 8% may overshoot in the next year. Furthermore, he said, it can be easily for China to achieve it as compared to this year. In addition, China’s bank will probably extend 9.8 trillian yuan ($1.4 trillion) of new loan this year from the total of the first 11 months that was 9.21 trillion yuan (Bloomberg.com).

U.S.-Brokered Climate Deal May Give Obama More Sway in Senate

The reason behind the “indecision” of US President Barrack Obama in the climate talks recently is probably because he wants to win over members of the senate who don’t want to impose similar restrictions i.e through emission cuts on American companies. I found that US’s stand on climate issue which was apparently opposed to earlier offer of China and India on emission curb has a political interest. Senators tried to oppose with UN rules that might hurt U.S businesses’ ability to compete in the global market. According to Senator Benjamin Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, the agreement (Copenhagen Accord) would help US to politically deal with American manufacturers that are at a disadvantages from UN policies on carbon curbs. The plan calls for another year of talks for a treaty to tackle global warming by capping emissions and expanding the $120 billion carbon market. A U.S. law allowing carbon trading would move the market’s “center of gravity” from London to New York and Chicago (Bloomberg.com).

Abu Mardhiyyah

READ MORE - World Issues 2

World Issues 1

Protest in Taiwan

Thousands of Taiwanese protested to China’s envoy meeting with Taiwan negotiator for trade talks in Taiwan recently. Some of the people in the Island are still thinking that the bilateral negotiation on economy between China and Taiwan may pave the way to unification. The demonstration that has been sponsored by Democratic Progressive Party was organized purposively to pass the message to the President of Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou, that his signature on policy of tightening economic links with Beijing is threatening the well-being of Taiwan's people and paving the way for a Chinese takeover.

US Economy

US household expenditures are recorded to improve slightly by 0.7 per cent and incomes climbed up to 0.5 per cent. This is factored by the government’s easy monetary policy whereby the interest rate is pushed down to spur lending and also combined with discounts by merchants like Best Buy .co that may encourage the consumers to keep buying in coming months. Moreover, consumers’ confidences also take a major concern of this positive growth. The slowdown in the pace of job cuts and higher stock price are boosting consumer sentiment. All of these signs giving to retailers and real-estate agents reasons to anticipate business will improve in 2010.

Abu Mardhiyyah

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Copenhagen Conference: Short comments

“Climate stays gloomy”

The Copenhagen conference had reached to its final session whereby many issues were remained disputed. But some said Copenhagen’s results are a modest step in the global bid to curb greenhouse gasses that threaten to melt glaciers and flood coastlines. In fact, China Foreign Minister said, Yang Jeichi, Copenhagen had produced significant and positive results. In addition, Yang said the positive outcomes of the conference were that it upheld the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" recognized by the Kyoto Protocol, and made a step forward in promoting binding emissions cuts for developed countries and voluntary mitigating actions by developing countries.

I thought it can be significant and positive only to China, US and some other developed countries since they do not have a legal binding on emission reduction but just currently need to pay for the developing countries some sort of “compensation” to their emission activities that affect those countries. The Copenhagen meeting also left many critics from the others where many had said it was a failure meeting and no much improvement was shown from the previous meeting. The giants still want to bid for their “national interest” by ignoring this major issue. This drama was expected even since before the meeting held. It’s so embarrassing.

The result of this conference may not be limited to the failure of international efforts to climate change mitigation but it had also indirectly affected the EU and UN carbon prices. It was expected that the carbon price may fall since the Copenhagen climate deal didn’t set targets to boost demands for permits. It is very important to know the agreed targets since it amount to a bunch of negotiation ranges that investors already factored in, but after the result heard, European Union carbon-dioxide allowances, with trading volume of $92 billion a year, will probably drop about 7 percent as markets open tomorrow in response to the accord, said Trevor Sikorski, emissions analyst for Barclays Plc’s investment bank

Follows are the summary of Copenhagen Accord that has been unanimously agreed so far by US President Barrack Obama, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and South African President Jacob Zuma (Sources; BBC news):

Legal Status

The Accord, reached between the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa, contains no reference to a legally binding agreement, as some developing countries and climate activists wanted.

Neither is there a deadline for transforming it into a binding deal, though UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said it needed to be turned into a legally binding treaty next year.

The accord was merely "recognised" by the 193 nations at the Copenhagen summit, rather than approved, which would have required unanimous support. It is not clear whether it is a formal UN deal.

Temperature Rise

The text recognises the need to limit global temperatures rising no more than 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels.

The language in the text shows that 2C is not a formal target, just that the group "recognises the scientific view that" the temperature increase should be held below this figure.

However, the accord does not identify a year by which carbon emissions should peak, a position resisted by some richer developing nations.

Countries are asked to spell out by 1 February next year their pledges for curbing carbon emissions by 2020. The deal does not spell out penalties for any country that fails to meet its promise.

Financial Aid

The deal promises to deliver $30bn (£18.5bn) of aid for developing nations over the next three years. It outlines a goal of providing $100bn a year by 2020 to help poor countries cope with the impacts of climate change.

The accord says the rich countries will jointly mobilise the $100bn, drawing on a variety of sources: "public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including alternative sources of finance."

A green climate fund will also be established under the deal. It will support projects in developing countries related to mitigation, adaptation, "capacity building" and technology transfer.

Emission Transparency

The pledges of rich countries will come under "rigorous, robust and transparent" scrutiny under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

In the accord, developing countries will submit national reports on their emissions pledges under a method "that will ensure that national sovereignty is respected."

Pledges on climate mitigation measures seeking international support will be recorded in a registry.

Review of Progress

The implementation of the Copenhagen Accord will be reviewed by 2015. This will take place about a year-and-a-half after the next scientific assessment of the global climate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

However, if, in 2015, delegates wanted to adopt a new, lower target on global average temperature, such as 1.5C rather than 2C, it would be too late.

READ MORE - Copenhagen Conference: Short comments