BUANASENI

Tutuplah Matamu

Engkau terbeliak

Rakus membaham apa sahaja

Kononnya wanginya ketiak

Hidungmu itu dikencing ganja

Matamu memandang dengan riak

Tidak engkau sedar usiamu senja

Jika betul, dikau harus teriak

Atau tutup sahaja pancaindera

Jangan syaitanmu itu membiak

Seolah-olah ditaburkan baja

Maka itulah lumrah manusia

Nafsunya bertahan waja

Oleh Jo Haq

28 Mac 2024

1:31 pagi

Bukit Jelutong

Lembah Kehancuran

Turunnya Sang Hujan

Deras yang meneggelami

Lembah ketikanya 

Manusia terlupa

Janji-janji yang tertera

Ketika bermulanya alam

Di detik pertama azali

Kembalilah .....

Sujud ikhlasmu

KepadaNya

Zahirkanlah .....

Cahaya imanmu

UntukNya

Kita berdoa

Agar dapat ditebusnya

Dosa,

..... hidup ini

Kita berdoa

Sejuknya alam

Akhirnya 

Oleh Jo Haq

25 Mac 2024

10:44 malam

Bukit Jelutong

PENDULUM

By Jo Haq

25 March 2024

6:08 am

THE PENDULUM, that was the focus of my dream, at least that was what Tun was interested about, "Say what? Tun, what do you mean?"

Tun looked at me with his fierce pair of eyes and uttered, "Look at the bitch's face will you. See how satisfied she is. It is as if she has discovered the secret of the Universe. That nasty bitch!"

I looked at Margaret who was sitting on a red-white-blue stripped sofa, with a stupid grin on her face like a crazy female Joker. Tun made his way to Margaret walking slowly but steadily in his grey bush jacket. He greeted, "Madam Thatcher, how do you do?"

"Ahhh! Mahathir! How nice of you to come visit me here. I am bored sitting on this red-white stripped sofa."

"If you do not mind me asking, from a distance, I hear the tick tock of a clock radiating from this rediculous sofa of yours. What is that sound?"

"Ahah! That is the sound of my policies. Hear it! What do you hear?"

I took the opportunity to say something while walking towards them after Tun had, "We heard a tick tock of a clock from that beautiful sofa of yours"

"Don't be a hypocrite boy! Tell the bitch the sofa looks ugly", scolded Tun while staring at me, again, with his pair of big fierce eyes, only this time accompanied by a big ridiculous nose.

"Well, I am sure this boy has better EQ than you Mahathir. Let him say the good things about my sofa", says Margaret. "So, boy, what do you think it means, .... my tick tocking sofa?"

"Well, errr... "

"Shut the fuck up will you boy", says Tun while kneeling to see underneath the sofa. I too find myself kneeling to have a look at what was under the sofa, only to be distracted by Margaret's old ugly legs swinging by the edge of the floating sofa with no shadows on the floor, if there was any floor at all. "Look! Look! I see now".

"See what Tun?"

"The arm of the pendulum. It is long, longer than one would expected. When it is long, the sway takes longer time, accumulating stronger momentum, hence producing a slower but more powerful sound of tick tock".

I observed. There was a golden pendulum swaying from left to right, and right to left, making a ticking sound that irritated my ears. "Okay, I see it. But I have no idea what the yardstick would be to conclude that it is longer than what one would imagine"

"You young punks know nothing about the tick tocks of a clock's pendulum. All you do is just play with the Chinese TikTok", grumbled the old Tun.

"Mahathir, my dear friend, my pendulum is made of cast iron and plated with gold. Its density is solid and that gives a wonderful velocity to its tick tock. It is very much like the solid move of a big ship. The bigger the ship, the stronger its inertia. Ain't no one gonna stop the ship, ain't it", responded Margaret, again with her stupid grin.

"Huh!", sighed Tun while standing back up. "I shall build my own pendulum, but for my red-white striped sofa accompanied by blue cusions with yellow moons and stars motives". Tun walked away while saying, "Okay Margaret, we shall meet again to compare the sounds of our sofas. Till we meet again".

I greeted farewell, "Thank you Mrs Thatcher. It was nice to have met you", and walked away.

"My pleasure young man. Go do your own shit with whatever you can find in that pathetic peninsula of yours".

I walked behind Tun towards an open door where another Tun was waiting with a pen and a little 555 note book.

As soon as Tun reached the other Tun, he said, "Daim, hang tengok sat apa besi, emaih, kita ada. I want to build our own super tick tocking pendulum". The other Tun just jotted down some notes and gave Tun a nod. Both Tuns left before I even reached the door.

I told myself, "What the fuck was all that?"

Rimba Bangsaku Kini

Rimba kini rimba batu

Penuh dengan hati beku

Sana-sini mereka kaku

Degil sampai kena duku

Rimba kini rimba hitam

Panas jiwanya berdendam

Asyik berdengki menikam

Ghibtahnya terus diperam

Rimba kini rimba nestapa

Mulutnya hancing berdusta

Fitnah ditabur pelbagai rupa

Seolah-olah lupa neraka

Rimba kini rimba hangus

Maruah bangsa dibungkus

Lagu tangisnya berhingus

Namun sanubarinya dayus

Oleh Jo Haq

21 Mac 2024

11:11 malam

Shah Alam

Lampu Trafik 199

Lampu merah sombong

Tidak mahu dia minggir

Sudah 199 minit berlalu

Ia terus jua, 

.....menganjingkan kita

Kepala otak kita semak

Berkira-kira waktu

Bertahan pundi kencing

Dan perut kembung angin

Namun, 

..... susah hidup puas rasanya

Lebih rela kita bertungkus

Mahu pun onak belukar dirempuh

Dari dipenjara zoo binatang

Kata orang kita harus terus berjuang

Bukan sekadar jam Rolex

Kononnya hadiah bersara

Berkilat berkilau cantik

Namun maknanya jelek

Di ufuk sana matahari malu

Pergi ia jauh dia dari kita

Agar kita berteguk air

Menghembus kretek

Dan bersyukur masih hidup

Oleh Jo Haq

18 Mac 2024

7:27 malam

Shah Alam

Sebab Kita Sayang

Kita marah dengan anak

Perangainya malas mencanak

Mahu dicorakkan otak

Sebab kita sayang anak

Kita membebel dengan isteri

Belanjanya boros tak terperi

Mahu dibendung kata hati

Sebab kita sayang isteri

Kita gelojoh wang dan harta

Lumayannya terbeliak biji mata

Mahu dikumpul macam Si Qarun Izha

Sebab kita sayang dunia

Kita mencabut lalang di pusara

Sejak kita bayi sabar mereka membela

Mahu kita tebus apa yang alpa

Sebab kita sayang ibu dan bapa

Kita meroyan fasal Kerajaan

Politikusnya hancing labunan 

Mahu dirombak keterampilan

Sebab kita sayang nilai kebangsaan

Kita sujud dan berdoa

Kumitannya nangis tak berirama

Mahu ditaubat dari segala dosa

Sebab kita sayang yang Maha Esa

Oleh Jo Haq

14 Mac 2024

7:26 pagi

Bukit Jelutong

1947 CHINESE HORSE RACING CALENDAR

By Jo Haq

11 March 2024

4:35 am

I just woke up to a very weird dream. I was an accidental time traveller back to 1947 in Malaya. I saw a Malaysian Chinese horse racing calendar somewhere while I was there, or when I was then. Funny, the clothing was more like 1957 because I saw women wearing mini skirts and police wearing shorts.

I checked my wallet and saw that I still have some 2024 Malaysian currency notes, my Malaysian national registered identification card and all. I figured that those stuff shall be my evidence. So, I went for a quest to identify someone whom I can give, maybe a 2024 fifty Ringgit note with my signature on it and my 2024 telephone number, that is 0179881185. That someone would look for me in 2024. 

Say if he or she is twenty years old, in 1947, then in 2024 he or she would be 77 years old. So, he or she would have to look for me earlier, say in 2014, at his or her age of 67. To be safe, I thought to myself, 67 is too old. He or she might be dead already. So, I resorted to give my phone number used earlier then 2013, that is 0172508811.

And there, or then, begun my adventure of identifying that person. But every time I was about to utter the words that I suspect the person will not believe, some obstacle will happen to stop me from continuing. This happened many times.

Oh! Ya! I forgot to mention. I was not alone. I had my friend, Riza, whom used to be the successor CEO to me for MyCreative. So, we both encountered the same obtacles together. One of the obstacle was a police raid due to fear of communism spreading. Riza got captured for God knows whatever reason. He does not look like a communist. So, I was left alone.

I was tired and had given up in my attempt to give the marked fifty Ringgit note because even if I did not attempt to utter any words, the act of pulling out that note with the attention to show what was written on it would trigger some sort of obstacle.

Soon I realised, every person that I got closed to would be out of my life. I became lonely. So, I think, or thought, rather, I should just retire from my intention and just live 1947. I looked for a job as an office boy. I met a twenty year old Malay lady by the name Sofia. She looks like Zaleha from the P. Ramlee film, Antara Dua Darjat. We became good friends, but not lovers.

Despite my effort to avoid telling her or showing her where, or when, I come from, an obstacle happened anyway. She did not want to continue our friendship and refused to see me. In fact, I couldn't even find her as I suspect she may have left town or moved away. I was alone, yet again. 

What could have happened? Did she try to look into my Bally wallet? Maybe she did see my Malaysian national registration identification card. Maybe she did see my fifty Ringgit note that had my signature coupled with a written date of 10 March 1947 as well as a written declaration scribbled as, "I am Johan bin Mohamed Ishak. I was born on 29 August 1975. Call me at 0172508811 in the year 2003". 

I was so sad that that sadness had awoken me from my sleep at 4:24 am on 11 March 2024. The funny thing is, normally I would not remember the details of my dreams. This dream, however, stays vivid in my mind down to the colour of clothes worn by people in the dream, their faces, as well as stuff like the Malaysian Chinese horse racing calendar. Oh well, I am just going to have a smoke and then back to sleep. Who knows I might end up in 2047?

SURPRISE! RISING RICE PRICE

By Johan Ishak

7 March 2024

RICE is a staple for us Malaysians as well as most countries in Asia. In fact, it is probably the ranking No.1 staple food surpassing fish, meat and vegetables. As simple as it may be, there is a need for many types of rice particularly those with medical condition. Given its importance, consumers reaction to any change in price of rice is highly elastic.

Since early 2023, price of rice has increased by 36% from RM2,350 per metric tonne to RM3,200, as reported in The Star on 1 September 2023, and consumers are angry. India, who is World's top exporter of rice has restricted its rice exports in order to satisfy their local consumption needs. As a result, the price of rice is now at RM6 per kilogram (expatistan.com). However, recent shopping done at the supermarket seems to price 10 kilogram at RM45, i.e RM4.50 per kilogram.

A kilogram is equivalent to 4.5 cups, enough to feed a family for a day. 30 days gives you RM135 per month. This can be sizeable portion of monthly household income of B40 segment of the market. That is assuming a small family of 4. What if there are more?

Malaysia produces 1.5 million tonnes of rice that can only meet 73% of the local consumer needs (ap.fftc.org.tw). The remaining 27% are imported from various countries including India, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam. The question is, why is Malaysia not addressing the supply issue and, hence, address the pricing issue. 

India has managed to become the No.1 rice exporter in the space of one decade since they embarked on their rice policies. What has the Malaysian Government done? Since the new Madani Government of Anwar Ibrahim came to power, a new ministry for food security has been created for which, Mat Sabu is the minister. Mat Sabu or even PMX Anwar should do what is necessary to address the situation we are facing.

According to Professor Fatimah Arshad of Universiti Putra Malaysia in a Breakfast Grill interview on BFM on 7 March 2024, the Government has introduced Beras Madani policy. The policy aims to combine local and imported rice, which means, combining low quality as well as high quality rice. This also means, the price averaging of rice deprives the poor from a cheaper rice price option.

What good does this policy bring particularly when the country is facing economic issues. The poor suffers more and the rich rice distributors make more profits. In any case, how does this address the issue of shortage of rice supply in the country? Fatimah further expressed her disagreement of such policy specifically and generally on the overall control mechanism for rice by the Government.

Whilst the Government is studying the monopolistic behaviour of Bernas for rice distribution on the pretext of fairness and equitability of the industry, the Beras Madani policy only tends to legalise the illegal activity of mixing low and high quality as well as depriving what could have been lower price for rice. Perhaps the rice subsidy mechanism needs to be overhauled as well and certainly, research and development needs affirmative action.

According to Fatimah, Malaysia is ranked second in the World for biodiversity behind Brazil, third in South East Asia for the number of scientist per capital, do not have climate issues like draught or elnino in India and a special ministry for food security. Shouldn't this result in better food economics? Fatimah further said that various studies suggest that seventy per cent of future supply of rice comes from research and development that we do, or can do, or should do, today.

The Professor's advice during the BFM interview was for Malaysia to upscale research and development, do away with monopoly and empower many small and medium companies to engage in distribution of rice as well as down stream pivoted product development from paddy or rice. Bernas can still be an important player if this is done as they have accumulated decades of experience since Lembaga Padi Negara days. What is left is just the political will to make it happen. Otherwise, we will always face many more future "Surprise! Rising Rice Price" again and again.

~ end ~

And I Shall Bow Down

Let the mighty light shine and glow

Melting away the dirty old snow

And may the flowers bloom on the meadow

So that the birds sing in the borough

I shall stand tall and thorough

Realising the blessings I can no longer borrow

Forgiveness I seek in the shadow

The darkness that juxtapose goodness halo

Let alone like in the gallow

As if deprived of any hello

For a soul that is mellow

So that I shall direct the flying arrow

To the eye of sorrow

Let the dreams follow

Soothing with bees black and yellow

In the garden of tomorrow

Where hope is set to grow

For me to prostrate in awe

By Jo Haq

5 March 2024

4:17 pm

Bukit Jelutong

Impian Makrifat

Bersinarlah cahaya keagongan

Meleburkan salji berlumuran

Maka debunga berterbangan

Menarilah,

..... burung-burung

..... berkicauan

Bangunlah aku kelapangan

Membuka mata keinsafan

Mengharapkan kemaafan

Dan makrifat,

.... yang sebenar

.... kepada Tuhan

Izinkan ku bersepi

Dengan kerelaan

Jiwaku ini

Dalam kekusutan

Agar ku mengerti

Makna kehidupan

Untukku hadapi

Segala kesulitan .....

Inginku bermimpi

Bunga-bunga di taman

Menyejukkan hati

Dengan keamanan

Membuka kembali

Jalan keimanan

Hamba ini .....

Ooo .....

Oleh Jo Haq

5 Mac 2024

3:33 petang

Bukit Jelutong