Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 40

Aku segera terkenang akan kejadian empat belas tahun yang lalu. Aku berusia enam belas tahun ketika itu. Perang masih berlanjutan. Terlalu ramai tentera yang cedera.

Ramai yang terpukau akibat panahan Mayagiri daripada Mula Matani. Letchumanen turut cedera semasa cuba membantu Surgiwa. Ayah pula cedera pada lengan.

Aku perlu segera meramu akar wasliwayan. Itu sahaja yang dapat aku lakukan. Bukahkah ayah masih memerlukan adik dan bala tenteranya? Apa gunanya aku, seekor kera putih dari segi ketenteraan? Bukankah demikian tanggapan ayah pada waktu itu?

Tapi biar aku buktikan keupayaan yang dianugerahkan Tuhan. Lalu aku terbang ke Banjaran Himalaya di bahagian utara Benua Hindia untuk mengambil akar wasliwayan.

Di tengah perjalanan, aku berhenti di tepi sebuah kolam untuk menghilangkan dahaga. Di situ kutemui seorang puteri kayangan. Entah mengapa jantungku berdebar kencang. Matanya menarikku dekat padanya. Lalu hatiku bergelora.

Mengapa? Apakah ini? Entah! Tapi kurasakan suatu perbezaan. Suatu perasaan yang tidak pernah aku rasakan sebelum ini.

Aku meneliti paras rupanya. Rambut panjang terurai. Wajah tersenyum manis. Mata biru bersinar. Sari warna putih bertepi kain zari menutupi tubuh langsingnya.

“Adinda datang.”

Tentulah aku terkejut mendengar suara halusnya itu. Siapakah dia? Penunggu tasik atau siapa?

“Siapakah engkau, wahai puteri yang manis?”

“Suvarchala Devi.” Dia tertunduk malu.

“Suvarchala Devi?”

Aku masih ingat pertemuanku dengan Surya Dewa dahulu. Nampaknya Surya Dewa telah menghantar anaknya menemuiku. Tapi mengapa pula sewaktu perang belum tamat?

Aku memandang Suvarchala Devi. Isteriku! Mungkinkah dia akan menjadi tempat untuk aku menagih kasih yang tidak kuperoleh daripada ayah dan ibu?

Suvarchala Devi menghampiriku. Ada semacam perasaan halus yang mendesakku supaya memeluknya. Seketika aku lupa tentang perang yang masih berlanjutan. Seketika aku terasa seperti berada di taman firdaus.

Selepas pertemuan singkat itu, Suvarchala Devi kembali ke keinderaan. Itulah isteriku yang pergi membawa bersamanya anak tunggalku; dengan janji akan menyerahkan anak itu kepadaku apabila sampai masanya nanti.

Setelah berpelukan sebentar dengan Tamnat Gangga untuk melepaskan rindu, aku teringat akan tujuan kedatanganku ke istana Ravana. Aku perlu menemui Sita untuk bertanyakan kalau-kalau dia tahu di mana tersembunyinya nyawa Ravana.


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/24/hanuman-suara-hati-%e2%80%93-bahagian-40/

Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 39

Pagi-pagi lagi, sementara ayah bersedia untuk menentang Ravana bagi ke sekian kali, aku terbang ke istana Ravana dalam bentuk jelmaan sekecil kumbang.Makin aku mendekati istana Ravana, makin kencang debaran jantung. Mungkin kepenatan.Tapi mustahil! Ini bukan kali pertama aku terbang ke istana berkenaan. Aku pasti bahawa ada sesuatu di sana. Aku dapat merasakannya dalam hati. Dalam jiwa; dalam sanubari. Dalam diri.


Benarkah seperti yang aku rasakan? Diakah itu di sana? Tapi bagaimana? Mengapa di sini? Mungkin mainan hati cuma. Hati ini tidak mudah tertipu. Yang di pintu masuk istana itu bukan bayangan. Benarlah bukan mainan mataku semata-mata. Tapi diakah itu?

Di pintu masuk ke istana Ravana, aku disapa seekor anak kera. Diakah itu? Tamnat Gangga? Atau muslihat Ravana? Timbul pelbagai kemungkinan yang sukar diandaikan.

“Siapakah engkau, wahai kera kecil?” tanyaku sebaik sahaja mendarat di sisinya dalam bentuk diriku yang asal; sedang hatiku masih terus bergelora.

“Nama hamba Tamnat Gangga.”

Nama itu bergema di dalam telingaku. Ya! Dialah anak itu. Dialah yang dibawa pergi oleh ibunya ke kayangan, lapan tahun lalu. Dialah yang telah Indrajit sebutkan dahulu.

“Tamnat Gangga? Apa yang kau buat di sini?”

“Ibu hamba yang menyuruh hamba supaya menunggu ayah di pulau ini.”
“Di mana ibu kau?”

“Sudah mencapai nirwana. Katanya, ayah hamba berada di pulau ini.”

Aku memeluk Tamnat Gangga. Anak kecil itu masih kebingungan. Namun kupeluk erat. Degup jantungnya dapat kurasakan di dalam diriku. Dalam hatiku; dalam jiwaku.

“Anakku!”

Rupa-rupanya aku telah benar-benar menjerit di sisi makam Tamnat Gangga. Suara jeritanku sendiri mengejutkan aku ke alam nyata. Aku merenung makam Tamnat Gangga yang berbatu marmar dan dibina begitu indah.

Ah! Mengapa anakku perlu meninggal dunia dalam usia semuda tujuh tahun cuma? Mengapa dia perlu meninggal dunia sebelum aku dapat mencurahkan kasih sayangku terhadapnya?

Hanya dengan cara duduk di sisi makam anakku ini membuatkan hatiku tenang. Sejak pemergian ayah dan ibu setahun lalu, aku semakin kerap datang ke makam Tamnat Gangga. Berada di sini sentiasa membuatkan aku merasakan seolah-olah anakku itu masih ada bersama-samaku.


Anakku, Tamnat Gangga!




Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/23/hanuman-suara-hati-%e2%80%93-bahagian-39/

Hindraf ropes in parents for new Tamil school suit

Hindraf yesterday moved to recruit parents of Tamil school students in a bid to refile its lawsuit against the government, which among others, demands for full aid for 523 Tamil schools in the country.

“Hindraf has launched a website as well as pamphlets, text messages and campaigns on social media to gather at least 100 parents with children studying at Tamil schools as aggrieved plaintiffs.

“This is to refile a lawsuit which is the A to Z solution to the Tamil school problems in Malaysia,” Hindraf information chief S Jayathas (left) said in a statement yesterday.

The move comes after its earlier lawsuit was dismissed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on June 20, citing that the plaintiffs, Hindraf de facto leader P Uthayakumar and Kota Alam Shah state assemblyperson M Manoharan, did not have locus standi.

“The court said that the two did not have locus standi to institute this public interest civil suit in that they are not aggrieved parties but merely acting in the general interests of the Indian poor as their children are already in secondary school and not in Tamil school,” said Jayathas.

Anwar in ‘secret’ talks to lure MIC leaders

PETALING JAYA: Opposition Leader and PKR de facto chief Anwar Ibrahim has stepped up efforts to woo MIC leaders to join the opposition party. To this end, the former deputy prime minister held a “secret” meeting with several MIC national and division leaders at the PKR headquarters at Tropicana, Damansara, yesterday afternoon, sources claim.


If the claim is true and the leaders decide to switch camp, then it would be a bitter blow not only to the largest Indian-based political party in the country but also to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government.Last week, FMT reported that two MIC central working committee (CWC) members were on the verge of jumping ship to PKR.Speaking to FMT, a PKR source confirmed the “secret” meeting between Anwar and the MIC leaders.“There were three CWC members and five division chiefs at the meeting with Anwar. It began around 3.30pm and lasted for about an hour.


“Two of the CWC members are from Selangor, with another residing in Kuala Lumpur. The division chiefs were from Perak, Johor, Selangor and Kedah… two each from Perak and Johor, and one each from Selangor and Kedah,” said the PKR source.

Demonising Ambiga could cost BN Indian votes

COMMENT The move to demonise Bersih chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan in the mainstream media, especially in the Malay language media and television, is beginning to have an negative effect on Indian voters, going by comments two MIC leaders made this week.

MIC central committee member S Vell Paari and MIC vice-president M Saravanan have expressed disappointment with the continued harassment of Ambiga and other members of the Bersih steering committee.

Recently, Kuala Lumpur City Hall sent a RM350,000 tab to Ambiga and steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah for losses it claimed to have suffered on April 28, the day of the Bersih rally for clean and fair elections.

Earlier, the government sent the steering committee a bill demanding RM122,000 for damages to police vehicles, among other losses.

Vell Paari (right), whose name has been mentioned as an MIC candidate for Sungei Siput, feels the issue transcends political and racial boundaries.

He said sending the bills and the earlier demonstrations outside Ambiga's house constituted to demonising and harassment.

Vell Paari went on to call on the people to send messages to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in the form of letters, postcards and telegrams, on how they feel about such treatment.

Hindu temple saved in nick of time

KUALA LUMPUR: A temple, which was in the midst of demolition by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), was saved in Kepong today, after timely intervention of Federal Territory and Urban Wellbeing Minister Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin.The Veppam Kaliamman Amman temple, along Jalan Kepong, received an eviction notice only at 8.30 this morning, and work to break down the temple began 15 minutes later.


The temple committee, stunned at the speed of the whole exercise, immediately called the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Deputy Minister M Saravanan, who is in charge of temples in the federal capital.
FMT learnt that the deputy minister had in turn called top officials of the Federal Territory land office under the purview of the ministry but they refused to take orders to stop the demolition.

Saravanan was told that the land division was only answerable to the minister and when he contacted the minister, Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin, the latter immediately ordered the demolition stopped.
“Luckily the minister was available to talk… otherwise, I do not know what would have happened.
“But within 15 minutes, before I could reach the spot, DBKL enforcement officers had already torn off the temple’s awning. I am very disappointed with DBKL. They know if any temple was to be demolished, a proper discussion must be held but in this case this was not done.

Hindraf's new neighbour raises eyebrows

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders were caught by surprise yesterday when they found out that a Putrajaya commissioned outfit, which focuses on Tamil schools, is now their neighbour.

Hindraf de facto leader P Uthayakumar expressed astonishment that the newly-created Action Plan for Future of Tamil Schools, which operates under the Prime Minister’s Department, had set up office next door.

“This is the first time that an office under the Prime Minister is positioned outside the administrative capital in 55 years.

“Clearly this is a propaganda attempt to convey the image that the government is working with the grassroots Indian community, like Hindraf,” said Uthayakumar, whose organisation is a fervent campaigner for community issues.

Uthayakumar accused Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of pretending to connect with the Indian poor in order to canvass for their support.

Kamal Haasan has been in the hot seat for some weeks now. The drama began three weeks before the Cannes Film Festival in May, when Indian newspapers and magazines ran stories, reportedly quoting him, about his latest movie, Viswaroopam, competing at the French Riviera’s 12-day annual cinematic event.

The story turned out to be incorrect. Viswaroopam was never in the race for Cannes.

So I was told by the Festival.Be that as it may, Viswaroopam (also in Hindi, and to be called Viswaroop) is now set to hit the screens soon, and Kamal is naturally on a high. What is more, he has even planned a sequel to the film, and one report says that a considerable portion of it had already been shot!

Seems like some kind of history being made with the shoot of a sequel in progress even before the first part has opened theatrically.The actor said the other day that since there was scope for a sequel, he had opted for it instead of making the first part too long. “I have enough to tell in two full-length movies”, he chuckled.

Incidentally, Viswaroopam arrives after the hullabaloo caused by Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur in two parts with a combined running time of five hours and twenty minutes. The film premiered at the Director’s Fortnight, which runs parallel to the Cannes Festival. The first part opens on June 22. Kashyap said the sequel would come to the cinemas in November.

DBKL slaps RM351k 'Bersih bill' on Ambiga, Maria

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has sent a notice of demand to Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan and committee member Maria Chin Abdullah, demanding compensation of RM351,203.45 for “losses” incurred during the Bersih 3.0 rally.

They were ordered to settle the bill together with a RM100 notice fee within 14 days of receiving the notice, failing which legal action would be taken against them.

The letter, signed by DBKL director-general Salleh Yusup, was hand-delivered to Ambiga's house this morning.

Salleh even attached an itemised bill for ‘damages’ incurred by each department of DBKL.

This included damage to landscaping and trees, the cost of setting up metal barricades, cost of transport and support staff, damage to signboards and barriers, as well as overtime allowances, food, drink and transport costs for law enforcers.

The letter says the mayor had banned the rally to be held at Dataran Merdeka because the square is a historic place and tourist attraction.

It points out that the ban was supported by the police and a Kuala Lumpur magistrate who had on April 26 issued an injunction prohibiting any rally at Dataran Merdeka from April 28 to May 1.

“...but you (Ambiga and Maria) had gone ahead to hold the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, 2012, which went out of control and caused chaos in Kuala Lumpur city and damages to public properties.

Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 38

Letchumanen mengumpulkan panah dan lembing untuk digunakan pada esok hari. Anbala dan Ankada, anak-anak kembar seiras Belia Raja, sedang membantu.

Aku duduk di hadapan unggun api. Dari dalam khemah-khemah, terdengar suara erangan tentera kera yang cedera parah. Jika semua ini berterusan, apakah akhirnya? Aku pasti bahawa itu juga persoalan yang difikirkan oleh ayah.

“Hanuman.”

Entah bila ayah keluar dari khemahnya. Dia sudah duduk bersila di sisiku. Aku bingkas bangun sebagai tanda hormat. Tapi ditahannya. Ayah menarik lenganku; selaku mengisyaratkan supaya duduk di sebelahnya.

“Hanuman, mungkin kau masih tidak memahami segala apa yang berlaku ini. Maafkan aku kerana melibatkan kau dalam semua ini.”

“Tapi saya melakukan semua ini secara rela.”

Aku senyum sambil memandang ayah. Pada usiaku dua puluh empat tahun ketika itu, Rama masih belum mengakui aku anaknya. Entahlah apa punca sebenar kebongkakannya.

“Entahlah, Hanuman. Mungkin salah aku. Mungkin semua ini ada kaitan dengan hukum karma dan dharma. Mungkin juga benar bahawa semua yang terjadi adalah kerana dosaku pada masa lalu.”

Ayah memandang kejauhan sambil berkata-kata begitu. Kemudian dia memandang ke dalam unggun api.

“Dosa?” Sengaja aku bertanya setelah beberapa ketika.

“Kau tidak perlu tahu. Kau tidak akan faham.”

Ayah menghulurkan tepak sirih kepadaku. Aku mencapainya dengan penuh hormat.

“Hanuman, boleh kau lakukan sesuatu untukku?”

Aku berhenti menyapu kapur pada daun sirih. Aku memandang ke dalam mata ayah yang redup.
“Nyatakan; apa sahaja.”

“Maafkan aku kerana memperkecilkan kebolehan kau selama ini.” Ayah meminta maaf dengan pandangan matanya. “Aku perlukan bantuan kau. Menurut Bibasenam, Ravana hanya dapat dibunuh dengan cara memanah tepat pada tempat di mana nyawanya disembunyikan.”

Aku mendengar dengan penuh teliti setiap kata yang diucapkan oleh ayah.

“Kau pergilah kepada isteriku di istana Ravana. Bertanyalah kalau-kalau dia tahu di mana letaknya nyawa Ravana. Boleh?”

“Tentu sahaja!” pantas aku menjawab.

Ayah tersenyum. Aku juga.

Itulah kami. Seorang ayah dan seorang anak. Betapa indahnya apabila dapat bersama ayah. Tapi malang. Ada kejadian masa lalu yang memisahkan kami.

Bilakah penyeksaan batin ini akan berakhir?


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/17/hanuman-suara-hati-%e2%80%93-bahagian-38/

Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 37

Ayah melepaskan panah Vishnuasara. Kena bahu Ravana. Lengannya putus. Jatuh ke laut. Tumbuh yang baru!

Ravana melontar lembing. Nyaris mengena leher ayah. Terus menjunam ke bumi. Berdentam-dentum. Membunuh kaum kera dan tentera ayah.

Ayah melepaskan panah Shivasara. Kepala Ravana gugur. Tumbuh yang baru. Tangannya putus berganti baru.

Ravana melepaskan panah nagi. Ayah membalas dengan panah kiri. Kedua-duanya bertempur di langit terbuka. Akhirnya gugur berdentum-dentum ke bumi Langkapuri. Para raksasa lari mencari suaka.

Begitulah sehingga malam berlabuh. Selagi Ravana belum kalah, selagi itu Rama belum menang. Selagi Rama belum menang, selagi itulah Ravana tetap menang!

“Tuanku.”

Ah! Penjaga kubur itu lagi. Bukankah sudah aku pesan kepadanya supaya membiarkan aku bersendirian?
“Ada apa?” Aku masih berupaya untuk bertenang.

“Ini ada orang suruhan dari istana,” kata si penjaga kubur sambil tangannya masih menunjukkan tanda vanakam. “Hamba sudah katakan yang tuanku tidak mahu diganggu, tapi dia tetap mahu berjumpa tuanku.”
Aku memandang orang suruhan yang sedang berdiri di sebelah si penjaga kubur.

“Ampun, tuanku. Kalau boleh, memanda Maramanden meminta tuanku pulang segera. Kata memanda, ada utusan penting daripada Baginda Bibasenam. Lagi pun, hari sudah petang. Tuanku belum bersantap sejak pagi tadi.”

Aku sekadar mengangguk kosong. Orang suruhan dan penjaga kubur itu pun berlalu setelah tercegat seketika. Aku harap mereka tidak akan datang menggangguku lagi. Aku mahu bersendirian. Aku mahu meneruskan lamunan ke masa silam.

“Ravana tidak alah pada mana-mana panah yang aku lepaskan. Jika beginilah seterusnya, sampai bila-bila pun perang ini tidak akan berakhir.”

Suara ayah terdengar lagi di telingaku. Selaras dengan itu, gambaran peristiwa masa lalu juga mula terbayang di depan mata.

“Kita semakin kehabisan stok akar wasliwayan,” Surgiwa pula mengingatkan sambil mengubati tentera Dravida dan Vanara yang cedera.

Aku lihat memang benarlah akar wasliwayan tinggal sedikit sahaja. Mungkin boleh bertahan untuk tempoh sehari lagi. Kami terpaksa cermat dalam menggunakan akar sakti itu. Jika habis bekalan ini, habislah semuanya. Sudah tiada lagi baki pokok wasliwayan di Banjaran Himalaya.

Aku harap Ravana akan dapat dikalahkan sebelum bekalan akar wasliwayan benar-benar habis. Aku tidak berani membayangkan kemungkinan-kemungkinan yang boleh berlaku jika bekalan akar sakti berkenaan habis sebelum Ravana tewas!


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/16/hanuman-suara-hati-%e2%80%93-bahagian-37/

Deaths in custody - the hurt lock-up

COMMENT Three years is not a long time. Here in Malaysia, it's just a year short of how long a regime can legitimately hold on to power before it needs to hold an election to get the endorsement of the voting public to remain in power.

Three years for ‘causing hurt' to A Kugan is what an officer of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) received.

The truth will never be known in this case or in the hundreds or perhaps even thousands of others who have suddenly died in police custody, immigrant detention camps, police shootouts and jails over the years. We will never know the anguish of families of those killed or who have died in custody due to negligence.

We may share their sense of outrage but our outrage is diluted with our disdain for the systemic corruption that permeates every level of government.

Our outrage in some cases is also dependent on the guilt of the parties involved. We are indifferent to the fates of convicted inmates and the unsanitary (and most often criminally negligent) conditions they are housed in when it is the responsibility of the state to administer their welfare.

Our parasitic relationship with ‘foreigners', legal or otherwise, does not leave much room for empathy when it comes to their welfare while in custody for whatever reasons.

And before anyone accuses me of conflating various issues of our penal and enforcement systems, let me remind you that to this system, everyone who died is guilty or at least that is the presumption.

And like many Malaysians of a certain class (and perhaps because of my previous professions) my interactions with the PDRM has been positive for the most part - so-called illegal rallies excluded - but personal anecdote has no place in the face of the historical and current corruption of the system.

Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 36

Tiba-tiba sahaja Ravana melepaskan teevil, panah berapi. Ayah sempat mengelak. Teevil jatuh ke laut. Ayah membalas dengan panah saktinya. Hampir mengena rata Ravana.

Rama dan Ravana sama hebat. Ravana ada panah sakti kuasa hitam. Rama ada panah sakti pemberian Brahma.

Begitulah. Perang berlanjutan dari pagi hingga senja. Pada malam hari, ayah menyusun strategi. Ravana pula terus memujuk Sita supaya menjadi isterinya yang sah.

Menjelang pagi, perang bermula lagi. Ravana melepaskan panah mahayamen. Ayah balas dengan panah thirulingam. Kedua-duanya bertemu dilangit, lalu ghaib.

Aku mengangkat ayah di atas bahu. Aku membawanya ke atas awan. Ravana mendekatkan kenaikannya.
Ravana mula memuntahkan bahang. Tempat ayah berdiri mula luruh bak hujan. Aku meniup ke arah ayah agar bahang itu reda. Aku membesarkan lagi diriku. Aku melapik tempat ayah berdiri dengan lebih banyak gumpalan awan.

Ravana melampot naik ke atas gumpalan awan itu. Buat pertama kali, Rama dan Ravana bertentang mata. Agak lama.

“Pulangkan isteriku. Dan aku bersedia mengampunkan kau.”

“Sudah terlewat, wahai anak Dasaratha. Aku terpaksa membalas dendam atas kematian anak-anakku.”
“Tindakan kau sendiri yang menyebabkan banyak nyawa melayang.”

“Dan kini nyawa kau!”

Ravana menghimbau seraya menikam dengan syamsir ajaibnya. Ayah menepis.

Perang semakin hangat. Semakin sengit. Aku terus menjunjung awan yang menjadi arena pertempuran mereka berdua.

Apabila senja buta menjelma, perang bersurai mengikut adat. Ayah menyusun strategi baru. Ravana ketawa mengilai di mahligai.

Awal subuh berikutnya, Ravana melepaskan ribuan panah. Rama menepis. Aku menepis. Banyak yang jatuh bersimpang-siur ke bumi mengena tentera Rama dan kera-kera Surgiwa.

Aku mengangkat ayah di atas bahu. Kami menghampiri kenaikan Ravana yang berkuda seribu.

“Wahai Rama, sudah letihkah kau sehingga terpaksa dijunjung oleh kera putih peliharaan kau itu?”

“Bukan itu sebabnya, Ravana. Tidakkah kau tahu, Rama lebih mulia kedudukannya berbanding kau. Dia dianugerahkan uca. Masakan Rama boleh berdiri sama rata dengan kau!”

Sengaja aku menambahkan kemarahan Ravana. Bukankah orang yang memuncak kemarahannya senang hilang akal dan pertimbangan?

“Ravana! Kembalikan Sita kepadaku.”

Ravana ketawa tanpa mengendahkan ultimatum ayah. Kenaikannya terhinggut-hinggut.
Ayah melepaskan panah Brahmaasara. Kena kepala Ravana. Putus. Jatuh ke bumi. Tumbuh yang baru!


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/10/hanuman-suara-hati-%e2%80%93-bahagian-36/

Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 35

“Kau harus mengembalikan Sita kepada Rama. Jika kau turuti arahan ini, kau tidak akan Rama bunuh.”

Demikian aku berkata setelah duduk selesa sama tinggi dengan sanggahsana Ravana.

“Menyerahkan Sita? Menyerah kalah kepada seorang manusia keturunan Dravida?”

Ravana ketawa lagi sehingga bahunya terhinggut-hinggut.

“Sia-sialah aku menculiknya dua puluh dua tahun lalu jika aku menyerahkannya kembali begitu sahaja tanpa berperang. Sita kini isteriku. Dia adalah ibu kepada anakku, Tilewi!”

Nampaknya Ravana benar-benar percaya bahawa Tilewi adalah anaknya! Ruwet.

“Kau sedang mencari nahas, wahai Ravana!”

“Aku sedang mencari nahas?”

Ravana ketawa semakin kuat. Bergegar istananya.

“Kau yang sedang mencari nahas dengan memihak kepada Rama. Aku dengan khabar, kononnya kau sedang mencari ibu bapa kandung kau. Aku sumpahkan supaya kau terkorban sebelum mereka sempat datang menemui kau!”

Mendidih darahku mendengar sumpahan itu.

“Wahai kera, pergilah beritahu tuan kau bahawa aku akan membunuhnya sebagai balasan kerana membunuh
Jenin, Badak Giganda, Ular Suli Nagina, Gagak Sura, Mula Matani, Kumbakarana dan Patala Maharayan.”

“Dan Indrajit!”

“Ya! Dan Indrajit.”

Merah menyala muka Ravana. Merah menyala juga sepuluh pasang matanya. Jari-jemarinya digenggam erat.

“Katakan kepada Rama bahawa aku akan membunuhnya sebelum menjadikan Sita isteriku yang sah. Wijaya tetap di pihakku!” Ravana meramas-ramas seratus jarinya sambil berkata begitu.

“Jadi kau mahu meneruskan juga perang ini?”

“Ya! Pulanglah, wahai kera. Minta tuan kau supaya bersedia. Aku sendiri akan turun berperang pagi esok.”
Ravana ketawa lagi. Ketawa angkuh; bagai meraikan kemenangan sebelum turun berjuang di medan perang.

Maka, aku pun pergi menyampaikan perkhabaran itu kepada Rama. Putera berkenaan agak kecewa apabila aku memaklumkan bahawa Ravana masih mahu berperang. Pada sangkaan Rama, raksasa itu akan terus menyerah kalah sebaik mendapat tahu berita kematian Indrajit.

Lalu, tentera manusia milik Rama dan tentera kera milik Surgiwa pun bersiap-sedia menanti ketibaan esok. Menanti Ravana bertemu Rama di medan perang.


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/09/hanuman-suara-hati-%e2%80%93-bahagian-35/

BN party wants bumi status for all races

In a rare move, the Federal Territories People Progressive Party (PPP) delegates have urged the government to recognise everyone born in Malaysia as bumiputera and to do away with racial requirements imposed on government contractors.

At PPP’s FT convention today, Bukit Bintang delegate Subbarao Nokaraju called on the government to grant bumiputera status to all those who were born in Malaysia after 1957.

"Still in the new century, people who were born in this beloved land are not being recognised as bumiputera.

"I fail to comprehend the definition of bumiputera, as I was born here but I am still being labelled as pendatang (immigrants) by my friends," he said.

Subbarao said the younger generation will be questioning the matter if the authorities fail to address this now.

"I urge Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to consider this again and to make sure that every race is treated equally in the spirit of 1 Malaysia," he said.

Bumi quota ‘discriminatory’

Meanwhile, Bukit Bintang PPP youth chief Kamaraj Marappan described the 100 percent bumiputera quota imposed on government contractors as a discriminatory policy to the non-Malays.

"This policy is inappropriate for (today). Under the 1Malaysia context, we hope the PM will give special attention to this old issue which raises question marks among the businessmen,"

He urged the government to replace the policy with “1Malaysia contractors” that give equal share of opportunities to all businessmen regardless of race.

"Only with this in place can we stop the opposition from capitalising on the issue, and we can win the support of the rakyat, especially the non-Malay businessmen," he said.

Federal Territories PPP chief A Chandrakumanan, when contacted later, said that these motions have been endorsed during the convention.

Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/200483

MCA, MIC disagree with PTPTN freeze

PETALING JAYA: Two Barisan Nasional component parties disagreed with the decision to freeze PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund Corporation) loans of new students enrolled at Selangor-owned Universiti Selangor (Unisel).

MCA Selangor chairman Donald Lim said that politics should not have come into the equation at the expense of students’ education and future.“Whatever decision we make as the government should not take politics into consideration, but the students… we should prioritise children’s education and future,” he told FMT.

Asked if he was admitting that the government had made a mistake, the senator and deputy finance minister refused to say “who is right or wrong” in the matter.“I don’t want to say who was right or wrong here. They just have to consider whatever they have decided. And use their wisdom, whoever it is in the chair to make that decision. Students’ education is the priority,” he said.


MIC secretary-general S Murugessan also disagreed with PTPTN’s move.“While the issue shows PKR’s hypocrisy with regard to its claim of providing free education but not implementing it in Unisel which is under the Pakatan Rakyat state government… PTPTN should not victimise the students over this.

Muhyiddin: It’s a fair move


“We should prioritise the welfare of the students and so PTPTN should continue disbursing the loans to those who qualify from Unisel,” he told FMT.However, former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo defended the move by PTPTN, assuring that the government would not let the issue affect students’ studies.
“I think this is not seriously done, as I am sure that the ministry just wants to see the reaction from the public and opposition.

“Actually, I do believe that Barisan Nasional will give back loans to those who deserve it,” he said.
Khir said that it was the government’s hope that the Selangor state government would find a solution.
“But looking at their reaction, it has been very bad. They have not given us a solution. This means they are not ready for free education. Politically, we are doing the right move. Now the public can measure how serious they have been over the abolishing of PTPTN,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today that it was “fair” for PTPTN to freeze loans for Unisel students as it was only responding to PKR’s policy proposal.“PTPTN did not cancel all loans, but temporarily halted it so they can review it first. That’s fair. If the Selangor MB says there’s no need for students to take the loans, then PTPTN need not give out the loans,” he was reported as saying.


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/07/mca-mic-disagree-with-ptptn-freeze/

Noh: Unisel loans to resume if PKR admits wrong

The freeze on student loans for state government-owned Universiti Selangor was the topic du jour at the press conference with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at SK Taman Melawati in Selangor today.

Reporters grilled Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, on the matter only to have the minister say ad nauseum that the freeze is a test for PKR to prove it can implement its free education proposal.

Backing Muhyiddin was Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister and Selangor Umno deputy chief Noh Omar, who at the same event said students will not suffer as a result of the move as PTPTN will resume giving out loans once PKR admits it was wrong.

Below is the transcript of the press conference, pertaining to the PTPTN issue:

Journalist: Could you comment on PTPTN's move to freeze loans to Unisel?

Muhyiddin: I believe (Higher Education Minister) Khaled Nordin announced this as the Selangor MB said they want to abolish PTPTN and Unisel is state-owned. (He) wants to see if the students can really cope without PTPTN...that's the reason.

The issue doesn't arrise for other universities or colleges. Maybe he wanted to check if (PKR) is for real, to really check.

If finally it turns out that the students need PTPTN then it shows that PKR had proposed something unreasonable without considering the students.

It's a matter of education and students' future, so I believe Khaled is smart enough to weigh the situation. After he is satisfied, maybe...

Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 34

Aku berlari ke khemah ayah. Bukankah Indrajit datang untuk membunuh ayah? Bukankah itu amanat Ravana yang Indrajit junjung!

Ayah!

Sampai di khemah, aku lihat ayah masih tidur. Bibasenam sedang berjaga di sisinya. Aku menarik nafas lega.
Kau terlalu aneh, Indrajit.

Sesungguhnya Indrajit terlalu aneh. Hingga kini, aku masih tidak tahu mengapa dia bersusah-payah melepaskan anak panah wimuasara, kemudian datang ke kubu Rama; tetapi tidak pula menjunjung titah Ravana supaya membunuh Rama.

Aku menghela nafas sambil terus duduk di sisi makam Tamnat Gangga. Sayang sekali orang baik seperti Indrajit terpaksa turut menjadi mangsa perang yang gila.

Indrajit gugur di medan perang. Letchumanen yang berjaya memanah jantungnya. Sebelum meninggal dunia, Indrajit mewasiatkan supaya anaknya yang bernama Puteri Indera Kesuma dikahwinkan dengan Tilewi, anak Rama.

Kematian Indrajit menandakan lumpuhnya benteng pertahanan Ravana. Kesemua anak Ravana mati secara sia-sia di tangan Rama.

Kematian Indrajit merupakan tamparan paling hebat buat Ravana. Sebelum ini, Ravana benar-benar yakin bahawa Indrajit akan dapat mengalahkan Rama dengan kekuasaan panah sakti wimuasara.

Sesungguhnya Indrajit telah menang dengan caranya yang tersendiri. Indrajit menang dalam usaha membuktikan bahawa pihak yang bersalah pasti kalah.

Dia mencapai kemenangan batin dalam membuktikan kesetiaan seorang anak. Tentu tiada manusia lain di mayapada yang boleh menandingi kesetiaan Indrajit!

Selepas kematian Indrajit, Rama meminta aku pergi menemui Ravana. Pada fikiran Rama, Ravana tentu akan menyerah kalah tanpa perlu melanjutkan perang.

Lalu aku pun terbanglah pergi menemui Ravana di istananya. Oleh sebab aku datang sebagai utusan, tiada sesiapa yang cuba mencederakan mahu pun menghalang aku.

“Utusan daripada Rama? Diutuskannya melalui seekor kera? Nyatakan, wahai kera, apa yang tuan kau katakan?” Ravana ketawa nyaring dengan sepuluh mulutnya.

Raksasa itu meminta aku duduk di atas lantai sahaja. Lalu aku memanjangkan ekorku dan kujadikan alas untuk duduk setara dengan singgahsana Ravana. Mengapa tidak; bukankah aku Hanuman, anak Rama?


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/03/hanuman-suara-hati-%e2%80%93-bahagian-34/

Hanuman: Suara Hati – Bahagian 33

“Jadi, kau memihak pada pihak yang bersalah?”

“Aku berpihak pada ayahku.”

“Mengapa?”

“Dia yang membesarkan aku dengan penuh kasih.”

“Tapi dia berada di pihak yang bersalah! Jangan kau jejaskan nama baik kau sebagai putera kayangan dengan memihak pada Ravana.”

Ditenungnya lagi aku; cuba berkata sesuatu.

“Aku terpaksa.”

“Kau sanggup berperang bagi pihak Ravana hanya kerana kau terpaksa?”

“Ya. Aku mahu menjadi anak yang setia.”

Sunyi. Hanya aku dan Indrajit yang masih terjaga di luar. Tentera Rama dan Surgiwa masih dikuasai panah wimuasara. Bibasenam di dalam khemah; menjaga Rama.

“Kau tahu bahawa Ravana yang bersalah dalam hal ini, bukan?”

“Ya, tentu sekali.”

“Lalu, kau mahu memenangkan pihak yang bersalah?”

“Tidak.”

Ah! Indrajit sukar difahami. Di pihak mana dia sebenarnya: Rama atau Ravana? Arya atau Dravida?
“Kau fikir siapa yang akan mencapai wijaya?”

“Pihak yang memperjuangkan kebenaran, tentunya.”

“Rama?” Aku semakin bingung.

“Tentunya.”

“Dan Ravana pula …?”

“Dewata Mulia Raya tidak akan memenangkan pihak yang bersalah.” Indrajit merenung lagi ke dalam mataku. “Aku tahu bahawa aku akan mati. Aku tahu bahawa ayahku juga akan tewas dalam perang ini.
Tapi biarlah kematian kami nanti menjadi teladan kepada seluruh alam.”

Aku membisu. Terlalu aneh Indrajit.

“Kau terlalu aneh. …”

“Anehkah kalau aku mahu setia pada ayahku? Anehkah jika aku mahu membuktikan kepada dunia bahawa mereka yang berada di pihak yang bersalah pasti tewas?”

Aku merenung mata Indrajit. Ada sesuatu di dalamnya. Ada sesuatu yang sukar ditafsirkan.

“Kesetiaan kau terlalu luar biasa,” aku meluahkan apa yang lahir dalam hati. Indrajit tersenyum. Terasa bagaikan kami berdua sudah lama bersahabat karib!

“Kau akan faham sendiri kalau kau punya ayah yang membesarkan kau dengan penuh tanggungjawab.”
Ah! Adakah dia menyindir aku? Mustahil. Mustahil dia tahu asal-usul diriku.

Aneh! Indrajit sudah tiada di hadapanku dalam sekelip mata. Di mana dia? Ke mana perginya Indrajit?
Ayah!


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/02/hanuman-suara-hati-%e2%80%93-bahagian-33/