RMT : A personal evaluation

Assalamualaikum.

Since completing my second year of Masters of Pharmacy course, I was encouraged to have to evaluate issues and controversies related to the world of health and healthcare services. Although Rancangan Makanan Tambahan (a program to encourage school children to have breakfasts and healthy diet) is not really have anything to do with me at the moment, but as I had experienced it in the past, therefore I always consider myself part of it.

During my time, the food was served early in the morning, and the selected pupils were required to go to the canteen before entering respective classes. We were even given permission to skip the daily assembly (which is the best part of RMT. Hehehe). Reflecting on my experience when I was in Standard 5 and 6 in one of numerous primary schools in my hometown, I would have to say that, 9 out 10 incidents, the foods served were 'rubbish'. I remember that, I always skipped the meals, and had to be dragged out of my class by prefects (and sometimes the teacher in charge with the program) to take my meal of the morning. It was very annoying to have to eat something you don't really think worth taking it. But that happens to me and most of the other pupils. Most of the time, the food would be too salty, too sour, tasteless, and in some cases, the food wasn't cooked properly. Still, my colleagues and me have to finish the food (not really :-p).

After I left the school, I found out that the school shifted the 'eating' period from early in the morning to the 'recess time'. When I visited the school one day after SPM, I managed to see the pupils eating the similar food I had to take during their recess period, and even 'interviewed' several of them. The result of my brief Q&A session was as I expected. Most of them felt disappointed with the quality of the foods and a few of them agreed on my suggestion, 'better starving than taking the foods'. I'm not sure whether the incident is still the same or it has changed nowadays.

A few months before, I heard my aunty was having a chit-chat with my parent. She is a caterer for one school canteen in the northen Kedah. She said, that the school had offered her to cater foods and drinks for the RMT program. From their long and unstoppable chatting, I acknowledged that the budget for the program is insufficient for her to prepare good foods. She always has to 'top-up' with her own money to provide better foods to the kids. She even told my mother that some of her friends who also cater foods for RMT program did unethical deeds. They purposely reduce the amount of ingredients of the servings in order to gain profit for themselves. From that point, I made up my conclusion on why the foods were always bad.

The kids involved, mostly came from low-income family, were not comfortable to attend the 'feast'. As I had experience knowing them, I'll share a story of 3 siblings, who went to the school walking for more than 5Km. Although this would be considered as common by our 'old folks', but I would say these kids are really poor as I cycled to school. They usually arrived late to school, and I remember constantly seeing them collecting rubbish (mostly dried leaves) around the school compound as the penalty for arriving late. They would always missed the first 30 minutes of the teaching hours due to having to serve the (almost) daily penalty and attending the 'junkfood' feasts. What about me? I will always finish the food. Based on my judgments on the first bite, the foods were either in my stomach or in the dustbin. Then, I'll rush to the class, often having to ask my friends for what I had missed. I had several times, asking the teacher to exclude my name from the RMT list, suggesting that I already had my breakfast at home almost everyday before coming to school, but my pleas were ignored each time I raised that issue.

RMT is a very good program, and I fully support it. But there are a lot more to be done, numerous improvements needed. I am happy to address the idea of increasing the financial budget for the program and assigning officers to maintain the high quality of the foods, and prevent illicit 'jerks' from gaining unethical profits. I supported the idea of giving foods to the kids during their recess period, so that they would not have to suffer rushing moments like I did, don't have to skip daily assembly (although this would be...) , and they will have better diets everyday.

Wassalam...

dakwah itu..

Assalamualaikum..

Setelah lama tak berceritera berkenaan hal ini, hari ini kukuatkan diri untuk sekali lagi berkongsi pandangan yang terpendam dalam kepala. Topik ini tidaklah sehangat 'kahwin' dan yang sewaktu dengannya. Tapi topik ini mungkin hangat buat mereka yang ghairah dalam mengembangkan Islam di mata dunia.

Oleh sebab aku bukanlah seorang yang berlatar belakangkan pendidikan SMKA/Maahad/dsb, maka tak elok kalau aku terjun dalam menerangkan maksud perkataan 'dakwah' dalam bahasa Arab. Cuma apa yang aku faham, dakwah itu tentu sekali membawa maksud 'memanggil', 'mengajak'. Jika sheikh-sheikh bahasa Arab rasa pemahamanku itu salah, maka silakan tegur diri ini.

Sinonimnya perkataan ini dengan yang golongan yang tergelar 'Ustaz', 'Ustazah', dsb. Seolah-olah dakwah itu hak mereka semata-mata. Tidak boleh dipegang oleh selain dari mereka. Namun lupakah kita (bukan mereka), akan firman Allah :

"Kamu (wahai umat Muhammad) adalah sebaik-baik umat yang dilahirkan bagi (faedah) umat manusia, (kerana) kamu menyuruh berbuat segala perkara yang baik dan melarang daripada segala perkara yang salah (buruk dan keji), serta kamu pula beriman kepada Allah (dengan sebenar-benar iman)".

(Surah A-li 'Imraan 3:110)

Jelas yang amat-amat, bahawasanya dakwah itu hak milik semua. Semua umat Islam.

Dakwah itu sebenarnya luas. Teramat luas jika kita tidak sempitkannya. Masalahnya, kita hanya faham dakwah itu dalam konteks yang amat sempit. Sekadar ajakan kepada pengamalan ibadah khusus. Ajakan kepada solat, ajakan kepada puasa, ajakan kepada zakat dan lain-lain lagi. Apakah itu yang kita maksudkan dakwah? Adakah dakwah itu sekadar semata-mata membincangkan Fiqh dalam ibadah harian seperti solat, puasa, zakat dan lain-lain. Tidak! Bahkan dakwah itu lebih luas lagi. Luasnya dakwah kerana luasnya aspek kehidupan (dan kematian) yang dirangkum dalam risalah alQuran.

Dakwah itu meliputi segala aspek hidup kita sedari terbukanya mata dipagi hari hinggalah kembali rapatnya kelopak mata di malam hari. Segala apa yang berlaku dicelahan masa itu, berpotensi menjadi sebahagian daripada dakwah. Dan yang melengkapinya adalah syariat Allah. Andai nyanyian boleh didakwa sebagai salah satu jalan dakwah, maka kehendak Allah dan RasulNya perlu menjadi sandaran agar dakwah itu berjalan hebat dan disukaiNya. Begitu juga dalam perniagaan, pendidikan, penulisan dan karya, seni dan persembahan, politik dan siasah, perkahwinan, pergaulan dan kemasyarakatan, kesihatan dan gaya hidup, dan yang pelbagai lagi. Singkaplah panduan yang telah ditetapkan di sisi Islam, daripada alQuran serta alHadith. Nescaya, kita akan dapat melihat dan meyakini lengkapnya Islam, menyeluruhnya adDeen ini, serta keperluan kita untuk bersikap menyeluruh dalam dakwah.

Malanglah andai kita mensia-siakan peluang umur di dunia, tidak dieksploit dengan sebaik-baiknya. Memang patutlah kiranya manusia, tika berada di Akhirat sana, tetap penuh kegusaran dan penyesalan. Bukan kerana 'tidak Soleh' (ingkar perintah Allah), tapi kerana peluang menambah kekayaan Akhirat dilepaskan begitu sahaja.

Ayuh sahabat-sahabatku, mari kita jalinkan kasih sayang, perkukuhkan ikatan dan simpulan yang mengikat persaudaraan sesama kita. Carilah jalan untuk terus tetap dalam Iman dan Islam. Sama-samalah kita berdoa agar dimatikan dalam redha Allah. Serta beroleh kerehatan tika di alam kubur, dikurniakan rahmat dan kebaikan yang tidak bertepi bila berada di Akhirat nanti, InsyaAllah.

Wassalam.

bila hati teringin berkahwin..

Salam sejahtera..

Kebelakangan ni, makin ramai yang mengiklankan pengumuman pertunangan & pernikahan. Ada jugak yang dah selamat diijabkabulkan. Memang ada sedikit perasaan 'envy' dengan pengumuman sedemikian. Tapi dalam keghairahan hati ingin menikahi seorang insan yang bergelar wanita ini, muncul pelbagai detusan hati, cetusan pemikiran. Ada yang melonjakkan semangat, ada yang meneutralkan azam untuk berkahwin. Dan ia terus menerus berlaku, tiada penghujung buat masa sekarang.

Melihatkan statistik pernikahan & penceraian di kalangan umat muslimin di negara ini, amatlah menyentap jiwa. Resah bila memikirkan risiko perkara itu terjadi atas diri sendiri. Bila dibaca tentang permasalahan rumah tangga, mereka katakan tiada kesefahaman lagi antara sesama mereka. Bingit jiwa. Bagaimana kesefahaman yang mendorong mereka melafazkan rasa cinta suatu masa dulu hilang begitu sahaja? Mengapa kesefahaman yang dicapai suatu masa, mendorong si lelaki melafazkan penerimaan akad pernikahan ghaib begitu sahaja? Kadang-kadang apabila mereka yang 'islami' mengatakan cinta yang hakiki terbina atas dasar redha Allah, timbul rasa hairan bila bukan muslim, ramai yang bahagia dan gembira dengan keadaan rumah tangga mereka yang berpanjangan hingga ke anak cucu, bahkan cicit dan piut. Apakah pernikahan mereka bersandarkan ketaatan pada Allah, penyebab kebahagiaan berpanjangan? Mungkin sekali 'tidak' jawapannya. Pun begitu, tidak kunafikan, pentingnya kepatuhan pada syariat Allah itu dalam penentuan kebahagiaan sesebuah rumah tangga. Cuma kehairanan yang timbul mendesak jiwa mencari ubat menghilangkan resah di hati tatkala mahu mencari teman penyeri kehidupan. Kerana ku tak rela bercerai berai, membenci dan bermusuhan.

Kemudian hati menggamit perihal kemampuan diri. 'Financially', 'Emotionally' ,'Spiritually', adakah ku dah bersedia? Oh, mungkin ya dan mungkin tidak. Ini pun seringkali berubah-ubah. Bila 'angin panas' berlalu, semangat pun meningkat. Bila 'hujan' yang turun, diri pun turut sama mengecut. Apakah mungkin kubahagiakan seorang wanita yang bakal mengorbankan kemesraan di samping ahli keluarga kandung tercinta demi melayan kerenah SEORANG lelaki malas yang baru dikenali beberapa ketika? Mampukah kupenuhi segala keperluan wajib wanita itu disamping melayan kehendaknya yang pelbagai? Itu baru si isteri, belum lagi mertua dan ipar-duai. Kemudian, mampukah kuimbangi antara isteri, keluarga kandungku dan juga keluarga sang isteri? Oh, rumit. Belum masuk perihal anak-anak dan tugasan kerja serta keperluan sebagai seorang hamba di bumi ini.

Benar, soal agama adalah yang terbaik dalam memilih isteri. Tapi sebagai seorang insan biasa, masih kuinginkan wanita yang elok untuk kutatap, elok susur galur keturunannya serta baik perihal hartanya. Akan tetapi, adakah diriku ini cukup elok untuk menjadi seorang suami, baik perihal wajah dan 'physical appearance' diriku, keturunanku, harta kekayaanku serta agamaku? Luluskah diriku ini sekiranya ditapis dan dinilai oleh seorang gadis, serta sanak saudaranya? Pun menjadi punca bertambahnya keresahan.

Mungkin juga kutangguh segala rasa ini. Pendam mahupun buang. Sibukkan diri dengan akademik dan aktiviti. Hm..

"Kita tunggu dan lihat sahaja apa yang berlaku kelak"

Wassalam..

Pedoman Khutbah Aidilfitri

Assalamualaikum..

Ini adalah petikan dari khutbah AidilFitri di Surau An-Nur.

1. Memuji-muji Allah dengan pujian yang selayaknya bagi Dia, dipanjatkan setinggi-tinggi kesyukuran atas segala nikmatNya.

2. Tidak lupa akan mereka yang serba kekurangan..

3. Memaafkan, dan terus menerus membuang perasaan dengki, dendam dan sebagainya.

Hasil training dalam bulan ramadan pula perlu terus diamalkan.

1. Kekal dalam segala amal ibadah, terus memeriahkan surau/masjid

2. Doa dan berharap agar segala amalan diterima. Dan berharap agar disampaikan ke Ramadan yang mendatang.

Penghargaan kepada Majlis Agama Islam Kedah (MAIK).

Quit Smoking

Assalamualaikum..

Smoking seems to be common nowadays. We can always see people smoking anywhere at any given time, with exception to places with prohibitive rules. However, the trend is very disturbing. The numbers of heavy smokers increases, in addition to rise of woman smokers. Another bothering fact is the increasing amount of early youth smoking. There are cases whereby kids as young as 4 years old developing the symptoms of a heavy smoker. This is truly worrisome.


There's no need for explaination or description of the danger on smoking. Everybody knows that smoking is more harmful rather than beneficial. A lot of studies have been made prooving the idea. But, why do people keep on smoking? Have they ever tried to quit? Most of my friends who smoke admitted that they tried at least once. But there's no motivational support for them to do it. There are also cases that people quit smoking for others. For example, a number of nursing mothers will try their best to quit smoking because of their babies. But, not many fathers do that.


Thus, for smokers to quit smoking, there should be a very massive factor(s) pushing them to quit. This acts as motivational support for them. Most of the time, family concerns play major roles in ensuing the expected outcome of their effort. They will find it hard at first, but eventually they will succeed. On the other hand, those who always deny their ability to quit smoking, usually present excuses which sometimes indicates that they are not ready to abandon their habit yet. Therefore, it is essential that the third party individuals to evoke the public towards healthy lifestyle, focal to quit smoking. These involves the government, the healthcare service provider and others who do not directly interacting with smokers.


Campaigns can be done to provide input about quitting, whereas the others can impose prohibitive regulation on smoking in public spaces such as restaurants, shopping and leisure malls and sports facilities complex. This can always put on pressure to smokers.


In addition to that, full length support should be provided to individuals who decided to quit. Pharmacists have to play their role in suggesting the best way to reduce the tendency to smoke in the smokers. One way, is by introducing medication such as the nicotine patches to reduce the addictiveness towards nicotine which are found in cigarrettes. They also can always provide relevant advices to smokers and encourage them not to give up easily when on move to quit smoking. Perhaps, they can also suggest supportive methods to the relatives and close individuals to the person, so that the level of motivation is always at a heightened degree.

There is no certain limits on duration of action as different individuals may require variety of length and methods towards achieving successful, solid effort of quit smoking. But, the most crucial factor is that, everyone including the individual self have to have the strong determination and to have the idea of no-stop-until-success attitude. Godwill, the effort will bear success.

berakhirnya ramadan (hampir-hampir), munculnya syawal..

Assalamualaikum..

da 20 hari ramadan tahun ini berlalu. mari kita check diri kita.. mungkin ini situasi-situasi yang biasa kita terserempak saban hari di bulan ramadan...

ini dia awal-awal dulu..

yang ini pun sama...

ini antara kerenah-kerenah di bulan ramadan...

kemudian bagi mereka yang mahu...

dan pasti ramai yang ternanti-nanti yang ini...

cumanya...sejauh mana puasa kita? dan semeriah mana raya kita? ukurlah ia sendiri..

wassalam..

menarik: akademi ramadhan..

diambil dari laman blog Pemuda PAS Gombak