Can I carry pork?

I'm going to Korea again and a colleague there asked me to bring dried meat for her. At first I wasn't sure what kind of meat she meant. But I was pretty sure that she wanted the kind of meat that is not halal for me... which is pork.

So I asked another colleague to help me buy the meat since she was the one who introduced that dried meat to my Korean colleague. In the process, I wondered how I'm going to carry that meat. I think I can carry pork since I never heard any restrictions against carrying it. The restrictions are specifically against eating it. Unlike alcohol... we can't drink it, we can't eat it, we can't hold it, we can't carry it, we can't buy it, we can't serve it, we can't sell it... The last two, I saw a lot of muslims doing it. Maybe they don't sell it, but they are the cashiers at the supermarket. I wonder if they know the hukum...

Ok, back to my story...

I was in doubt, so I turned to an 'ustaz' friend of mine. His answer was clear and straightaway answered my question :)

Thank you Ipin...

* his answer, in Malay

*****

Membawa babi tidak haram. Membawa dengan niat untuk memberi makan kepada bukan Islam juga tidak haram. Yang haramnye ialah memakan babi. Itu je.. make sure kamu jaga kebersihan, sebab mende tu najis berat. Kalau pegang pun tak haram, cuma kena basuh dengan cara yang betul.

Berbanding dengan arak, ia telah dimaklumkan secara jelas di dalam hadis diharamkan segala yang melibatkannya.

Bacalah Al-Fatihah dengan khusyuk supaya tindakan kita di pandukan ke jalan yang lurus.

*****

Short, simple and straight to the point. That's why I always like to ask him...

So in conclusion, we muslims CAN carry pork. What we cannot do is eat it. But, please make sure you 'samak' properly afterwards.

Still I was a bit worry about having to carry the meat. I've never done anything like this. But... I am very fortunate to have understanding colleagues here... My team member will help me carry the meat since they know that pork is not halal for me. I am very much grateful :)

Please correct us if we are wrong.

An advice from Ipin * In Malay

Biasakan menghayati Al-Fatihah bila berdepan dengan perkara-perkara yang shubahah & meragukan.

Give it 6 months :)

In between master data loading for system go-live preparation... pre-load signoff, spinning eyes, postload signoff, spinning eyes, data verification, spinning eyes, data correction, spinning eyes, error identification, spinning eyes... heheheeee...

Today, I just want to share a proven fact, based on my own experience... my friend in HR once told me that it will take at least 6 months for anyone to adjust to a new working environment. That is why most companies apply a 6 months probation period. However, what I found out is that this is not specific to adjusting to working responsibilities. It also applies to working relationship, friendship, personal relationship... this concept applies to all aspect of life :)

Adjusting to the new responsibilities is not as hard as adjusting to the new people around us, don't you think?

Usually, in the beginning when I get myself into a new environment, I'll complaint... many or not, depending on the people and the nature of the work... but after a while the complaints becomes lesser and lesser. Perhaps things has gotten better, I've gotten good at what I do, the people has improved... most importantly, perhaps I have improved... I manage to adjust to the new environment and to the people around me.

It takes time, but we have to do what we have to do... eventually, things will not be as hard as it used to.

I admit that some people will not make things easier... they are just plain stubborn and egoistic and 'bodoh sombong' and 'perasan bagus'... heheheeee... in this case, please go to the proper channel to express your feelings. Get advice on what can be done to handle this kind of person. DO NOT talk bad things about your colleagues to another colleagues, especially if you're not sure whether it is safe to do so. Because words get around... you don't want to be in more trouble than you already are.

So next time you have a bad impression or problems with new colleagues, give it a few month before you make up your mind about that person. Remember, it takes at least 6 months to adjust.

As for me, things has gotten better... I understand about the people that I work with even though they are very different in most things. I understand now that, sometimes they don't mean to be difficult, only that they don't know how to make things 'easy'... in addition to that, each and everyone of us has a different definition of 'easy'... it's not easy to comply to each standard.

I'm right, right?

Like what experts always say, the key to a good relationship is communication. Sometime and to some people, this is not an easy thing to do, but then again... we have to do what we have to do.

I hope what I share today is useful...

Have a successful life everyone!

A dispute? Really?

Tight schedule, hardly have any time to blog… but I have something to say about the current ‘steamy’ affairs in my country. 2010 kicking off to a bad start… Can I expect to see a bright light for the rest of this year? Blurryyyy…

A religious dispute between Islam & Christian… over the court decision to allow Catholic weekly 'The Herald' to use the term ‘Allah’ in its Bahasa Malaysia section, that's what I understand about this issue from Malaysiakini. Different religions in Malaysia have been living together for more than just 52 years... now we’re having disputes? Very unlikely. This smells very fishy… at least to me.

Q1: How can our court make this decision? Can’t they see that this kind of problems will surface? Are they really making decisions based on only facts? In this case, I think what court should have done is to advise the affected religions to sit together and have a discussion first. I can’t help but wonder... can we rely on our court to make sound decisions?

Q2: On the attacks on churches around KL. I honestly believe that ‘someone’ out there is planning on a veryyyyyyy bad & sneaky game. I feel like, the incident that happened that made me cancelled my Jogja trip, was kind of a game to test us from the outside. Now, they are trying to play with us from the inside.

I sound like someone who’s afraid to face the truth, but putting my ‘criminal minds’ hat on, I think I’m right (so perasannn…) Seriously, don’t dismiss this possibility.

So, what I want to urge those who happened to read my blog, let’s say that they are trying to play us, we must refuse to be a puppet in their game.

Let’s say I’m wrong… and those people who attacked the churches and say that they did it for ‘Islam’, all I have to say is, how dare you? How dare you tarnish the name of Islam? Igniting fights when Islam itself means peace?

To all of us, think with our heads and our hearts. Don’t get carried away with what we read or hear in the news. We’re wayyyy smarter than what 'they' think... whoever 'they' are... *wink*

PEACE!

A closing & An Opening...

If time was a character in X-men, I think it will be QuickSilver as 2009 swoooooshed by me so amazingly fast. It feels like only a few months ago since I wrote 'Happy 2009 y'all'...

Half of 2009 was a very busy period in my work life and I didn't really balanced my life & work fairly. In the case of 2009, work won. The things I did in 2009, the result can only be seen in 2010. I'm hoping I'll manage to make them all a reality. I'm praying hard...

Anyway, some notes on 2009... nothing important, just me mumbling away :)

Best movie of 2009: My vote --> STAR TREK. Followed closely by AVATAR. By the way, have you watched AVATAR? Amazing... great effects, beautiful imaginary planet... and as always, Sam Worthington is so yummy... hahahaaaaa...

Best tv series of 2009: CRIMINAL MINDS. I love this series because it feels like the FBI team make the case personal, as if the crime happened to themselves. Plus, I feel like I can be a part of that team... hehehee... me & my tv life :P Then, I also enjoy NAVY:NCIS because the team is so cool. But, ever since Special Agent Caitlin Todd & Special Agent Paula Cassidy no longer in the series, I don't eagerly wait for this show anymore... and then, MERLIN. A light story and perfect for Sunday night. The story is funny, heartwarming, sweet, sometimes romantic and the prince is a prince... plus, it always has a happy ending and good will always overcome evil. This is what I like about this series. It gives out hopes :)

What I didn't write about when it happened but wanted to, was about the marriage of an 'Islamic' couple, both in entertainment industry. I shouldn't care and I normally didn't care whenever it comes to what those entertainers do in their private lives. But these two, are 'Islamic' and I'm pretty sure they still are... If you asked me, is it wrong that they got married to each other? I would say, no. But, what is wrong were the things that happened in the process. The 'ustaz' didn't behave like an ustaz and he certainly didn't act like one. Why does this pissed me off? Because this top the list of what is wrong in our society right now. If an 'Islamic' person behave 'UnIslamic', what can we expect from muslims that are unIslamic? This is very, very disappointing.

The last saddest thing happened almost at the end of 2009, was the accident of a passenger express bus, that claimed 10 lives. It was very very sad indeed. I feel the sadness of the victims' family... The lost of beloved children, parents, fiance... so heartbreaking... But, somehow I also feel the sadness of the bus driver. If the bus driver was on drugs or he usually was a wreckless driver or anything, I wouldn't pity him. But, because he was sleepy and his eyes were shut for one or two seconds... I couldn't imagine the guilt he feels... thus, I find it hard to blame him 100%.

We're all drivers too, right? We know, driving long distance at night is not easy. Especially in Perak where at certain point, the road is hilly & curvy. Plus, highways in our country can be very dark for a long stretch at one time. When it is dark, it is easier to be sleepy. All this time, government has come out with law & guidelines for express bus operators in order to reduce fatal accidents. All involves bus drivers & maintainence of the vehicles. I think this time, we should also look at the conditions of our highways. Putting up additional street lights would be a good start. This is just an opinion from one, tiny (not so 'tiny') person... but, no harm looking into this suggestion right?

To those reporters out there... why are you keep asking 'How do you feel?' to the families of the victims? This question popped out everytime... What kind of answer are you guys expecting????

And then, another sensation for the closing of 2009. The lost of not one, but two engines of the airforce jets. What a joke... a thing that big can be stolen, or get lost? Those engines belonged to the military, people with highest security, I assume... People can steal from them? Something is terribly wrong somewhere... Small fish can steal something that big? I don't think so! All I want to say to these dishonest people, 'the small and the big fish'... you think you can become purely rich from stealing? Maybe financially yes, you can... but inside you're still so poor. Maybe you don't care if you're poor inside as long as you're financially rich. But, you can only not care while you're still breathing on earth. One day, you will be served with the truth...

2009 in my country didn't end so well, I would say.

Let's hope for a much better year in 2010.

So, Happy 2010 y'all. My wish to all of you... May all the success, happiness, bliss & love be yours.

An ending note, a quote from 'Ducky' of Navy: NCIS':

"An ethical person knows that he shouldn't steal but a moral person actually wouldn't"

Never sway away from moral values...

Have a great year! XOXO :)