Unsur-Unsur Tradisi dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia (1985) oleh Tun Mohd Salleh Abas, Book Review

Mendiang Mohd Salleh Abas (1929-2021) ialah bekas Ketua Hakim Negara ke-6 dari tahun 1984 yang dahulunya sangat heboh dengan berita tentang pemecatan beliau secara mengejut pada tahun 1988 "tanpa mengikut prosedur oleh Perdana Menteri keempat, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad susulan krisis Perlembagaan 1987" (dipetik daripada Utusan Malaysia). Sebelum ini, saya tidak pernah mengenal atau mendengar apa-apa tentang beliau sehinggalah saya membaca buku ini. Buku ini sangat padat, jelas dan sesuai untuk pembaca seperti saya yang berminat tetapi kurang pengetahuan tentang undang-undang asas di Malaysia (mungkin dahulu semasa belajar Sejarah adalah tahu sedikit tetapi sudah banyak lupa).

Apakah yang dimaksudkan dengan "unsur-unsur tradisi" dalam Perlembagaan? Menurut Mohd Salleh, "Perkara-perkara yang boleh digolong sebagai 'perkara tradisi' dengan erti kata bahawa perkara-perkara ini telah pun diamalkan lama sebelum pemerintahan penjajah British di Tanah Melayu. Ia telah melalui beberapa perkembangan perlembagaan dan pembangunan politik yang turun-temurun dan akhirnya dikekalkan dalam Perlembagaan sekarang." Unsur-unsur ini ialah:

1) Kesultanan atau Pemerintahan Beraja
2) Agama Islam
3) Bahasa Melayu
4) Kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu

Pendahuluan untuk bab yang terakhir dalam buku ini menyimpulkan isi kandungan penulisan dan penerangan Mohd Salleh tentang topik ini dengan cukup jelas sekali: "Unsur-unsur tradisi yang telah diterangkan di atas hampir-hampir selari dengan definasi 'Melayu' iaitu 'seorang yang menganuti agama Islam, lazim bercakap bahasa Melayu dan menurut adat istiadat Melayu.' Perlembagaan memperuntukkan agama Islam sebagai agama bagi Persekutuan, yang sebenarnya ialah agama orang Melayu. Perlembagaan memperuntukkan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa Kebangsaan bagi Persekutuan, yang juga merupakan bahasa orang Melayu. Dan terutamanya, Perlembagaan juga memperuntukkan Raja-raja Melayu sebagai Ketua Persekutuan dan Ketua semua Negeri Melayu. Institusi pemerintahan beraja Melayu ialah asas adat istiadat Melayu. Maka dengan demikian dapat dikatakan bahawa unsur-unsur ini melambangkan satu ciri yang melaluinya Perlembagaan boleh dikenali."

Selepas saya membaca beberapa aspek daripada tiap-tiap satu unsur ini, saya lebih menghargai kenapa orang Melayu (terutamanya dari Semenanjung Malaysia) sangat bersemangat dan lantang bersuara tentang hak-hak dan keistimewaan mereka. Saya juga melihat betapa pentingnya unsur-unsur ini harus dikekalkan bagi menjaga kestabilan dan keamanan di Malaysia walaupun kurang bersetuju dengan bagaimana sesetengah pihak (lebih-lebih lagi ahli-ahli politik dan agama yang) mentafsirnya diluar konteks bagi menjaga kepentingan sendiri. Sebagai seorang bumiputera bukan Melayu dari Sarawak, saya menutup buku ini dengan satu persoalan: Sejauh mana unsur-unsur ini mempengaruhi undang-undang di Sarawak sekarang?

Untuk membaca ulasan-usalan dan/atau ringkasan-ringkasan buku lain yang telah saya baca, KLIK DI SINI

#LeadersAreReaders #ServeToLead #PerlembagaanMalaysia #AgamaIslam #BahasaMalaysia #OrangMelayu #Kesultanan #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Which Wolf Will You Feed TODAY? #LeadersAreReaders November 2022

A familiar story but let me put a twist on it. An old man is teaching his grandson about reading good books. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy, "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One holds ignorance, sameness, comfort, passivity, laziness, distraction, and impatient. The other loves knowledge, new ideas, creativity, imagination, empathy, and good thinking."

"One is trying its best to make excuses not to read books. The other knows the magical potential of reading good books. One says, 'Someday'. The other says, 'Today.' The same fight is going on inside you and every other person too," says the old wise man. The grandson asks, "Which wolf will win?" Pointing his finger to his heart and then to his white-grey hair head, "It's the one you feed."

Which wolf will you feed TODAY? Mark Twain said this: “The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the fellow who can't read them.” I think it's okay if you don't read books, there are other ways of learning and improving yourself. But you might miss out on a lot of things. The world is moving forward so fast, so hectic, and so rushing. I believe the way to smartness and peace is by slowing down, stepping back a little, and pausing time by reading good books. Have you ever wondered why God gives us The Book a.k.a. The Bible instead of graphic manga, smartphone, YouTube videos, and audio recordings? The main means of His communication is the BOOK. Woff! Woff!

#ServeToLead #ReadersAreReaders #FeedTheRightWolf #TheBook #SlowingDown #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Disappearing Act: The Impossible Case of MH370 (Mudlark, 2021) by Florence de Changy, Book Review

I checked the internet, how much can I quote from a book without permission? The answer is various from which sources and publications. On average, less than 300 words is safe, I estimate. Let me take the risk, assume ignorance, and quote this book at length without giving the gist and juice of the book that we - reasonable Malaysians and perhaps the majority of informed people in the world - don't already know: "The key to a successful disappearance is diversion: grab the audience's attention and make them look elsewhere while you execute your sleight of hand. If MH370's 'disappearance' is indeed a sleight of hand on a massive scale, there has been a fantastic simultaneous effort of diversion, and seemingly more than one.

"The world's media has been complicit in the affair, mostly passively, by not questioning enough, and occasionally actively, by spreading unchecked, erroneous, or false information. Public opinion is not and is not supposed to be, that gullible. Everyone knows the MH370 story does not add up. Everyone knows a Boeing 777, possibly the safest plane in the history of civil aviation does not disappear without a trace in one of the most politically sensitive regions of the planet. So rather than being incredible, the official narrative is simply not credible. Yet the idea that we are being blatantly cheated by the governments we are supposed to trust is so uncomfortable and so problematic that, for the sake of our mental comfort, we choose to look elsewhere and welcome any alternative explanation, including one that makes no sense and falsely accuses a decent man of being a mass murderer" (Taken from Epilogue: The Disappearing Act, page 345-346)

To quote Ms. Changy again and as she always said in all of her interviews [check YouTube] sometimes casually, sometimes frustrate, "To me, claiming that Flight MH370 could have disappeared sounded like an insult to human intelligence." I agree wholeheartedly by underlining this phrase in the book with a 1.5mm black ink pen! Reading this book near Malaysia's 15th General Election is adding to my already lack of truth in the government. By the way, I enjoy reading Ms. Changy's 400+ pages of investigative journalism and gripping account of one of the most profound mysteries of the 21st century (although the word 'mystery' is unnecessary because there are people who knew!). I like that she provided as many facts as possible (of course, sometimes I questioned her sources), outline the incident well, explain some alternative scenarios, when into the testimonies of the families of missing passengers, interviewed interesting people, and quite a vast knowledge on current political situations, military arrangements and some aviation technical lingo (which I have to admit my limited comprehension in this area).

As any journalist would do, as much as she wanted to be objective, she is not without personal biases and interpretations. Read this book not with an open mind but with a critical mind. Focus on the obvious and always ask good and right questions. This is one of the lessons I learned from Ms. Changy. Because only with good and right questions we can get answers. Although, with MH370, it may take some time. As my favorite childhood TV series, The X-Files tagline says, "The truth is out there." Buy this book!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheDisappearingAct #MH370 #FlorenceDeChangy #CurrentAffair #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Education, Free & Compulsory (1999) by Murray N. Rothbard, Book Review

 Education, Free & Compulsory (1999) by Murray N. Rothbard, audiobook

Murray N. Rothbard, an influential American historian, natural law theorist, and economist of the Austrian School who helped define modern libertarianism*, in this short book (66 pages only and audiobook 2 hours 35 minutes), explores the history of compulsory schooling in Europe and especially in the United States. I find that the main ideas and concerns in this book are interesting although I have to keep in mind that my context is Asia or Malaysia in particular not Western countries. But it seems that, in terms of education, we almost always facing the same problem: our educational system, if not seriously reformed, is doomed to fail. For the past few weeks, I’ve been listening to an excellent podcast series by BFM radio called Malaysia’s Education Challenges with a focus on Malaysia’s Education Blueprint (MEB). As I reflect on what has been discussed in this series and Rothbard’s thoughts in this book, I cannot help but agree that we should seriously rethink public schooling. More than ever I observe that our educational system, instead of for the betterment of individuals and communities, has become very burdensome for the students, parents, and teachers and continues to be used to impose political, racial, and religious agendas or ideologies. Through the misuse of formal education, dictatorship can be disguised as democracy. Beware!

There are three (3) short but powerful chapters in this book, namely, 1) The Individual’s Education; 2) Compulsory Education in Europe; 3) Compulsory Education in the United States. There are half-a-dozen ideas that are worth considering such as the importance of individual or homeschooling, the function of the parents and the state (government) in child education, the history and philosophy of compulsory education, the shadow of ‘citizen control’, the influence of religious (particularly by Calvinism in Europe) reformation, the demons of Fascism, Nazism, and Communism. There are things that I don’t agree with, don’t understand, and don’t care much about. The most essential read, in my opinion, is the first half of Chapter 1: The Individual’s Education because regardless of our context and background, race and nationality, it deals with our universal human need and uniqueness. Rothbard writes:

“[The] entire process of growing up, of developing all the facets of a man’s personality, is his education. It is obvious that a person acquires his education in all activities of his childhood; all his waking hours are spent in learning in one form or another. It is clearly absurd to limit the term ‘education’ to a person’s formal schooling. He is learning all the time. He learns and forms ideas about other people, their desires, and actions to achieve them, the world and the natural laws that govern it; and his own ends, and how to achieve them. He formulates ideas on the nature of man, and what his own and others’ ends should be in light of this nature. This is a continual process, and it is obvious that formal schooling constitutes only an item in this process. In a fundamental sense, as a matter of fact, everyone is ‘self-educated.’ A person’s environment, physical or social, does not ‘determine’ the ideas and knowledge with which he will emerge as an adult. It is a fundamental fact of human nature that a person’s ideas are formed for himself; others may influence them, but none can determine absolutely the ideas and values which the individual will adopt or maintain through life.”

If you’re interested to dive further into this subject, you can get this ebook and audiobook for FREE at https://mises.org/library/education-free-and-compulsory-1 #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

*Libertarianism: a political philosophy that advocates only minimal state intervention in the free market and the private lives of citizens.

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Lima (5) Cara untuk Menyambut Hari Merdeka 2021

1) HARGAI SEJARAH. Dulu saya langsung tidak peduli dan menghargai sejarah Malaysia tetapi apabila saya sudah berkerjaya dan memasuki pelayanan, saya mendapati bahawa sejarah banyak mempengaruhi bagaimana kita berfikir, bergaul, berkomunikasi dan mengenal identiti sesama kita. Sumber terbaik untuk mengetahui sejarah Malaysia - dan isu-isu semasa - ialah melalui buku-buku yang diterbitkan oleh Gerakbudaya (https://www.gerakbudaya.com). Selain itu, dokumentari seperti Road to Nationhood: Formation of Malaysia juga sangat membantu (https://youtu.be/WP3NsJVU-78). Tak kenal Malaysia maka tak cinta.

2) MENGUBAH MINDSET. Syukur kepada TUHAN Allah kerana kebanyakkan kita tidak perlu pergi berperang untuk mendapatkan kemerdekaan. Tabik dan hormat penghargaan kepada para pejuang kita dahulu! Namun begitu, kemerdekaan sebenar ialah holistik termasuk dari segi minda atau mindset. Lirik rap Joe Flizzow dalam lagu Negaraku sangat cun: "Nak merdeka dijasad harus bebas diakal." Apabila ada isu* yang melibatkan keutamaan dan kepentingan sesama kita timbul, salah satu mindset yang penting ialah ini: I am Malaysian first, then my race or tribe second (*bergantung kepada konteks).

3) KURANGKAN SIKAP PERKAUMAN. Saya memahami sesetengah orang yang optimistik yang mengatakan bahawa mereka ada sifar (zero) sikap perkauman. Namun begitu, ianya mustahil. TIADA seorang pun yang langsung tidak ada prejudis dan stereotaip. Apa yang kita boleh buat ialah mengakui bahawa kita ada sikap itu, memiliki kesedaran apabila kita bersikap begitu dan hari demi hari cuba mengurangkan sikap itu. Berkawan dan berkomunikasi dengan orang daripada pelbagai kaum ialah cara yang ideal untuk melakukan semua ini. Tetapi oleh kerana kita sekarang berdepan dengan isu pendamik, jadi, empat cara lain yang disenaraikan di sini boleh membantu.

4) BERDOA BAGI NEGARA. Yesus Kristus berfirman: "Kasihilah musuhmu dan doakan orang yang menganiayamu" (Matius 5:44). Jika kamu marah kepada musuh kamu, cuba kamu berdoa sesuatu yang baik untuk dia. Bolehkah kamu kekal marah dan terus berdoa? Tidak! Malah, kasih mulai timbul. Begitu juga, kita mungkin pasrah, kecewa dan marah tentang apa yang terjadi dalam negara kita sekarang. Berdoa. Berdoa untuk para pemimpin, keadaan & isu-isu semasa dan kebajikan seluruh rakyat Malaysia. Bagi orang Kristian, ebook The 40-Days Fast & Prayer 2021 (https://www.necf.org.my/index.cfm?&menuid=200&parentid=144) boleh membantu kita untuk mendapatkan perkara-perkara doa bagi Malaysia.

5) BUKA & TUTUP MULUT. Penjelasan ini mudah tapi sukar dilakukan oleh kerana sifat manusia. Jika ada perkara yang melibatkan keadilan, kebenaran dan mempertahankan orang yang lemah, kita harus berani membuka suara dan bertindak atau melakukan sesuatu. Bukan hanya merungut, jadi keyboard warrior atau mahu going viral tapi benar-benar terbeban. Sebaliknya, tutup mulut. Jika tidak ada apa-apa yang baik, jelas, membina atau benar-benar penting untuk diperkatakan. Ataupun tangguhkan respon dahulu dan berfikir sebelum bersuara. Malaysia boleh berpecah lebih cepat melalui konflik dalaman berbanding dengan pengaruh secara luaran. Bukankah itu yang kita lihat dalam 'drama' politik negara?

#ServeToLead #SelamatHariMerdeka #MalaysiaYangTercinta

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Beyond AD 2000: A Call to Evangelical Faithfulness (1999) by Hwa Yung, Book Review

Beyond AD 2000: A Call to Evangelical Faithfulness (1999) by Hwa Yung

This is an essay by Bishop Emeritus Dr. Hwa Yung, when he was a principle of Seminari Theologi Malaysia (STM), addressing his concern for the Malaysian Church, especially the evangelicals, to “be the ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘light of the world’, to bear witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit in word and deed, and to proclaim to all humanity that the gospel ‘is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes.’” This essay was first written in a shorter form around 1994 and expanded into a longer essay in 1999 outlines six (6) agendas for evangelicals in Malaysia as he looked ahead toward the year 2000 and beyond. Bishop’s knowledge of the history of the evangelical movement is admirable. It shows clearly in Chapter 2: Evangelical Strengths and Weaknesses before he dives into the main issues. I have to admits that the cover and the title of this essay are unattractive (dear publisher, sorry), so it takes years for me to grab it and read (now you know how important is a first impression, right?). But when I take a second look at the table of contents, I was struck by the urgency and relevancy of the agendas that Bishop was so concerned about 22 years ago. Here are the first three agendas and my comments on each:

Agenda One: The Primacy of Scripture. The first strength of the historic evangelicalism was the sola scriptura (Scripture alone) principle. “Yet,” Hwa Yung observes, “there are clear signs that evangelicals in Malaysia are losing their grip on the primacy of Scripture in their life and ministry.” I agree. I’m a bookworm. In Malaysia or Sarawak to be exact, there are very few bookstores. And sadder still is that there are very rare Christian bookstores. And if you find one or two, you’ll be amazed by the kind of books that are available. “The books that really sell are those centered on experience, rather than on the Word.” The author said that this is a reflection of the spiritual state of our own churches. I would like to add: the decline of reading habits among Malaysian Christians nowadays is a sure correlation with the decline of reading Scripture for themselves. If Scripture is not read, then, the primacy of Scripture is non-existence. Besides that, “many Christians appear to accept rather uncritically the misleading and wrong teachings that have been often meted out to them, supposedly from the Bible.” Careless interpretation of Scripture as one of the products of liberal Christianity also contributes to the problem. Hwa Yung's advice is first, we must strongly emphasize again the sola scriptura principle today; secondly, we must make every effort to master God’s Word and be mastered by it; and thirdly, teach it properly and faithful to God’s people.

Agenda Two: The Holy Spirit and Revival. “The second great strength of evangelicalism has been its recognition of the place the Holy Spirit plays in bringing new life to the individual and revival to the church.” It seems to me, as a Borneoan, the East Malaysian churches here are very into the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the yearning for revival in our land. The good side of these emphasizes is that our understanding of Christianity should not just be about knowledge but also experience. But there are dangers too such as extremism, triumphalism, and anti-intellectualism. Added with the lack of the primacy of Scripture, our churches are exposed to the heresies of the hyper-charismatic, the prosperity gospel, and false teachings in general. Thus, we need to “hold Spirit and God’s Word together in proper harmony.” I have a copy of Colin Whittaker’s Great Revivals (1984) where he reviews revivals from the days of the great awakening under Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and John Wesley, right up to the thrilling move of the Holy Spirit in Communist China. One thing I noticed is that the inseparable partnership of Spirit and Word that gave birth to genuine revivals. What God has joined together, let no one separate! At the end of this chapter, Bishop encourages this reader to learn from Asian Christian leaders of the past such as Sadhu Sundar Singh, John Sung, and Petrus Octavianus. Why? Because they, in his opinion, “combined outstanding demonstrations of signs and wonders in their ministries with a strong biblical stress on the holiness of character and sacrificial living.” Not to mention, as exemplified by one of my heroes Dr. John Sung, they were also Bibline. 

Agenda Three: Evangelism And Cross-Cultural Missions. This agenda is kind of obvious. What is being an evangelical if not engage in evangelism? But don’t be surprised that many Malaysian churches today, especially the natives in my view, have neglected the mandate to proclaim the gospel (Greek, euangelion, means good news) to the world. Most of the Christian events that I’ve seen nowadays are very inward focus, rarely do I see about witnessing to the unbelievers or the challenge to the mission. We need to commit ourselves again to the Great Commission as commanded - NOT suggested - by our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20. “The first is the work of evangelism within our own country,” equips Hwa Yung, “The second is the work of cross-cultural missions overseas.” One question that stuck with me that the Bishop asked is this: “Are we really serious?” You and I might see the importance of this agenda but are we really serious about doing it? Do my finance, choices, and ministry agree with it? This chapter is an easy read but hard to swallow. The author gave the example of the Nestorian Church of Persia, despite the pressures and persecution it faced, during the early part of the 8th century up to the 14th, the church was the most powerful missionary force in the whole Christian world. Reason being? “Strong evidence exists to suggest that it was the missionary spirit of the church which fed back into the life of the mother church in Persia, to constantly renew its vitality, and turned it outwards instead of inwards as it did elsewhere. In other words, because it was willing to give life to others, it was itself given new life.”

Agenda Four: Social Responsibility In God’s World; Agenda Five: Personal Holiness And Christian Character; and Agenda Six: The Heart of the Gospel - The Cross. Again, although this essay was written about 22 years ago, the agendas that Bishop Hwa Yung outlines here are still reverent and all the more urgent for today to call us to evangelical faithfulness. I’ve been blessed by the message and am grateful for the reminder. I wish he would revisit this essay and write a full book about it with new materials, updates, and exclusively aim for the Malaysian church. He did a condensed version of his earlier book, Mangoes Or Banana? The Quest for an Authentic Asian Christian Theology (1997), to Toward an Asian Theology (2020), so it is possible, right? Come on Bishop!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #EvangelicalFaithfulness #BishopHwaYung #MalaysianChurch #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009) by Ken Robinson, Ph.D, Book Review

The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009)

by Ken Robinson, Ph.D. (with Lou Aronica)

"My aim in writing [this book]," writes the late Sir Robinson (1950 - 2020) in the introduction, "is to offer a richer vision of human ability and creativity and of the benefits to us all of connecting properly with our individual talents and passions." This aim resonates with my own belief and probably that was why I bought the book when I first saw it (or subconsciously I was influenced by his most popular TED talk of all time, Do Schools Kill Creativity? Check out his other TED talks too). As a student of the Word of God and a temporary citizen of the world, I firmly believe in the depths of human depravity and at the same time, I have a high view of human ability and potential. The lens of which I read this book is from the Biblical worldview but let me write this review from the humanistic worldview as it is written.

What is the Element? Sir Robinson defines it as "the place where the things we love to do and the things we are good at come together." I find that this concept is not unique. For example, Jim Collins' The Hedgehog Concept consists of these two factors and another one, namely, what drives your economic engine. And the Japanese Ikigai is more detailed which consists of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. But what makes Ken's Element interesting is that - besides its simplicity - it takes a holistic approach not just from an individual perspective (like Ikigai) or from the business standpoint (like Jim Collin's Good To Great) but the discovery of the Element will not only makes us more fulfilled "but because, as the world evolves, the very future of our communities and institutions will depend on it." In The Afterword, he is making a good case about this. Of all the inspiring stories told in the book about how people like Richard Branson, Paul McCartney, Arianna Huffington, Paulo Coelho, etc. from very different backgrounds and circumstances found their Elements and self-help antidotes permeate throughout the pages (I love the chapters on Think Differently, Beyond Imagining, Finding Your Tribe & What Will They Think?), one subject that sparks my most interest is on EDUCATION (the last chapter Making the Grade focus on this).

"Many of the people we've met in this book didn't do well at school, or at least didn't enjoy being there," emphasized Sir Robinson. "Of course, many people do well in their schools and love what they have to offer. But too many graduate or leave early, unsure of their real talents and not knowing what direction to take next. Too many think they're not good at anything." This is exactly the problem that I see in most of the education systems in the world today especially in Malaysia. In school and university, I was an average student based on the system standards. My teachers think I'm smart at mathematics because I get an A and dumb in English because I get a D but in my job now it doesn't require my math skill to succeed but my ability to communicate well that is more important. My parents gave me approval when I get a B+ for history and disappointed when I get a C for science but as it turns out I'm more interested in the wonder of science now than the history lessons of Kesultanan Melayu Melaka. I studied civil engineering in the university to secure a good future vocation but God ends up calling me to be in the full-time Christian ministry. I appreciate every experience and education that I've learned when I was in school and university but truth be told I only discover my Element - what I love to do and the things that I'm good at - years after I left that 'cage' and enter the real world.

I'm not anti-education (as you can see from the volume and variety of interests that I have and the books that I read) but I'm against standardizing education. "One size does not fit all," said the author. For example, in school, the measure of our smartness or intelligence is based on our test or exam results. If you have a good memory, are very intellectual, and know the 'right' answers, you will definitely get good grades. But human intelligence is not limited to knowledge-based or one-right-answer for everything. Our human intelligence, explains Sir Robinson, is extraordinarily diverse, tremendously dynamic, and entirely distinctive (or unique). The question we should ask is not "How intelligent are you?" which suggest limitation but "How are you intelligent?" which suggest many possibilities. By schooling standard, culinary arts is probably the secondary subject (if any) but look at what Datuk Chef Wan has accomplished and sports or PJK may be seen as a recreational subject but see what Pandelela Rinong has become. Both of them have discovered their Elements in the less known (or order of importance) subjects in school. How about others who have these talents too but are unable to express them because they are stuck in a mathematics group study, language class, and science tuition to get good grades at school which may or may not be relevant to them in the ever-changing future?

"The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed - it needs to be transformed." Sir Robinson continues: "The key to this transformation is not to standardize education but to personalize it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions. The key is to embrace the core principles of the Element. Some of the most invigorating and successful innovations in education around the world illustrate the real power of this approach." Yes, I agree wholeheartedly! There are other gems and aha moments that I get from this book. I haven't mentioned another subject that I'm very interested in, namely, CREATIVITY. But enough for me to say: if you're still in search of your Element and you want to be inspired and if you are in the business of helping others to discover their Elements, read this book!

[Note: There is a follow-up book after this one, Finding Your Element: How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life (2014). I suggest, if you already read The Element, you don't need to read this one because the contents are apparently not that good. Average. Just find his keynotes and talks on this subject online. Try YouTube videos.]

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'Every Malaysian who doesn't read a book during MCO will be compound RM10,000' #1Book1Week May 2021

When I went to book fairs, I realize that people buy books with the best intentions. They (me included) honestly 'intend' to read them when they pay the cashier. But let's face it, people are busier than ever today. Things come up. Life happens. And before they know it, the day almost end, month have changed, they're exhausted. "Richard, I simply don't have time to read," I heard this statement over and over again.

Think of it this way: What if the Malaysian government passed a law (how about the highest priority of SOP?) that would give RM1 million cash to every citizen who would read 15 minutes per day for one year? Do you think most people would suddenly TAKE the time to read? Would you? Unless you're having a chronic disease of laziness, of course, you would! You would rearrange your priorities to include reading in your daily agendas and perhaps kick out or reduce your idle times in social media.

Now, notice I wrote you could TAKE more time - not MAKE more time. The truth is we have all been given by God 24 hours a day (although the measurements of time are human inventions). No more, no less. You don't have to read one book every week or even one book every month, follow your own pace (this is not a race), and stick to the discipline for at least 15 minutes per day until you get into the habit. Slowly, increase your speed and widen your read. TAKE time to read. Andrew Carnegie puts it this way: "A man's reading program should be as carefully planned as his daily diet, for that too is food, without which he cannot grow mentally."

Come to think about it, I think it's a good idea if the government imposes another MCO SOP besides the usual like using your mask, check the temperature, stay at home... Why don't add, "Every Malaysian who doesn't read a book during MCO will be compound RM10,000"? Good idea, right? ��������� #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #15MinutesPerDay #PersonalGrowth #ThePowerOfReading #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

Btw, here are my #1Book1Week for May 2021 ��� If you have read any of these books or just wanted to discuss and ask me about them, just chat with me below yeah:

1) Unplugged: How to Live Mindfully in a Digital World (2014) by Orianna Fielding. CLICK HERE

2) This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn To See (2018) by Seth Godin. CLICK HERE

3) Happiness Is A Choice: The Symptoms, Causes, and Cures of Depression (2007) by Frank Minirth. CLICK HERE

4) The Ultimate Prescription: What the Medical Profession Isn't Telling You (2010) by Dr. James L. Marcum, MD. CLICK HERE

5) #1Book1Week Monthly Lists. CLICK HERE

 
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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The Ultimate Prescription: What the Medical Profession Isn't Telling You (2010) by Dr. James L. Marcum, BOOK REVIEW

The Ultimate Prescription: What the Medical Profession Isn't Telling You (2010)

by Dr. James L. Marcum, MD (with Charles Mills)

It's hard for me to ignore this: when the vaccines available for the public, I observe many people are eager to get shots for themselves and their loved ones. Try to get themselves and family members to register online and when the website jammed, they tenaciously try and try again. "Don't give up," a mantra that I read in one of my WhatsApp groups. Then when it's time for them to take the shot, people don't mind driving early in the morning, some even from miles away and very patiently queuing the long lines. There is no laziness, very few complaints, and little need for crowd control. But something is missing here: the same eagerness doesn't apply to most people's lifestyle when it comes to physical exercise, eating right, and mental health. It seems we are more concerned with which vaccines are the best but we are ignorant about how we treat our God-given bodies, minds, and spirits.

According to the World Population Review 2019, Malaysia has the highest prevalence of obesity among adults in South-East Asia at 15.6% (the 'fattest' country in Asia). According to the WHO, the top killer in Malaysia in 2014 was coronary heart disease (still is all around the world). The most recent epidemiological data, published in 2015 by the Malaysian Ministry of Health, identified that the prevalence of mental disorders among adults was 29% (that's about 3 in 10 people). Add these data with the effects of the pandemic and the stress of quarantines, we are doom if we don't take care of our health. Dr. James Marcum, in the back cover, argues that many of the diseases sending us to doctors' offices, surgical suites, and early graves are PREVENTABLE - and we don't need to be over-medicated (not anti-medicine) to cure them. "The painful truth is that we give the disease to ourselves by the choices we make over a lifetime. We create the chronic condition that brings about the acute event by placing endless stressors on our systems - stressors that eventually do us in."

Dr. James is a behavioral cardiologist, so he outlines many good scientific evidence to back up his claims, share lots of experience with his patients to authenticate his observations, and unapologetically tackle dozen of deadly misconceptions around us today. At the same time, he writes this book from a Christian perspective and believes that although modern medicines and technologies have done so much to combat the symptoms of diseases, only God, the Great Physician, through His Word (The Bible, 'owner's manual' as he called it), is the true source of healing. By gleaning truths from the Creation Story - Genesis chapter 1 to 3 - Dr. James skillfully let us see that God had already revealed His 'Health Plan' for us that is consistent with scientific findings. Perhaps I have issues with how he interprets some texts, but overall, he is theologically (but not a theologian) sound. Besides all the usual but often neglect natural ways to increase good health, he also highlights the spiritual aspect of love and worship. As cheesy as it may sound, this remains true: "Love [of God and with one another] is the solution to our global health care dilemma. Love opens the door for us to rediscover the ultimate prescription and find healing for our minds, bodies, and spirits. Love is the ultimate treatment. It's the final step to a full, long-lasting recovery" ❤ 
#LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #TheUltimatePrescription #HealthIsWealth #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

[P.s: In the final sections of this book, Dr. James gives very useful information about the symptoms, diagnostic testing, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Sweet!]

To read my other #1Book1Week book reviews on health in general, click links below 

1) Happiness Is A Choice: The Symptoms, Causes, and Cures of Depression (2007, Updated Edition) by Frank Minirth, M.D. & Paul Meier, M.D. CLICK HERE
 
2) The Clever Guts Diet: How to Revolutionize Your Body from the Inside Out (2017) by Dr Michael Mosley CLICK HERE  

3) Diet Rehab: 28 Days to Finally Stop Craving the Foods That Make You Fat (2011) by Dr Mike Dow CLICK HERE  

4) Spartan Up! A Take No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life (2014) by Joe De Sena CLICK HERE   


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Samada Waktu Single atau Membujang, Abdikan Diri kepada TUHAN (Matius 19:10-12)

 

Selepas mendengar betapa seriusnya firman Yesus Kristus tentang isu perkahwinan dan perceraian (baca Matius 19:3-9), para murid-Nya memberi respon, "Kalau begitulah hidup suami isteri, lebih baiklah tidak berkahwin langsung" (19:10). Pemahanan mereka betul, kesimpulan mereka kurang tepat. Apa jawapan Yesus kepada mereka? Apa pula respon kamu? Bagaimana kita harus "mengabdikan diri kepada kerajaan syurga" samada pada waktu single ataupun membujang? 😊📖⚡ #ServeToLead #InjilMatius

Dalam episod ini, kita akan belajar:

• Maksud "waktu single" dan "membujang"
• Apa yang Yesus TIDAK maksudkan
• Tujuan "kurnia" atau "gift of singlehood"
• 3 sebab kenapa orang "tidak berkahwin"
• 3 nasihat, bukan perintah kepada singles

Untuk mendengar episod ini👂 KLIK DI SINI: http://bit.ly/SpotifyMatius140 (Spotify) ATAU http://bit.ly/LegasiMatius140

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Berkonfrontasi dengan Saudara-Saudari Seiman yang Berdosa Terhadapmu (Matius 18:15-20)

 

"Jika saudaramu berdosa terhadapmu..." (Matius 18:15). Kita [PAUSE] di ayat ini. Secara peribadi, apa yang akan kamu lakukan jika saudara atau saudarimu berdosa terhadapmu? Sekurang-kurangkan ada tiga respon: 1) Tidak berbuat apa-apa - berdiam diri, simpan dalam hati, berdendam; 2) Bagitahu dunia - share dalam social media, buat 'reaksi' video, merungut; dan 3) Menegur dengan keras - bersikap negatif, motif ingin menjatuhkan, tindakkan fisikal.

Tetapi Yesus Kristus berfirman kepada para murid-Nya - anak-anak Allah - dan gereja-Nya untuk memberi respon dengan cara berbeza iaitu dengan Konfrontasi Alkitabiah a.k.a. Biblical Confrontation a.k.a. Godly Discipline and Pursue  #ServeToLead #InjilMatius

Bagaimana untuk melakukannya? Dan apakah kosnya kepada kamu dan gereja jika tidak melakukannya? KLIK DI SINI untuk mendengar Spotify: http://bit.ly/SpotifyMatius137 ATAU http://bit.ly/LegasiMatius137 

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.