Hope is Possible -

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

While worshiping the God the Highest, a human-being is constantly in the battle with his enemies mainly the cravings and evil whispers. Both of them are influencing human to leave behind the God the Highest in their life.

Some of us perhaps talking within ourselves, if human should worship the God the Highest, why our inner selves are not reminding us? The reason is that, these two spiritual enemies are working their way to influence both of our heart and mind bringing us into the path of destruction.

Says the God the Highest which means, "Indeed the Satan is your obvious enemy" (Surat al-Baqarah vs. 168). Further, the God the Highest also mentions as it means, "Indeed desire always urging man-kind to evil" (Surat Yusuf vs. 53).

Because of these two spiritual enemies that human's heart keep staying in negligence and rebellious toward the Creator. Say that if it is fated these two enemies are not in existence thus human perhaps would know his Creator and loving Him. Even sunken in devotion to Him since it is the nature of every soul framed by human body to know Him and recognizing Him as their direction of reverence, worship and magnification.

Besides studying and pondering everything with the pure heart and mind, we realize from the studies of history that human-being of any period of life or location in the earth could never escape from disasters or those things disliked by them. This is a part of the God's order and divine predestination.

Disaster, tests and tribulations befall on everyone regardless they are a good or evil person, a Muslim or a non-Muslim. They would hit on everyone regardless whether he is a pious or a treacherous person. For e.g a person who could escape from poverty, if he is not facing the lack of means, perhaps is poor at his soul. A person who is poor at his soul never feel enough with anything that he has. Because of the lack of faith that he always feel the lack of everything in his life. Even more severe a person who is poor at his possession but also poor at the soul. At certain times, I could not avoid from questioning my faith and feeling ashamed to Him when this thought emerged in my mind at the midst of my life stage now. Furthermore... I just repented to the path about 10 years ago and trying hard to cope again with the responsibility and environment around. I cried alone when nobody sees me and trying to be close to Him as I do not know where else to go :'(

If human-being could escape from poverty, can he escape from sickness? Even a doctor also subjected to diseases. Doctors are human-being too. This is the Justice of the God the Highest where everyone are subjected to diseases. Disease is a messenger from Him to remind human-being. Even if a human is not lack of material possessions and not sick, but can he avoid from being a victim of slanders and backbitten by others? Human-being could not avoid from troubles caused by other human-being, even many of them were killed and murdered.

Other than that, can a human avoid from being hit with natural disasters such as tsunami, hurricanes, thunder and etc? Or can we avoid from losing our family members such as parents, wife, husband or children? Nobody wants that but He still inflicts it upon them. No one could escape from the tests and tribulations in this life. Muslims, non-Muslims, all human-being alike. If disasters and craps are equal on everyone, thus it is better for us to believer who is tested rather than being a disbeliever. It is better to be a worshiping slave while being tested rather than being a rebellious person in that period of tribulations.

Never in the history of man-kind that those who are inflicted by tribulations and tests are just the righteous ones, those who worship the God in devotion while the disbelievers are not stricken with sickness, never experience poverty nor never troubled by others. Everyone experience it.

So, it is better for us to be inflicted with disasters while worshiping and obeying Him since a genuine believer when being inflicted with troubles could take it as the remission of sins. The God the Highest only inflict us to teach us lessons and to raise us up from the torments of the hereafter since the torments in the hereafter is unbearable. For believer who is sinless, and he is pleased with the tests the the tests will be a testimony for the ascension of his position in His view. As for the treacherous person and further that he becomes a disbeliever due to hardships he encounters, thus the tests will turn to him as a curse of the God the Highest whether in the earth or in the hereafter. There is a hell in the world for him, and he will be tormented in the hell in the hereafter.     

So, there is no reason for us to not to worship the God the Highest. If we say that if we worship Him and we will become poor, then it is also the same when we do not worship Him. If we checked daily news about suicide, those who are shot dead, or those involved in road accidents, then we know the fact that not only obedient person who are inflicted with tests and tribulations but also those who do not even know Him.

Since our mind and heart could not evaluate besides being tainted by evil whispers and craving desires that we have forgotten the God the Highest. Whereas if we could evaluate and ponder, we could see that disasters and the craps inflicted upon man-kind are equal though not the same in its situation nor period of time. Why are we afraid of troubles and poverty when we perform our devotional worship to Him??

This is what I am trying to tell people around me when my mouth is tightly glued. This is also what I experienced, touched, feels and see with my own eyes while before I was also ignorant and talking like other brothers and sisters when some people come to me and talking about leaving possessions behind because those who told me are not practicing what they preached. What I realize since being dipped in tortures now is that we should just ignore others but only strive hard with sincerity only for Him. Just leave people behind and let them with whatever they wanted to think or to say.... 

Sealed with prayer for mercy, peace and love, amin!          

Theory of Regional Economic Integration

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Economic Theories of Regional Integration

We have four pages of readings here and it is written by Alexis Iche. The agreement in Treaties of Rome 1957 on the premise of economic integration could be channeled for a political aim as to keep people in the Union more closer. In theory, economic benefits from regional economic integration would convince the citizens of Europe that deeper political links between member states would receive similar benefits. In order to analyze the economic rationale behind EU programmes such as the Single Market Programme (SMP) or Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), one needs to understand fundamental concepts and theories used to justify regional economic integration and problems associated with theories.      

Types of Integration

This was outlined by Dutch economist, Jan Tinbergen (1954). He outlines two distinct types of economic integration:

1. Negative Integration

Elimination of obstacles to the free movement of goods and factors of production (FOP). Example is the removal of tariff barriers such as quotas or non-tariff barriers such as differing standards between member states.

2. Positive Integration

The replacement of various national rules with one set of EU rules. Adoption of common policies. Example such as Common Commercial Policy (CCP).

Stages of Economic Integration

Regional economic integration is a gradual process. It exists in several forms. Economist such as Bela Balassa (1950) defined it as the progresses through various stages as it moves towards more integration. Example is EU itself as it developed from from a Free Trade Area (FTA) toward a full economic and monetary union. Integration is an ongoing process. It has its own in-built momentum. Each further step creates problems that can be solved only by deeper regional integration. This phenomenon is also known as spillover.    

Stage One - Free Trade Area

It is exclusively focused on trade in goods while services, labor and capital remained restricted. Tariffs i.e import taxes imposed on foreign goods are abolished within the group. Each members of this area keeps its own external tariffs policy toward the rest of the world. Such example is North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA).  

Problem is that in an FTA, member country keeps its own external tariff on goods from outside the area. Once these goods are inside the area, they can move freely around without any tariff. Example, in an FTA between Sweden and Finland, if Sweden has lower tariff than Finland on product or good such as coffee, companies in Finland will import coffee through Sweden in order to pay lower tariffs.

Solution as to avoid this condition, the FTA needs to move into a customs union with a common external tariff (CET).    

Stage Two- Customs Union

It is exclusively focused on trade in goods while services, labor and capital still remained restricted. Tariffs are abolished within the group. A CET is established for the group. Example for this is European Economic Community (EEC) 1957-1958.

Problem is that CU eliminates tariffs and quota restrictions (tariff barriers) but still allows non-tariff barriers such as differences in technical standards, health and safety requirements which hinder free trade.

Solution for this would be, non-tariff barriers should be eliminated through mutual harmonization of product recognition. 

Stage Three - Common Market

It has all properties of the previous customs union. Free movement of FOP such as goods, capital, labor and services between all members of the group. Example is European Community or currently European Union (1987-1999). 

Problem with this is that, to achieve complete free movement, the last non-tariff barriers must be eliminated which is the differences in currencies of member states. This is due to that, exchange rate (ER) does not reflect the 'true' price of goods and it acts as non-tariff barriers. 

Solution, they have only one option which is to adopt a common economic policy. It includes some form of common or coordinated fiscal policy. This would permit fiscal transfers from regions experiencing positive growth to regions suffering from negative growth in order to maintain stability of the system.   

Stage Four - Monetary Union

It has all properties of the previous common market. It is just a prolongation of the previous stage. At this stage, the member states adopt common currency. Example is EU member states who adopt euro since 1999 until present. I guess Denmark and United Kingdom have opt out from monetary union and they still use their own currencies. 

Problem about this, in the past, strains between different economies caused by different growth rates. These floating exchange rates allowed national central banks to set individual interest rates. They are suited to the needs of their economies. In a monetary union, exchange rates irreversibly fixed, and the other adjustment mechanisms such as movement of capital and labor may be insufficient to counterbalance tensions in the system caused by different growth between countries.    

Stage Five - Economic Union

It is a continuation of previous stage. Common economic policies, coordination and harmonization on fiscal issues (single policy for the entire zone) are established. 

There is no good example available between equally sovereign nation-states. The relationship between individual US states may be the nearest example. 

Problem for this, the loss of control over economic and monetary policy is a serious loss of sovereignty for member states. 

Solution, there is a need to find new balance between nation-states' sovereignty and their economic powers or to integrate further into a small political union modeled on already existing federal states such as Germany.

The further regional integration progresses, the more its economic developments clash with individual political prerogatives of member states. This is true with regard to issues such as monetary policy, taxation and all forms of redistributive policy. They are issues connected with a state's raison d'etre. The result is, while further economic integration leads to a need for more political change, member states are reluctant to yield the sovereignty necessary to move to the next level of integration.  

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love amin! 

Experience Hostel: Invitation to Passover Feast

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I actually went to toilet and I really wonder... Why I always see Tabligh kind of preacher kids or karkun whether they are Buddhist or of Christian faith approaching me. How do they know the time I am going to wee wee???? Sorry my beloved Tablighi brothers, didn't mean to involve you people but that's just what I first had in my thought when I encountered these people, haha. It's not wrong and I appreciate people who took the pain to explain to me things. I don't care if they are Muslim, Christians, or Buddhists as long as they are walking what they had talked about.

Urmm, I am not trying to boast but I do know few things about Christianity doctrines. I read about Christianity theology either in Arabic, Chinese or English. I asked those materials from Churches themselves whether from Orthodox or Catholic. In fact I keep a Bible with me and I browse it whenever I am free. There were about three men approaching me while I just wanted to return to my room from toilet early in the evening. What to do, nature call... hahaha. 

They talked with me and asking me what's my nationality which is the same boring question. Like always... I'll answer I am a Thai. Yea, my Chinese a bit weird I know because I am not an overseas Southern Chinese but Chinese people could be everywhere especially this is Asia region. I already tried to speak like other Malaysian Chinese but I can't help it. Weird sounds will sometimes pop out of my mouth and I tried hard to hide it.

In the beginning they just ask me whether I could help them to fill a form. When I look at the form, it seems like some questions related to faith and all of the question are about Christianity. I just write my Chinese name which happens to be my previous faith name in Chinese and I stated I have no religion. Allamaak, I had forgotten lar that I am lazy to listen to preaching. Why did I put no religion as my faith status??? They have questions like spirituality tendency and others. 

I just ticked them I don't know. I am not sure as to make sure everything goes in order so maybe they would shoo away. Then the slender Chinese guy wearing spectacle asking me whether I am busy because this is very important. We have no time because the end will come, hahaha. I don't think that it is necessity... He began to talk about Harun Yahya kind of matters the earth, the planets, the sun, everything in universe were revealed since 3,500 years ago. I don't think that this has any effect on me, hehehehehhe. I'm not a science stream student. I failed my chemistry, and just got passed for my physics since those things are not of my interest. I am not interested in Harun Yahya theories. I don't need those theories or conspiracies on anything to have faith in Him. He is my Guardian Friend and He will be close to me if I obey His Commandments.

Then he talked about earthly family order in comparison with the heavenly one. About a more to spiritual family concept which I think I am aware about even if they never talk about these to me. I consider my Muslim brothers and sisters as my family members related by blood and soul especially if I know that some brothers are our kinsmen. We don't only have brothers in this realm but also in other realms. Then, he nicely explained about the importance of Passover and baptism. I just asked them so, if you wanted to baptize me, why not perform it here in the toilet since now I am shirtless and just wearing my tracksuit? I am lazy to go to the church. It's a trouble for me and I have to get wet all over. It's not Songkrant yet and people will look at me like a nut if I have to get wet. He said there is a specific person who will recite prayers for me in their church organization service and they are not qualified to baptize me.

He tried hard to explain to me in formal Chinese and he had asked his elder few words to be translated into traditional Chinese before that older guy went away to wait at their car because a victim has been preached, hahahahaa. I really appreciate his effort. But when I asked him: "May I know, what's your Chinese name I don't really pronounce English words very nicely?" He just answered me: "I only use English name. My English name is S*****n and my brother companion is D****s." He further told me he is from Kedah state and not local Penangites and his companion brother from Korea just coming to talk with me from far about God because their soul were sent to me though I don't know them." I think: "Ok, he's my compatriot kinsmen so I am not wrong to treat him nicely, haha." I just asked him his Chinese name to test him. It seems he feels that his Chinese name is incompatible with his new religion.

I just wonder, why is he ashamed of his Chinese name? He told me his parents are Buddhists. His companion is a young guy from Korea. I thought they are all Chinese so I just hantam speaking to the Korean guy in Chinese, hahahahaa. Who cares... 

I said: "I need to think first, I don't like to pray" (because I stated I have no religion). 

The preacher guy said: "Think quickly we have no time His Kingdom is closer. Tonight come to our liturgy at a building somewhere at Tesco please." 

I said: "Yea... Yea... I am waiting my friend (I am just being polite to refuse). Other than that I am not sure lar if whether what you said about Sangdi (God), Yesu (Jesus) whatever God, or Eternal Kingdom is true because you are talking to a person without religion. How do we know whatever you talk exist if I die suddenly noting happen I cannot enjoy my life lar have to pray, eat Yesu's flesh, drink Yesu's blood... hahaha. We will see lar. I just afraid burden you people only because I don't know anything you told me, haha."

He said: "No worry, no burden on newborn (muallaf). Little child will be treated like little child and being taught step by step. We don't offer any money to attract you but only offer sincerity because money only amount that will finish but Sangdi (God) is Eternal Loving you. Please come jah... We are waiting for you to be our brother together with love (the Korean guy was pulling my hand, haha). The motive of the God on you is not on your physical but on your spiritual. He wants your soul and not creating everything in vain everything has purpose. No need to fill form so you don't have to be afraid if your family are angry with you (I told them my family are Buddhists when they asked. I don't like people asking me my faith or my family faith unless if I feel I wanted to tell them). Come to our organization and just open up the door if we are going to be praying. After the prayer service we can bring you to our elders, you and friends can ask about whatever you are not sure."  

Through out the explanations given, I think nothing interest me about their church or organization. I just ask the guy few questions about what is this and what is that just to respect him because he tried hard to explain to me. I did called few Tabligh brothers to talk like that to me in private in my room but nobody come, hahaha. I just wanted to know what are their organizational principles. About doctrines and stuffs, I do know about them because I go to masjids and churches and having contacts with our elders.  

    

They provided me with a pamphlet like above before they go and bowing to me according to Confucian tradition because I am a 'Chinese', haha. After they went away, I browsed and I see that it's quite weird. They are from an organization and it seems like they are Protestant by denomination. But they have something like Heavenly God the Mother doctrine in it which does not really appear in other denominations be they Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestants. I am aware about Santa Maria or Mar Maryam in both Catholic and Syriac Orthodox traditions but she is not viewed as God or any incarnation of heavenly being. Spiritual stuffs could be quite confusing so we need to keep it shut from public because it is hard to understand. Good thing is, they didn't talk about other faiths or comparing this faith and that faith. I don't like to listen that even from our fellow Muslims. I would just slam the door on their nose if they talked like that. He explained many things to me in an hour time and I had also missed my 'Asr prayer service. I just went down to musalla after I was sure they had left out the hostel. Just don't want to scare them, haha.        

I send messages to Azren and we discussed through messages, haha. It's quite tedious to type but we know how much it costs if we send messages rather than talking and suddenly we are cut off from the line. 

Me: "Ada orang datang preach aku lagi... Nampak macam Protestan je"

        Again there are people coming to preach me. Seems like Protestants."

Fren: "Dorang main preach je ke or die pilih orang wei?"

          "Were they just preaching to people or choosing targets?"

Me:  "Dorang tego aku. Aku cakap Chink je lar muka pun dah Cina kan. Pastu bagi borang maklumbalas. Aku isi nama Buddha-Cina. Aku state no religion malas nak cakap banyak. Mana tau silap la plak. Dorang pujuk aku dekat sejam. Gegeh betol, lol!" 

        "They greeted me and I just speak to them in Chinese because their face are Chinese face (I don't like Chinese who speak English. We are Chinese nationalists and we are more traditional than those who go to Chinese National Schools). Then, they gave me a form something like feedback. I just filled it with my Chinese Buddhist name. I stated no religion, lazy to talk much. Who knows, after that they preached me for about an hour (I tought they would just off by looking at that and I never declare my religion to non-Muslims). Zealots can I say? LOL!"

Fren: "Owh dorang wat katne? Kafe?"

        "Oh, where did they prached you? Cafe?"

Me: "Haha... Ketuk-ketuk pintu bilik orang kat wing sini. Aku tak tau pulak kalau bilik aku ada orang Cina. Haritu pertubuhan Buddha nye datang. Jenis gigih macam ni mesti jenis Protestan. Daripada tunjuk keagamaan bek aku behave sekular sahaja. Aku nak beribadat aku baru buat tradisi sume."

      "Laughing... They knocked at people's door and coincidentally it's at my wing. I don't know if my room has some "Chinese" residing in here. Last few weeks, there were Buddhist associations coming by. Diligently preaching like this, I guess they are Protestant without even asking which church or organization they are from. I prefer to behave like a secular person rather than showing my religious identity to people. I will only exercise my traditions (while performing worship just for the Lord)." 

Then, few minutes later.........

Me: "Oh, tadi ni budak-budak dari World Mission Society Church of God. Protestan dari Korea tapi aliran Protestan lain di Korea semua declare pertubuhan ni bidaah. Dalam pamphlet cakap dorang tunggu Messiah. Setengah benda budak tu citer tak beza pun dengan benda aku caya. Aku rasa tak perlu aku nak beptis-beptis kat gereja dorang makan roti passover mak nenek bagai. Aku tak nah dengar lak doctrine God the Mother, pelik. Aku baca ni dalam pamphlet dorang kasik. Passover kan bulan April ni, pe kejadahnye wat liturgy malam ni?"

      "I see. Those kids just now came by preaching me were from World Mission Society Church of God. Other Protestants in Korea declared them as an organization who developed heresies. In the pamphlet, it says that they are waiting for Messiah. Some of what they explained actually has no difference to what I am now having faith including the feast because when we fast we also technically have our feasts. I don't think that I need those baptism in their churches or eating the passover bread (I celebrate passover according to Sunnah by fasting during Tasu'a and 'Asyura days of Muharram month every year and we do have feasts like what Jesus had with his disciples). Never heard about God the Mother doctrine, weird. I read these from their pamphlet too. Passover is in April (in term of Judeo-Christianity) what the hell with the liturgy tonight (or they are just having normal daily mass service)?"       

Fren: "Oh, aku tak tau lak cakap ape. Sebab tak tau lagi dorang ni camne. Skang pun dok heboh dalam surat kabar si Hasan Ali yang kena pecat dari PAS tu gitau pasal gerakan murtad sana sini. Skarang baru nak gitau ke? Benda ni dah lama dah." 

         "Oh, I don't know what to say. I am not sure how is their church looks like. Now, we have this havoc in papers about Hassan Ali who was sacked from PAS (Islamic political party) telling about apostacy movements around. He just talked about it now? I thought that this had happened since long."

Me:  "Orang murtad tu sebab nyampah tengok muka dia. Dah la tak smart, haha."

        "People who turn apostates due to that they are sick of looking and listening to his mumbles. And he's not a smart guy. (I'm just being cynical)"

Fren: "Tu lar... Duk bising sana sini. Masalah internal Muslim kat Malaysia ni tak selesai jugak. So, what the point you're barking around kan?"

        "That's it... Making noise here and there. But the internal problem within Muslim society in Malaysia is still around never ends. So, what's the point you're barking around (for those vanities)?"

Hahaha.... These are some of our short discussions. They are just our personal opinions. Sometimes politics is involved but what can we do? We live with it and can't avoid it. This is my experience as a Muslim postgraduate student in my country but away from home.

Brothers and sisters in faith especially non-Malays in our institution (I also address this to all of my Chinese brothers no matter where you are from), we are not protected by politics because we are not apart of the countries political system. Just guard your iman (faith) and pray to the Lord to protect our faith. Faith is a very valuable property for us, it is more valuable than everything in this universe. It is our soul. Without faith, we are dead by spirit.

I am writing this not because I am angry to those preacher kids though I might feel a bit annoyed. I love them since they are also my brothers and they talked to me in a nice manner (as compared to some of our Malay Tablighi brothers). It's just an experience for Malay students to see on what we are facing everyday while we try to protect our identity not to be absorbed by other ethnics. I don't think that I need to be baptized. I am also not "promoting" my religion to people or trying to gain followers for our Path because our religion is not for sale. I am not a salesman. Guidance and Mercy indeed is His Right. He Guides whoever He Wills and He makes astray whoever He Wills.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!  

Mid Term Test Done

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Beautiful creation of the God. We always feeling envious at Northern hemisphere in term of beautiful plants even at their grass flowers. Guess where is this snapped? It's just at the side of Bukit Gambir road in Penang, hahahaha. I don't want any scholarship to France or Germany. My heart is not attracted to those things. I just want to see Him : )   

Thanks dear Lord, we had done with the annoying test. I had forgotten that I should be fasting today because of this test but never mind. I am just so glad that the test had gone though there are several other annoying matters to come after this. In this matter I would like to thank our brother in faith, brother Idris. May he and his family receive happiness and fortune in this life and hereafter for mercy and compassion to other creatures. I believe in brothers and sisters prayers could help everyone going through difficult times. I look at brothers and sisters prayers as the sign that they put importance of brotherhood and sisterhood as their priority. Prayers are our fort, prayers of those who had passed for their generations had also be the fort for the coming generations : )

I actually begin to believe this after maternal grandpa passed away. I had done many wrong things to him... (urmm, let me shed my tears first). After that, I would ask everyone to pray for me. I also talk with hidden creatures in my room or around me to pray for me to be forgiven if they believe in the God and the prophethood of Muhammad s.a.w. I am also afraid that I would hurt hidden "saints." Usually "hidden" saints do not show any difference to others. They appear to be the same like others. Sometimes they appear to be those whom we look down upon in case of my late grandpa. I listened to few tasawwuf angle lessons being introduced to me by Tabligh-e-Jama'at but actually those things are not new to me. I had already noticed that before I return to Islam after I faced the conflicts of aqeedah (creed) in myself where I questioned many things including my goal of life. This actually made me very sensitive with people and fellow creatures around. Sometimes I felt very guilty if I think I did something wrong to people with my face expression, with my speech, or if I made people feel humiliated if I had sometimes didn't notice them talking to me. I would like to first admit my weaknesses. I am a human-being and a creature of the God with flaws because only the God is flawless the Most Perfect. I apologize my sins and wrong-doing to everyone.

I had answered whatever I could remember from the text that I had read. Frankly, I just noticed that the lecturer had uploaded the articles and journals for tests' references only yesterday. I just downloaded them yesterday night and right away walked down to print them out. I thought of finding some acquaintances asking whether they've got printers with them and I would pay for the service. But I think back, no need such an act. I would be a burden to others. That's not our custom to burden others. We would try to survive until the last breath without harming others. I had always practice this since I was a young kid. In school during my childhood time, teachers and people around told me to try solving problems alone first. So now we are familiar with it. If we have any problem not only in studies, but also in daily life like illness and others, we would try to solve them ourselves first. 

Just before I answered the papers, I have to do some translation jobs translating points from articles and journals because words and sentences that they used are complicated. I made them easy and using Malay as the medium because I was a translation and interpretation student trained in both English and Malay. I managed to memorize few points and arguments through this way. Then I talked with auntie Roslin which is my elderly classmate because she doesn't know how to access to the portal where those stuffs are uploaded. To make things easier, I just walked down few minutes before the test began to print the articles for her at least she could pass her paper because this is her third time repeating the same paper. I understand the torment so I don't mind to sacrifice for others. I guess auntie Roslin is around 60's now but still in high spirit to acquire a master degree. She did encouraged me to apply for Erasmus Mundus and other scholarships offered but I turned down everything which came to me because I think it is just enough. I believe in the God as the central part of my life and if I die, I must also die because of Him. I don't need those papers for recognition on me anymore. I just need His forgiveness, His love and acceptance to free me from torments here and in hereafter. I need the knowledge to know Him and being aware about myself. It needs no paper recognition but practices and sacrifice to spread His Mercy and Love : )

There were three articles uploaded by the lecturer for us which are:

1. Ben Aston (2004) How useful are theories of integration to understanding the development of the EU? Politics of Governance: The European Union.

2. Laura Cram (1995) Policy-Making and the Integration Process - Implications for Integration Theory. Department of Government, University of Stratchclyde. UK.

3. Suha Atature (2008) The Historical Roots of European Union: Integration, Characteristics, and Responsibilities for the 21st Century. Vol. 7. No. 2. Political Science and International Relations Department, Yeditepe University, Turkey. 

There were three questions with sub-questions in them. We have to answer the first question as it is compulsory while the other two questions are elective questions which mean that we could choose either one of them. 

The first question is regarding sovereignty. I think the question more or less asking us about the impact of integration process on sovereignty in the European Union (EU) where it refers to the member states. 

Second question directly come from the paper written by Mr. Aston. It touches the theories of integration such as intergovernmentalism, neo-functionalism, and characteristics of those theories. What are the assumptions of those theories.

Third question directly come from Laura Cram paper where it talks about the impact of integration process on the policy making and integration process in the EU.

Basically, I just answered nonsense and trying to manipulate whatever that I have in my empty head. My head is not really empty but it has many other things including that I think classes are not suitable for old teenage like me anymore. After this I would be a 26 years old guy and His calling is also near and near. I don't want to see Him with humiliation but I want to see Him with His acceptance : (

Ya Allah.... 

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Flood in Northern Malaysia, November 2010

Peace,

I had heard news about the flood that happened in Northern Malaysian states especially our Kedah state, Perlis, and also Southern Thailand. The victims of flood that died in Kedah till now is 4 persons while in Thailand I guess around 100 or maybe more.

Rain pours down for more than 3 days and I also think that Thailand has to open up the gate of their dam in South Thai to ease the consequence of flood in Thailand. It makes southern states, I mean northern Malaysian states being affected by the flood earlier because flood usually happens in December and not  in November.

I remember that the worst one happens around ten years ago, we have to celebrate Eid Mobarak in flood at my grandparents house with snakes swimming near our feet and faeces floating around. But this one is even worse.

I had talked with my friend and my ex-colleague during my bachelor degree who lives in Jitra of the Kubang Pasu district this evening. He told me that their food stocks are almost done and they can't buy anything from the shops since they are all closed. I am worried that they would get starved and disease would spread out due to the flood. Our beloved state's economy might facing downturn too.

In the Kedah Lanie blog, I had get some information that few Madrasas are sunken too. Poor religious studies students.  The worst one is in the Ma'ahad Tarbiyya Islamiah Derang in Pokok Sena, Alor Setar in our state's capital. For more information or to assist them, please contact Ustaz Abu Khair at 6-019-56228611 or Ustaz Qamaruddin Qassim at 6-019-5228455 or at 6-019-4782708. I am also worried about those religious studies students in Baling, Sik, and Kuala Nerang districts not to forget, those in South Thai.

 

I guess this is among the tests from Him on everyone in the states. Hope that He grants everyone with faithful strength, patience and taqwa to go through this test.