Friday, December 08, 2017

The Monarchy, Shaman and the Power of Sosial Media



A Kadir Jasin

RA ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on. - Boney M, Rasputin.

Rasputin precipitated the end of the Russian Tsar
 Contemporary historians had credited the allegedly amorous relationship between Russian Queen, Tsarina Alexandra, and the mystic Grigori Yefimovic Rasputin with the eventual fall of the Russian monarchy.


[Anonymous comments will not be published. Please use real or pseudonym. Thank you]

According to Wikipedia, in late 1906 Rasputin began acting as a healer to Alexei, the only son of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife. Alexei, who was the heir to the throne, suffered from haemophilia.

Rasputin was a divisive figure, seen by some Russians as a mystic, visionary, and prophet, and by others as a religious charlatan.

The high point of Rasputin's power was in 1915, when Nicholas left St Petersburg to oversee Russian armies fighting World War 1, increasing both Alexandra and Rasputin's influence.

As Russian defeats in the war mounted, however, both Rasputin and Alexandra became increasingly unpopular. In the early morning of 30th December 1916, Rasputin was assassinated by a group of conservative noblemen who opposed his influence over Alexandra and the Tsar.

Finally the people rose against the Tsar and on the nights of July 16 and 17, 1918 the Tsar, his wife and five children were put to death. Their horrifying end was no better than that of King Louis XVI of France and his hated Queen, Marie Antoinette, 125 years earlier.

But the Russian monarchy was not alone to fall victim of mystics and religious deviationists. Many other empires, kingdoms and sultanates had also fallen under the spell of Rasputin-like characters. Some perished as a result.
 
These characters – male and female – came in many forms and varied names. They are called shamans, soothsayers, astrologers, bomoh, kiyai, pandit and pujari to name a few.

That emperors and empresses, kings and queens, sultans and sultanahs were so prone to being influenced by these usurpers was beyond comprehension. Maybe they thought they were dewa and devi and were generally detached from the real world.

Dwindling Monarchy

In this day and age, however, there aren’t that many emperors, kings, sultans and sheikhs left to be exploited by modern day Rasputins.

As of this year, out of 193 member countries of the United Nations, only 28 have monarchs and most of them are constitutional figure heads.

But we in Malaysia are special. In addition to one supreme ruler – the Yang di-Pertuan Agong – we have nine state rulers (Sultan, Yam Tuan and Raja).

Around us many countries had done away with monarchy. At the time of Indian independence in 1947, there were 565 princely states with maharaja and maharani. Today there are none. They ceased to exist from 1971 when the Privy Purse was abolished.

Indonesia too had many kingdoms and sultanates. Some 220 kingdoms and sultanates had existed in Indonesia but today only a handful remain largely as cultural and historical entities. Countries like China, Vietnam, Laos and Burma had all done away with the monarchy totally.

Back to the shamans, soothsayers, astrologers, bomoh, kiyai, pandit, pujari, pawang buaya and ahli sihir, many have gone through transformation and adaptation, and continue to remain influential.

They are present at palace ceremonies and cultural celebrations of the rich and famous. Some of them – Muslims and non–Muslims - are known to have considerable influence over important state matters.

Hopefully our Rulers, being Muslims and guardians of the Islamic faith, are mindful of the deviant (khurafat) practices of these people.

In Saudi Arabia, one of the few absolute monarchies in the world, sihir (black magic) is punishable by death.

Also be mindful that in this day and age of instantaneous communication and the prevalence of social media, nothing is secret and sacred.

Wallahua’lam. Only God knows.
  

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Salam Datuk

Nowadays even politicians and their spouses resort to using shamansdukun,bomoh,etc,etc not only to encrich themselves but to cling on to power till doomsday.

They have made themsekves to be something like Dewa and Dewi so much so their followers and supporters becone blinded with all the wrongdoings their leader are doing in broad daylight.

Wallahualam

akulapenaka said...

May I share a story of my previous employment concerning these hocus pocus guys. This was around 2013. I was a low level employee in the company and my office is just behind the front glass entrance. The entrance has a one way mirror coating, you can see outside but not inside.

One day an old Malay man stopped by on the other side of the road in front of the office. He then started gesturing his hands and sometimes his nokia phone from his parked car then proceed to walk to the middle of the road with the same gestures. He did these gestures a couple of times until right on the front entrance. Me and my other colleagues are bemused of what happening. My manager saw this and immediately called the big boss. The boss said the man was "scanning" the office from "evil intentions" and instructed to let him be. I know its a nokia because a colleague was leaning on the glass entrance while the man was on the other side gesturing his phone.

A few days, a lady from the accounts dept was in my office and she told me she knows this man because she usually do the check for his payment. She told me that bomoh is a sleazy guy and like to flirt whenever she was alone with him. She was here in my office because the man was in the account dept waiting for her manager to get the boss signature. Lol.

I sometimes wonder if modern amenities like hand-phone is being abused to do things that they aren't supposed to do. Seems very anachronistic just like Monarchism.

Aku said...

Kadiag, السلام عليكم (assalaa /mu /'alaikum),
Sekali lagi hang bukak satu lagi gelanggang untuk kita periksa asas2 politik Malaya yg haru biru.
Thomas Paine, tahun 1776 bincang panjang lebag dlm 'esei' dia betajuk "Common Sense" mengenai
raja turun temurun atau 'hereditary rulers' dan raja bepelembagaan atau 'constitutional rulers'.
Dia tonjoikan antara lain macam mana mengarutnya sistem yg asas dia ialah untuk nak kawai raja2
dari betindak melampau melalui satu peraturan yg direka reka oleh satu gerombolan yg punya agenda
tesendiri yg munkin dan besanya tepisah dari kepentingan rakyat biasa, terutama bila depa dah kuasai
khazanah atau harta satu2 negeri.
Sistem 'hereditary' atau turun temurun ni pulak adalah satu 'songlapan' besag pasai pada asasnya andaikan
kebijaksanaan memerintah bulih diwarisi. Padahai ramai orang tau iman pon tak bulih diwarisi.
Masa depa nak gulingkan Allahyarham Sukarno aku ada di Riau. Hang ingatkan pembunuhan genderal2 di
Lubang Boya, Tasik Malaya ?
kumudian dilapogkan depa bunoh pulak setengah juta rakyat kenunnya
simpatisan atau cenderong pada Pe Ka Ii (PKI)... lantaih depa tangkap Adam Malik, Pramoedya dan ramai lagi.
Macam2 depa buat untuk busukkan nama Allahyarham,
tapi antara jasa dia yg aku kenang ialah macam hang nulih :
"Indonesia too had many kingdoms and sultanates. Some 220 kingdoms and sultanates had existed in Indonesia but today only a handful remain largely as cultural and historical entities. Countries like China, Vietnam, Laos and Burma had all done away with the monarchy totally."
Sapa2 nak tengok keadaan depa laa ni di Indonesia munkin bulih nonton di awai kelip YouTube lagu kelasik minang "Mudiak Arau"
yg di bawak oleh Ria Amelia.
Hang jugak nulih:
" Around us many countries had done away with monarchy. At the time of Indian independence in 1947, there were 565 princely states with maharaja and maharani. Today there are none. They ceased to exist from 1971 when the Privy Purse was abolished."
Ada jugak andaian bahawa Malaya dah belanja trillions nak biayai puak2 ni, dan ada yg gelag
depa ni kumpulan makan tanggung berak cangkung ... yg menurut
"Koleksi terindah peribahasa Melayu
(https://books.google.com.my › books
Ainon Mohd, Abdullah Hassan · 2006 ·)"
'Makan tanggung, berak cangkung. Tidak payah berkerja, segala perbelanjaan ditanggung oleh orang lain.'
Mailah kita sama2 pikiag...
Insya'Allah kebaikkan masih dapat di capai dgn inayah dan taufiqNya.
Maghap.
Aku

RD. said...

Betoi jugak apa yang Dato AKJ dan Pembahas diatas, terutamanya Saudara Aku tulis.
Kalau Institusi ini tidak lagi mampu membela dan memelihara Rakyat, Agama dan nama baik Negara... menghabiskan boraih je.

Jebat said...

Golongan OKU darjat tertinggi,MAKAN TANGGUNG,BERAK TONG.Tak malu kah kamu semua?

hud hud said...

It looks like some people have managed to get some other high people out there to make very provoking statements. If you read and don't know who make them, they really sound like coming from the usual sources.

Zaid being who he is, just cannot help himself. He is a clever guy. He knows the law of course being a good laywer himself. But he is no politician. He is too naive to be a good politician. Maybe in some first class democracy he will be very successful, but certainly not in this country. He falls for the trap. A very dangerous trap especially when elections are looming. Tony Pua is right to have the DAP distancing themselves from Zaid. I hope none of the pakatan leaders will fall for this trap no matter how provocative the statements may be. There is no need to be reactive. Some sensitive issues are best tackled when things have simmered down. They are best resolved when all have forgotten what has happened. Reacting now will only get themselves and their parties unnecesarily entangled. It may lead them to be charged and thus disqualified from running for the next elections. Or else it will cost PH some votes in the coming elections.

This election is about bringing down BN, about the economy, about the unbearable cost of living, about GST, about the rampant corruptions, about kleptocracy. Other issues are not critical. So don't lose focus. I hope PH will be smart and disciplined enough not to be fall into this trap.

"Also be mindful that in this day and age of instantaneous communication and the prevalence of social media, nothing is secret and sacred."

Your last para is very interesting datuk. Is that a warning?

Zed-85 said...

Sallam Dato,

My history teacher, when teaching Russion history brought a radio tape recorder when I was form three. We were wondering what was he doing with the radio tape recorder.

Then he played the Boney M song, Rasputin. Apparently he was a Boney M fan and somewhat nostalgic. The music was quite catchy and he dance a bit with the tune.We all had a good and memorable time that day.

Those days, teachers were quite creative.

Rasputin was no more in Rusia. Now they got Vladimir Putin instead.

The British still have their monarch.

However their perception about their monarch is somewhat different then ours. Mr. Bean make fun about the Queen of England quite a number of times in his comedies, unlike in our country, he was not taken into custody by the Scotland Yard.

I remember taking a cab in London. The driver were complaining about their monarch. He was complaining what a wasteful thing to have a monarch when the money can be useful for other thing.
I told them we got 9 kings in Malaysia. “My God” he said.

About the Syaman, or Bomoh. I think we, orang melayu are in Malay they say “Lemah semangat” maybe weak spirited perhaps can be translated. We fear of something which we shouldn’t.

I remember a cab driver in Johor told me that he pass through the graveyard of Sultan Mahmud mangkat dijulang in Kota Tinggi.

According to him, the Sultan appear in his dream asked him why he did not recite the fatihah to him when he pass through his graveyard (makam) . He was scared.

I pass through the road, never once recite anything, but the Sultan never appear in my dream. I am not afraid of the Sultan appearing in my dream. I am more afraid of thieves nowadays stealing my stuff.

If we really understand our religion, then, we should not be too afraid of the supernaturals hocus pocus and those Bomoh, Syaman will be out of business.

Othman Ahmad said...

Puak2 Najib sering melontar tuduhan/hinaan kpd Tun Mahathir tanpa mengetahu fakta sebenar. Mari kita lontarkan kpd mereka perkembangan terbaru siapa yg menyebabkan kerugian terbesar berdasarkan fakta berikut...

KERUGIAN FOREX:

Mahathir - RM30 bilyon
Najib - RM160 bilyon (Dlm laporan Bank Negara, tapi tak diumumkan kpd umum)

RCI Forex bakal memakan diri Najib.
Ibarat Najib telah menggali kubur sendiri.

Itulah padahnya bila berhati kaudu dgn nawaitu dengki & menipu, bak pepatah lama mengatakan,

Paku Dulang paku serpih
Mengata orang dia yg lebih

Mari kita ucapkan syabas & tahniah kpd Najib kerana telah berusaha mati-matian yg akhirnya telah mendedahkan kerugian sebenar Bank Negara yg selama ini kita rakyat tidak ketahui.

NASIB KAMU LAH NAJIB.....!!

A KADIR JASIN said...

Point taken.

There are more anonymous comments than usual.

I understand the sentiments and I understand the fear.

But isn't "saling ingat mengingatkan" a Quranic instruction?

Wallahuaklam. Thank you.

PutraKraken said...

Salam Datuk

Dalam kehidupan seharian, kita tak dapat lari dari penasihat disekeliling kita bahkan kita juga adalah penasihat kepada orang lain.

Dalam sesuatu kelompok, setiap pemimpin pasti dikelilingi para penasihat. Itu adalah struktur asas...tak kira apa bentuk sesebuah kumpulan tersebut....sama ada sistem feudal, demokrasi, diktator mahupun kleptokrasi.

Bukan sesuatu yang aneh pabila para penasihat menjadi punahsihat. Dalam sistem feudal dan demokrasi...apabila pemimpin agak lemah, maka akan muncul punasihat yang merancang untuk kepentingan peribadi dan mengambil kesempatan...dan memunkinkan feudalisma dan demokrasi menjadi diktatorship atau kleptokrasi. Sejarah telah membuktikan semua ini. Sejarah Mesir, Roman dan Greek, China, Russia, India, Eropah malah sejarah melayu nusantara kita sendiri. Belajarlah dari sejarah...dan ingatlah bahwa asal usul keturunan kita juga punya sejarahnya.

Datuk,

Shaman...kalau mengikut terjemahan memanglah bomoh, pawang atau tukang ubat. Tetapi mengikut sejarah mahupun lagenda, peranan mereka lebih kepada penasihat samada secara spiritual mahupun peranan dalam pentadbiran...tiada bezanya dalam konteks moden masakini.
Jangan terkejut kalau masyarakat melayu walupun dilahirkan "Islam"...masih ramai yang percayakan bomoh, pawang dan seumpamanya...walaupun mereka tahu meminta dan mempercayai selain dari Allah adalah syirik...tetapi demi kesenangan, kemewahan dan kuasa...mereka tak pikir semua itu. Saya bercakap dari pengalaman sendiri...walaupun saya sukar menerima kenyataan dizaman ini ada lagi melayu kita mengamalkan syihir. Segalanya atas Kehendak dan Izin Allah jua.

Saya kira tulisan Datuk kali ini amat tajam sekali...saya merasakan apa yang tersirat walaupun tidak tersurat. Saya sedia maklum undang undang bab menghasut dan yang kusut.
Saya pula menganggap....kalau sudi bermain bola dipadang yang sama rata...jangan marah kalau terkena bentes...tak gitu? Kita semua adalah manusia yang tiada bezanya disisi Allah kecuali tawakal...(buka saya yang cakap...saya ulang apa yang selalu disebut dalam kuliah dan juga khutbah Jumaat)

Kita semua berhak untuk bersuara...juga harus di ingat, suara kita bukannya keramat...Keramat itu adalah hak Allah.

Wallahu a’lam

PS

Datuk,
Saya memang minat Boney M...
Konsert di Stadium Negara tak kan saya lupakan.
Ra Ra Rasputin...Russia greatest love machine
Brown Girl in the ring...sha la la...

Jawi Pekan said...

Tiga perkara yang menghantui hidup kita diMalaysia;

1. Selalu berasa takut terutama kepada pemerintah

2. Banyak pak turut yang sanggup berbuat apa sahaja asalkan dapat habuan mereka walaupun perbuatan mereka menzalimi orang lain dan mereka ikut Rukun Islam yang lain.Quran telah memberi peringatan yang kezaliman itu lebih buruk dari pembunuhan tapi malangnya ia tidak memberi sebarang kesan kepada kumpulan ini.

3 Banyak kumpulan yang hendak mendapat kepentingan dunia dengan menjual Agama.Banyak Nabi Nabi yang telah menyatakan bahawa mereka tidak meminta gaji untuk berita yang disampaikan mereka dan ganjaran merka hanyalah dari Allah tetapi banyak pula yang mengharapkan bayaran untuk kerja kerja dakwah.Bila tokoh Agama bergantung kepada pembiyaan manusia memungkinkan mereka boleh dibeli dengan wang ringgit dan harta benda.Ia memberi gambaran benda yang paling penting dalam hidup ini adalah harta kekayaan.

Waghih said...

AsSalam Datuk ...

Lain bonar lak cerito kali ni ...
Tapi , alhamdulillah , elok jugo buek cerito ...
Negaro kito yang dikasihi ni adolah negaro yang bertuah dan unik ... sumo ado dan sumo bolih dapek .
Pemerintahan demokrasi bertiangkan agamo islam dongan YDPA dan Sultan pemogang amanat negaro dan negeri.
Dongan Main sebagai penasihat agamo dan pentadbiran olih kerajaan nogori , takdo negaro lain setanding dongan negaro tercinto kito ni dalam pembangunan dan kebebasan sekarang ni.
Rakyat bebas buek pemilihan dan kedaulatan agamo islam berjalan seiring mempamirkan kematangan pemerintan sekarang dibawah naungan YDPA dan Sultan .

Tukang sihir dan tukang tilik @shaman , itu adolah pado zaman dulu @ zaman MahaFiraun yang banyak guno ilmu tuju2 dan mengular untuk menjago kepentingan diri , keluargo ,kroni2 dan proxi .

Ni sumo dah tercatit dalam kitab MahaFiraun kan ...

Waghih.

Unknown said...

salam pak kadir,

umat Islam memang wajib percaya perkara ghaib, tapi kepercayaan terhadap alam ghaib juga membuatkan manusia sanggup melanggar sempadan sehingga ada yang sanggup bersekongkol dengan jin ifrit dan iblis demi tuntutan nafsu khususnya berkaitan wang, darjat dan pangkat.

sayang sekali 'jenayah-jenayah' alam ghaib tidak dapat kita buktikan di mahkamah dunia

kerana Islam melarang adu-domba dan fitnah, tidak ingin saya nyatakan nama2 yang terbabit 'kesalahan' ini. cukup saya katakan, saya pernah terdengar sebuah hadith; bilamana Allah sayangkan seseorang, para malaikat akan diseru untuk turut sayang kepada orang itu, dan malaikat akan menyeru pula pada penghuni bumi untuk turut kasih kepada itu. begitulah ketika Allah membenci seseorang,para malaikat akan diseru untuk membenci orang itu, dan mereka pula menyeru penduduk bumi untuk turut membenci orang itu.

apakah kita ini lebih banyak disayang/dibenci orang???

sihir cuma berkesan setakat dan selama mana Allah izinkan. tukang-tukang sihir Firaun dulu juga diakui kehebatan mereka, tetapi bila SUDAH SAMPAI MASANYA, sihir itu akan lerai lebur di tangan Rasul pilihan Tuhan. di Malaysia ini, qada'nya sudah lama tertulis, menunggu qadar Tuhan;

'kun fayakun'

setelah itu, kita ramai-ramai saksikanlah kebesaran janji-janji Tuhan pada setiap keluh-kesah dan tangis doa para hamba yang TERANIAYA...

Zed-85 said...

Sallam Dato’

Saya rasa gejala menakut-nakutkan orang melayu bermula dari kechik lagi.

Saya ingat dulu kalau budak-budak yang nakal, mak bapak takut-takutkan mereka dengai bai benggali jual roti.

Waktu dulu, orang bangla tak ramai, kebanyakkan bai benggali berasal dari Pakistan atau India.

Kadang-kadang, mak bapak pakat dengan Bai roti supaya takutkan budak-budak nakal ini.

Bai akan panggil “mari-mari”, maka budak yang nakal tadi jadi baik sekejap. Lepas Bai pergi, jadi nakal semula.

Saya ingat dulu, masa saya belajar di negeri orang putih, Mat Solleh tak ajar anak mereka macam itu. Orang Pakistan sebenarnya ramai di England terutamanya di Bradford dan Birmingham. Tak ada Mat Soleh takut-takutkan anak mereka dengan Bai Benggali.

Sebab itu orang Mat Solleh ini berani sikit, kadang-kadang terlampau berani, panjat gunung, masuk dalam laut dan sampai sanggup pergi angkasa lepas.

Bila orang melayu sudah dewasa, perasaan takut dengan bukan-bukan masih terbawak-bawak.

Waktu pilihanraya, orang melayu ditakutkan pulak Lim Kit Siang akan jadi PM kalau undi Pakatan Harapan.

Kalau orang yang paham, ini adalah mustahil akan berlaku. Lim Kit Siang tak boleh jadi PM kerana kerusi DAP tak cukup. Tapi ramai orang masih tak-tak paham pasal perasaan takut mengatasi akal otak yang waras.

Serupa jugak dengan budak nakal yang takut dengan Bai Roti, walhal Bai roti nak jual roti saja dan kuih suji.

Firebrand said...

Waghih,

Zaman sekarang ilmu Tokong2 DAP lagi kuek (kuat) dari tukang sihir@shaman zaman dolu. Tengok ajo apo jadi pado oghang Melayu bilo tekono sihir Superman DAP Hew... bukan lagi Melayu screw Melayu ajo, sekarang Melayu sanggup screw Rajo Melayu.

Bilo lah agaknyo Melayu yg sekongkol dongan Cino DAP nak sodar diri.

Firebrand said...

"Waktu pilihanraya, orang melayu ditakutkan pulak Lim Kit Siang akan jadi PM kalau undi Pakatan Harapan."

Setuju sangat... Tetapi yg menakutkan Melayu yg ini bukan Bai Benggali. Yang menakutkan mereka adalah Mamak Kutty. For 22 years he drummed into the minds of the Malays on how the Chinese DAP will rob their wealth and traditional rights if BN UMNO (or is it Mahathir?) lost power.

RD. said...

Firebrand.

Ketika Dr.M jadi PM. MCA belum ada hubungan Politik dengan Party Komunis China.

Kalau kamu masih buta akan ancaman ideologi Komunis atau akibat kebergantungan Najib kepada Hutang dari China akibat nak bayar hutang 1MDB, cuba kamu baca komen saya kepada Waghih dalam posting terbaru Dato AKJ.

Pakcik said...

Datuk...

Sekrg dah ramai sgt pemimpin kerajaan yg nak takut2kan rakyat kalau PH menang, Lim Kit Siang akan jadi PM. Dari manakah cerita ini dtg? Mmg adakah ura2 dlm PH akan jadi begitu? Dari side PH pun mcm kurang counter isu ini. Tq

Anonymous said...

In the 90s i was just come back from overseas..student. Being naive on this bomoh thingy I got this experience that via a friend I received a letter of offer from friend in KL that my little electronic company was offered to work together for a timber concession belong to Tabung Haji in Keningau Sabah the guy titled Tan Sri was the real owner
Short, he came to Sabah. He wanted to view the area, mind it can only be viewed by flying a helicopter...he was desperately looking for taukeys to do the extraction...two times performing prayer on the road from KK to Keningau.. I didn't know what kind of prayers were those..later I knew .. one needs to involve 'bomohing'... this TS asked for free tickets to Hong Kong for holiday.. I returned whatever offers given to me...

About Me

My photo
I was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column “Other Thots” in the Malaysian Business magazine, Kunta Kinte Original in Berita Harian and A Kadir Jasin Bercerita in Dewan Masyarakat. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots – Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).