.Would you risk your life for RM16.00? I think not. But 23 poverty-stricken women from Pasuruan, East Java, did, and paid the ultimate price for it.
They were trampled to death in a mad rush to claim zakat money of 40,000 rupiah (RM16.00) apiece from a wealthy businessman.
I was deeply saddened to learn of the incident which happened on Monday recently (15/09/08) in Purworejo, Pusuruan, about 800 kilometres east of Jakarta.
Apparently, some 5,000 poor people made a beeline for the businessman's compound as early as 4 o'clock in the morning upon learning he was going to distribute his zakat on that day.
Indonesian newspapers and agencies reported that it had been the man's tradition to give zakat in that manner for many years and there had never been any untoward incident in the past. This time around, however, the waiting crowd got rowdy. The pushing and jostlings caused some of the women, already weakened by fasting, to tumble.
They were promptly trampled on in the ensuing mad scramble.The tragedy left 23 women dead and many more injured, some seriously.
Dear readers, marilah kita ambil iktibar di atas kejadian yang amat tragis ini. Bersyukurlah kita betapa mewahnya hidup kita, tidak perlu mengharap belas kasihan insani lain dan tidak perlu bergadai nyawa untuk mencari sesuap nasi. ..
10 comments:
Kalau lah orang kaya tu boleh fikir sikit macam orang German atau Swiss atau Jepun. Suruh lah orang beratur, ikut sistem. Biar teratur. Dia ingat dia kaya sangat sebab tu dia suka tengok orang berebut-rebut nakkan duit yang dia nak bagi.
Oh, speaking of that, bergen.. saya cukup pantang tengok orang tabur wang syiling masa majlis kawin, and then budak2 (also orang dewasa) berpusu2 & berterak2 kutip. I feel it is so demeaning. they say adat. adat apa tu?
And speaking of berpusu2 & berterak2, ada headboy nak cakap luar sangat. So masa dia pegang loudhailer suruh budak2 beratur naik bas nak gi lawatang sambil belajar; He said this;
'Diminta supaya jangam berterat terat apabila naik bah, tempat duduk cukup disediakan. Sekali lagi, jangam berterat-terat'
Umar bin Al-Khattab is often quoted as saying “If you give zakat, enrich the recipients”.. it is better to give enough zakat to one person by pulling the person out of poverty instead of giving smaller portions of zakat to individuals that does not bring a long term economic benefit for the recipient... Lebih baik buka ladang mcm FELCRA, biar 5,000 orang miskin usahakan tanah, Indon gomen + orang-orang kaya tolong-menolong.. no need to lempaq-lempaq duit.. tak lah penat berterak-terak (berterat-terat?)... I think.
puteri, re yr answer to bergen. are there people who do that tabur duit for children to pick? that is so obscene!! I have seen such behaviour at Qawali performances where people compete with each other throwing money to the performers, like the sabri brothers. That really spoilt the evening. It is obscene because what was suppose to be good was ruined because people started showing off.
you are spot on, kak enon. malangnya kita hanya distant observers...
kak teh, memang ada. I witnessed one recently kat police quarters tmn tun.. kenduri kawin. they say adat.. i don't know adat siapa. they threw duit syiling and sweets as the bride was being led to the open air dais.. tapi to my ignorant mind, tabur duit and makanan ni amatlah tak betul caranya...
Patutnya kalau orang kaya tu nak bayar zakat direct kat orang miskin, dia yang pergi cari orang miskin, tengok sendiri keadaan the family and give the money personally, bukan suruh orang miskin datang beratur kat rumah dia...
Ya Allah, insafnya!!!
Why are we always ungrateful for what God has given us? (yours truly included!)
Kalau uolls witness Tok Arab taboq duit rial dia di Makkah... lagi sakit hati. Dia layan "Siti Rahmah" saja. Yang Mat Mat Malaun dia buat2 tak nampak. Mat Noi blah saja.... meloya nak muntah!!
The way this rich Indon handing out charity is very uncouth and at best showy.
No dignity in poverty. We need an effective social security net so that opportunities abound for the poor to break out of the vicious cycle. Can we see the day to arrive?
One half of the world does not know how the other half lives.
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