The Speech Writer and The New Mufti

I admit I am starting to procrastinate in posting anything new in this blog, here goes my apology. I have so many thoughts to spill here, but to arrange the array of words to make it interesting is one important matter, and a difficult thing sometimes. I used to admire people who can write beautifully, be it prose or poetry (that even cooler), in any languages. Some people had told me that I can be a good writer when I was young, but day by day, I realize my skills in writing rusting with time. Talk about human's brain capability.

In previous post I had mentioned about the great Obama speech, and as I reckon many people had known, is not directly written by Mr. President (obviously he has so many other things to do rather than writing and proofreading his own speech), but by a team of speechwriter, leads by Jon Favreau. Born in 1981, he is the second youngest director of speechwriter in White House, after James Fallows (who had served during Jimmy Carter's time). Favreau is starting to indulge in the same popularity with his boss, when people realize the great composition of Obama's words when he gave the speech. He was formerly working with John Kerry and became dispirited in politics for a shortwhile when Kerry's campaign started to falter, but his view in politics changed when he met Obama.

(read an article in New York Times about Favreau here)

How words can change people's view. Obama must really be thankful for the great speechwriter he had during the campaign, because they're one of the winning factor. I remember that Tun Dr. Mahathir writes his own speech and letter when I read Mahathir's Selected Letters to World Leaders, and that even more impressive.

I need to write my own introductory speech in Japanese for Panasonic Scholarship Award Ceremony in Panasonic headquarter in Osaka this April. With my unconvincing skill in Japanese, I predict the speech writing process would be one hard moment. Just wish me luck then.

On another matter, Dr. Juanda Jaya has been nominated for the next Mufti Perlis replacing Dr. Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin. Dr. Mohd Asri has resigned from his post few months back and currently in sabbatical to UK to deepen his knowledge in hadith studies. What is so special about being Mufti Perlis, you must say. The post is somehow much special compared to the other muftis because the selection is done by Dr Mohd Asri itself (I read somewhere that he was instructed to name the person who qualified to replace him before he resigned). Dr. Mohd Asri has been a great Malaysian Muslim's attention during his tenure as Mufti Perlis in Malaysia, for his reforming views on Islam and direct comments on political and social matter. I wish every best to the new appointed mufti, and hope he will carry the same view and vision as Dr. Asri when he was in that position couple of months back.

I am hoping that the Muftis institution in Malaysia would be more proactive and functional. There are more social problems to solve rather than just pointing out the fiqh issue, you see.

p/s-I am so want a trench coat before coming to Japan. Any good design with cheaper price tag would be helpful. Sigh.