GERMAN author Helmut Thielicke said on New Year’s Eve we learned something about time we could never learn in any other way.
He added that the reason we experienced time so utterly differently at this midnight hour than we did at other times lay in the fact that our clocks were round.
And because our clocks are round, because the hands circle about and constantly return to their starting point, we acquire the illusion that everything in life repeats itself – that we can always make a fresh start.
“What I have not done today by six o’clock, I will get done tomorrow by six o’clock. In other words, the hand on my clock will make its circle tomorrow just as it did today. On the last night of the year, however, we experience time in a different way.
“On New Year’s Eve, we find the time no longer moves in a circle but a straight line. The hands never return to where it was before.
“So on New Year’s Eve, we sense this about time, we sense every moment of our life is unique and unrepeatable, that it will never return again, and that our time runs on an done day will run out,” he explained.
Indeed, it is not the circle of time but the line of time and it is like a corridor with many doors – year after year, we open a new one. But on its side, there is no latch. We cannot go back and begin anew. So on New Year’s Eve, we sense this about time and we are finite and there is a fear of the unknown lying before us.
This year ends with the passing of the National Security Council (NSC) Bill.
The Senate on Dec 22 gave the nod to the controversial Bill which gives the NSC power to tackle violent extremism, and into 2016, it is to receive the King’s royal assent before becoming law.
The Bill will allow the Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, to declare “security zones” while giving the authorities the right to search or arrest without warrant any individual found committing, alleged to have committed or even reasonably suspected of having committed any offence under the written laws in the security area.
It is with trepidations and uncertainties – that the government has been afforded the ability to declare “security zones” within which the authorities would have unlimited power of arrests, search and seizure without a warrant – that Malaysians enter a new year.
Despite the government rebutting criticisms the Bill would give the Prime Minister absolute authority and power, the specific mention by Shahidan Kassim, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, to exclude the Chief Ministers of Sarawak and Sabah from the NSC, citing their lack of expertise in security matters, is most disturbing.
Before us stretches a new year with the challenges of the unknown and the unexplored yet to be discovered. But behind us are many unanswered questions of 1MDB and the mysterious donor of RM2.6 billion, the burden of GST, the weakening of Ringgit and poor economy.
At the last sitting of the State Legislative Assembly on the second week of December, we saw the YBs rally behind the call for a special committee to review Malaysia Agreement and Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution to be fully committed to in safeguarding the special interests of the State.
The motion, tabled by Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing, incorporated other motions from the opposition members that contained the same subject matter.
Masing called on the State government to realign Federal policies on education, health and official language and a review of the grants and other revenues assigned to the State and all legislations that affect the State’s rights to its natural resources and those Federal government’s decisions found to be inconsistent with the aspirations of the people.
There is reason enough for us to have faith when all the elected representatives are on the same page in ways to preserve the State’s rights. It is also notable the motion incorporates three other motions from the opposition on the same subject matter. It is even of greater cohesive significance when Masing thanked all the elected representatives (opposition included) for supporting his motion.
“I would like to thank the Member for Batu Lintang who spoke on territorial rights. There are two Acts that are very important to us – one is Territorial Sea Act 2012 and Continental Shelf Act 1966,”
he said, adding that the Petroleum Mining Act 1966 was also equally important that the state government would look into.
On New Year’s Eve and with so many unknowns before the country, this quote from Dr Martin Luther King sounds special to me: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
We just have to take a leap of faith – and faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
However, beyond and beneath, nothing is more assuring than promise of God’s promise – “A land which the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.” (Deuteronomy 11:12).
There are great possibilities in store in the coming year. It is a year to live with intelligent obedience and principle and rallying behind our elected representatives in safeguarding the interests of the state. We can make a difference for a significant Fairland Sarawak.
In the meantime, as we stand here at the threshold of a new year, live in the present through the year, remembering that everything that happens is under the divine scrutiny.
Our Chief Minister ended his Christmas message with a Merry Christmas, a Happy New year and Hallelujah.
Sarawakians will honour Christmas in their hearts, and keep the Hallelujah all the year.