Not Everything Is Bad In The US

The following is my translation of the article written by the former Lord Mayor of Kuala Lumpur published in Utusan Malaysia. A Muslim should be able to differentiate between the good and the bad and pick up desirable traits even from one's opponents.

By Datuk Mohmad Shaid Taufek

Having read an article on my experiences in the United States of America, an acquaintance asked if there are positive things that can be learned from there. I answered definitely there are. In terms of daily life and individual behaviour I feel there many good examples that we can emulate.

When they do something they do it wholeheartedly.

From the window of my study I noticed an individual who went jogging by everyday right at the same time, even when the season changes from summer to winter.

In the same way a middle aged lady took her dog for a walk along the same route besides stopping by at the same tree trunk for her dog to have a pee daily. It is the same with those who exercise by riding bicycles.

Each time the family and I went jogging along the same path I would come across them at the same place and the same time.

They are also not afraid or bashful to express an opinion, even if their opinion might later turn out to be weak or incorrect.

They take pride in expressing it because at least their opinion would have contributed towards the search for the ultimate idea or solution.

Sometimes a hot debate would flare up in the search for a solution to a problem or idea.

But ultimately the debate ended there, being just a means to find an idea or best solution. There were no hard feelings. After that they could sit and drink together cordially as if there hadn’t been any conflict.

They also like to do charity work. They do it not for gain or name but for the feeling of fulfillment in performing a good deed. This is not only towards humans but also towards animals, plants and the environment.

Most of them are honest. Newspapers can be bought just by inserting a coin into the proper slot and the newspaper container would open.

While saying all these it does not mean that all of them are the best and the most terrific. These are just some of the things that we can emulate. There is no one perfect society.

Yet if we want to develop, we must be ready to pick up the good points even though we might not like their attitude and general behaviour which hurt others.