I have been to Kelantan several times before and the last I think about three years ago. Recently about early March this year, I went to Kelantan again to give a lecture to the students of the Health Campus of University Science Malaysia. When I compare the physical infrastructure of Kelantan three years ago and today I do not see much difference. The roads are the same and the buildings except of a few, mainly made from woods. The town of Kota Bharu is small and nothing much to see. There is the KB mall, which I think is the biggest shopping complex in Kota Bharu. The peoples are mainly Malays and the writing on the shops are in Malay language and some are written in Jawi. All the billboards are displaying women with their hairs covered with scarf. The religious practice of the people when I judge with those who attended the five times congregation solat in the mosque is the same as in Kuala Lumpur. When I enter Kelantan I think I am not in Malaysia. Buildings still made from woods and there is only few high-rise building as you may found in Kuala Lumpur and other cities in Malaysia.

Why the physical development of Kelantan is dramatically slow when compare with the physical developments of other states of Malaysia. Is it because Pas and not Barisan National govern Kelantan or because mainly the Malays populate it, or because the Malays in Kelantan still cling to wrong belief and negative mental outlook. In my opinion, the last is the reasons why Kelantan is undeveloped when compare with other states of Malaysia. Barisan National governed Kelantan for a number of years and now it is govern by Pas but the development of Kelantan remains fairly the same. In order for a state to develop, we have to develop the qualities of the people. We can acquire good qualities when we mingled and work with people with good qualities or we learn and practice good qualities ourselves. Although the Malays have many good qualities but they lacks many other good qualities that are necessary in order to develop the country to become an advance nation. One very important quality is open mindedness, willing to learn from others, willing to change to better condition and willing to work hard to achieve the changes.

The Malays in Kelantan represent the typical Malays with qualities that they have inherited for centuries. Geographically Kelantan is rather isolated when compare with the Malays in the west coast of Malaysia. I remember when I went to visit Kelantan in 1976 the roads were very poor and in the way we have to use two ferries and it takes many hours of journey to reach Kota Bharu. This isolation has made the people of Kelantan rather unexposed to the mental changes that has happen to the Malays in the west coast of Malaysia. The isolation for centuries has made the people of Kelantan to think that they are the best Malays and they often regard themselves as more virtuous than other Malays. When they are with other Malays and suddenly they meet people from their own state of Kelantan they become overjoyed and their sentiment that all people of Kelantan are brothers make them willing to leaves the other Malays by themselves and went to meet their new friends from Kelantan.
In reality, the people of Kelantan are the same as other Malay people of other states but because of centuries of isolation, they start to think that they are the best Malay. They will place Kelantan’s people above other Malays even though the other Malays may have better qualities. In Kelantan the Malays is define, as Kelantan Malays and other Malays are not the real Malays and they cannot buy any land in Kelantan unless they have live in Kelantan continuously for fifteen years. This narrow mindedness has made Kelantan to remain backward when compare with other states of Malaysia. Until and unless the people of Kelantan place quality people above race, Kelantan will remain backward forever.

Kelantan has remained in isolation for centuries and the government must remove this isolation by making many good roads and develop fast train service to Kelantan. When roads and rail communication system is better than more people from the west will live and mingled with the people of Kelantan. When this isolation is broken, Insha’Allah the people of Kelantan will be more open minded and more willing to accept other Malays with the best quality to lead Kelantan. When the best Malays administer Kelantan, Kelantan will move forward towards becoming the most advance state in Malaysia both spiritually and physically.
This article represent my views on how Kelantan can become a develop country. In case the people of Kelantan do not agree with my opinion then you may give other opinion on how to develop Kelantan. In my opinion, the qualities of the people make the country to develop and not the government. We have to find Muslims with the best qualities to lead and administer Kelantan. Since primary school, the students in Kelantan should become more open-minded and to values people more on qualities rather than race. In Islam, people are valued not on the basis of race but on the amount of fear of Allah that the person has. Although the people of Kelantan regards themselves as more virtuous than other Malays and they regard Kelantan as Serambi Mekah yet they still cannot eradicate the strong racial sentiment that they have when compared to other Malays. The people of Kelantan should think that there are Muslims and they values people not in term of their race but on their taqwa. In case, correct tarbiah has taken place in Kelantan the people of Kelantan will always think that they are Muslims and when they are able to this then they will really becomes the best Muslims in Malaysia. I have many good friends who are good Muslims and they come from Kelantan.
Prof Dr Nasoha Saabin
March 2010
Integrative Holistic Wellness Centre