KATA-KATA NASIHAT IBNU QAYYIM

Di dalam hati manusia ada kekusutan dan tidak akan terurai kecuali menerima kehendak Allah swt.

Di dalam hati manusia ada keganasan dan tidak akan hilang kecuali berjinak dengan dengan Allah swt

Di dalam hati manusia ada kesedihan dan tidak akan hilang kecuali seronok mengenali Allah swt

Di dalam hati manusia ada kegelisahan dan tidak akan tenang damai kecuali berlindung, bertemu dan berjumpa denganNya

Di dalam hati manusia ada penyesalan dan tidak akan padam kecuali redha dengan suruhan dan laranganNya serta qadha dan qadarNya serta kesenantiasaan sabar sehingga menemuiNya

Di dalam hati manusia ada hajat dan tidak akan terbendung kecuali kecintaan kepadaNya dan bermohon kepadaNya.

Kesentiasaan berzikir kepadaNya adalah keikhlasan sebenar kepadaNya. . . . . . Andai dunia dan isinya diberikan kepada manusia masih tidak lagi dapat membendunghajat hati sihamba itu.

“Prayers to fulfill Desires”.

There was only about a week, between Hari Raya and the PMR. So many put off or place on hold, by taking a break, their 6 days of Shawal fasting. Something has to be slotted in that period – “Prayers to fulfill Desires" - as well wishers, for extremely good results’ for kids taking their PMR and SPM, from parents, close relatives, friends and neighbours. Should I call – that a change is probably needed! A paradigm shift!

Me included, I was in KK doing the “same thing” for both my son sitting for SPM and PMR this year. After Fajr prayers – 1 bull and 1 Cow was slaughtered as aqiqah, and there was a special group handling them, turning into food. Then a PIBG meeting was held in the main School Hall, hailed as the Hargreaves Hall. After solat Asar a khatam Qur’an was done. Before Magrib, the Aqiqah food was served . After Magrib, Solat Hajat was done and Yassin was read, that reaches right to Insya’- After Insya’ supper was served. They had been doing this for the last5 years or so. I was told that lunch was served too, but I missed it for I went to prep school to see my form 1 son. As for me, the prayers were more for general wellbeing, albeit “Islamically”, of the students – which if necessary includes good results ( see Yusuf Ali’s poem below).

50 years after Merdeka. The people are saying that the “religious-Islamic” schools are being secularized and the secular schools are “Islamised”. Anybody not at home with that! Will it be for the better? InsyaAllah. One day, we may have Maahad Melayu Kuala Kangsar, among other things teaching science and IB. Will Hindraf ask for seats for their kids then, if its name is such?

Mum not worry about Mus’ab, here he is into food here, he is very skinny. He is the on the far right, in yellow. YB Sassy Teresa Kok should try the boarding school food and compare it to the one she got, in the police cell while under ISA, that may give her some sense. He is the PMR candidate in the family this year.

His Mum is worried, he is too much into Rugby. He already got College Colours for Rugby. He is second from the right, when he was in action in Bangkok , during the second semester of the school days. According to his coach he did manage to “touch down” on that day, initially awarded by the referee but later, he reversed his decision after concurring with the touch judge. Malay College did well this year, reaching the semi-final in the Perak League 2008. I do not remember about their match with UPSI, I heard that they beat UiTM Perak in the process. Muhammad will sit for his SPM this year.

Mufaddal is into everything as of now, In this photo, in choral singing. He joined the Wind Orchestra, Rugby and now seeking his mum permission to join the Silat Club. No wonder he losing weight very fast. He is in the first row, third from right. Eventually he will settle for less, we hope.

The description of the mother of all prayers:

First comes that beautiful Sura,
The opening Chapter of seven verses,
Rightly called the Essence of the Book,
It teaches us the perfect Prayers,
For if we can pray aright, it means
That we have some knowledge of God
And His attributes, of His relations
To us and His creations, which includes
Ourselves; that we glimpse the source
From which we came, and that final goal
Which is our spiritual destiny
Under God’s true judgment : then
We offer ourselves to God and seek His light.

A. Yusuf Ali – C.42 on al-Fatiha

Puisi - Sempena Awal Ramadhan

Mendidik Haiwan:

Insan menyaggupi amanah mentadbir bumi
Sebagai makhlukNya paling ali dan ilmi.

Dengan ta’dib, insan berusaha mengenal segala
Mengingat semula semua nama yang diajari-Nya di Sana
Mengota janji termeteri melalui Bala shahidna!

Biarpun zahirnya zuriat Adam banyak persamaan
Dengan segala hewan dari chimpazi kepada lalat buahan
Namun ruh insan dan amanah tanggungan setiap ahlinya
Bagai langit dan bumi, bagai lilin dan mentari bezanya.

Genom insani dikatakan 60% sama dengan lalat drosophilia
40% baka kita tidak berbeza dari baka cacinbg dan sepertinya
Malah 99% sama dengan chimpanzi berkaki dua:
Bagi sekian Darwinis semua – itu lah hakikat kejadian kita:-
Haiwan terpintar dan tertinggi tingkat evolusinya.

Tentang perjanjian arwah dengan al-Khaliq tiada sesuai lagi
Ruh insan, bagi mereka, hasil perkembangan badan, baru terjadi
Wujudnya hanya di alam ini, akan terputus bila mati.

Pendidikan umat di seluruh dunia telah hilang punca asalnuya
Bagai laying-layang terputus tali di bawa angin kemana saja
Angin yang kencang di tiup jentera tuntutan haiwani
Tujuan, kandungan dan kaedah pendidikan bukan lagi insani.

Ta’dib menyemai ilmu pelbagai, menyempurna ahlak baik
Ruh insan mendaki mendaki makam menyuci mengenal al-Khaliq
Ilmu pelbagai perkara tentang dunia dan akhirat nan baqa
Di guna mentadbir bumi memikul amanah penuh taqwa.

Tarbiyyah melihat insan dengan sebelah mata
Walaupun pandangan tajam amat, yang tampak zahirnya saja
Kepandaian berharta dan mengurusnya disanjung tinggi
Ilmu mengenal Tuhan dan sunnah Nabi dibasa-basi
Bagai hidangan di papan iklan, lapar tiada terisi.

Banyak dibelanjakan bagi membina sekolah dan universiti
Yang kaya dan berpengruh menghantar ke luar negeri
Pintu universiti luas terbuka jika yuran terbayari
Atau jika pantas berlari menjulang nama pertiwi
Apatah lagi jika mengenal menteri bersamaan parti.

Dari sekolah hingga ke ijazah doctor falsafah pelbagai bidang
Manusia di ajar menulis, mengira dan pandai kemahiran
Pelajar di wajib menuntut ilmu keusahawanan
Agar bisa berniaga, sehingga semua diperniagakan:
Wanita berpipi licin menjaga tubuh pada sejenis atau lelaki
Ulama menjual fatwa pada penguasa yang membayar tinggi.

Pentadbir mencemuh guru sendiri jika kerusi disasari
Sarjana menabur bakti jika ganjaran memuas hati
Isteri menjadi setia selagi suami bergaji tinggi
Suami rela dihina jika isteri cantik, kaya, disegani
Si anjing kurap disanjung ilmuan tinggi jika kedudukan dikekali
Abu Jahal diimami walau Muhammad berada di sisi.

Madrasah di tengah kota di anggap merugikan
Pelajar dan ilmuan miskin hanya meluka pandangan
Hotel lima bintang dianggap lebih memanfaatkan
Ribuan pelancong mampu membawa jutaan pulangan.

Setiap haiwan terlalu pandai sukar diatasi
Ingatan mereka kukuh berakar dalam naluri:
Gajah bisa mengingati telaga puluhan tahun tidak disinggahi
Penyu beribu batu meninggal pantai pasti bisa kembali.

Salmona lama ke hilir mengecap nikmat di laut luas
Di perjalanan pulang, ribuan dibaham beruang lapar dan buas
Salmona pintar mendaki sungai menabur benuh, menunai amanah
Bangsanya menang walau nyawa sendiri terpaksa diserah.

Si tempoa cekap sekali menganyam sarang di dahan tinggi
Datang ribut taufan istana rekaanya bertahan, d kagumi.

Rimau bintang menyambar kijang, mematah tengkok
Sesaat bisa berjaya mengankat mangsa ke atas pokok
Walau sang singa lebih perkasa dan raja di rimba
Tapi tidak secekap si bintang mengankat mangsa:-
Dia tidak bisa merampas rezeki si bintang tangkas
Hanya menunggu di bawah menjilay bekas.

Al=Khaliq mencipta insan dari lumpur hitam
Supaya bisa bergerak seperti haiwan sekalian
Tapi di tiupkan permata halus sebahagian dari ruh-Nya-
Terpisahlah dari cacing, lalat buah dan segalanya
Maka terangkatlah martabat bila di ajar segala nama
Hinga Malaikat lebih bercahaya gagal menjangkau makna.

Kita bukan dari chimpazi atau orang hutan
Persamaan begitu banyak harus diperi ngatkan
Tapi perbezaan janin kecil membawa pemisahan mutlak:-
Chimpazi dan Orang Hutan tidak dihsiab di akhirat kelak
Kita tidak bisa lari dari Sirat, Mahshar dan Jahannam
Mungkin bertemu syurga dan bahagia tanpa kesudahan.

II.

Pendidikan bukan untuk melahirkan pengurus wang
Atau memastikan cengkaman kuasa berlangsung panjang.
Bukan peluang membina sekolah kos menjulang
Atau lubang membina menjual peralatan, buku teks anika bidang:
Itik hanya memerlukan kolam berair dan makanan biasa
Bukan air tapisan khas yang diimpot harga berjuta
Bukan dedak padi yang ditanam di atas bumbung
Atau yang dipesan dari Taiwan atau Hong Kong

Pendidikan milik insane beriktiar mendekati tuhan
Dari saat kelahiran hingga ke titik akhir kehidupan
Bayi yang baru menghendap keluar rahim ibunya
Diperingatkan dengan Azan dan Iqamah dikedua telingga
‘Apakah si bayi kecil dua jengkal bisa mengerti?” kau Tanya
“Seruan dalam bahasa asing, sedang mata belum pun terbuka?”
Dia mengerti, kerana baru saja meninggal Zaman Alastu
Dia mengerti, kerana dengan dunia ini, masih belum terkeliru.
Insan di hujung hayat wajar ditalqinkan denganBacaan Suci
Dan diperingatkan dengan dua kalimah ajaran Nabi.

Kau sangsi lagi,”apa gunanya ini pada diri menanti mati?
Bukannya bisa merubah sebarang keadaan di dunia ini.”

Pandanganmu hanya pada zahirnya keadaan
Kau ghaflah tentang hakikat bermakna menyerap kewujudan
Bagai oxygen tidak ternampak, tidak terasa, tiada berwarna
Wujudnya bisa dinafikan dalam perkataan sahaja:
Tanpanya dalam persikataran
Alam ini pasti menyaksikan kematian.

Insan yang hampir meninggalkan kefanaan ini
Bila ruhnya meronta mahu kembali ke tempat asli
Mata-hatinya, jika tersilau keliru selama ini
Kerana tersangat takjub dengan seri duniawi
Kini kembali terang menatapi hakikat ruhi nan ghaibi
Segala peringatan akan bertambah terang
Semua perbuatan dan niat fikiran akan tertayang.

Pendidikan bukan pengisi kebosanan kehidupan
Mempersibukan diri dari mengingati hakikat kepulangan.

Pendidikan daya usaha pelajar, ibu bapa, penguasa, guru:-
Mengotakan segala kata dan ikatan dalam perjanjian dulu
Mempersiapkan semua memikul amanah rela dipersetuju
Menjadi khalifah di Bumi, mentadbir Alam dan laut biru
Tulus ibadat bersukur tak terhingga
Kerana kewujudan dan keutamaan bangsa manusia.

Matematik, geografi, astronomi, bioteknologi, semua ilmu tabii
Setiap kumpulan insan dan bahasanya dan sejarah kaum insani
Ilmu yang telah lalu, dan yang sedang giat di kaji
Perlu di kuasai jika Perjanjian itu mahu di kotai

Umat ini bisa menjulang obor menyuluh kemajuan
Jika pemimpin, ulama, pentadbir dan peniaga tidak kesesatan
Tegas mengemudikan bahtera bangsa dengan kuasa pentadbiran.
Jika tujuan dan kandungan pendidikan dirubah sentiasa
Mengikut naluri sementara, mengekal kuasa sedekad dua
Dan meningkat laba:
Ajarlah insan menjadi haiwan - cepat-pintar bekerja.
Namun, Perjanjian Dahulu tidak akan terbatal jua.

Ingat! Cacing, chimpazi dan segala haiwan tidak dibangkitkan.
Kita harus memberi jawapan : tiada lagi helah, alasan.


Petikan dari “Dalam Terang”
Prof. Dr. Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud

Anak helang - Puisi Sempena MERDEKA

Anak Helang

Seekor anak Helang
Meminta izin bapaknya mahu terbang
Ke lain padang
Melatih sayap mengembang
Mencari pengalaman
Menajam pandangan.

Tapi pada bapaknya menyata bimbang
Akan cabaran sengit bakal mendatang
Tentang kemungkinan hilang
Jalan pulang
Mengkhianati bangsa, menjadi petualang.

Bapaknya helang memberi pesan seorang guru:
“Silalah anakku sifatmu helang harus mendalami ilmu
Tapi ingatlah segala ajaranku kepadamu selalu
Kerangka dan dasar pengetahuan dalam dadamu itu
Sungguhlah benar, jangan kau curiga dan ragu
Perhalusi lagi, dan bandingkan dengan yang lain itu”.

“Harus sentiasa sedar harga diri dan peranan sejati
Tiada guna jika gagak berjuta, musuh bangsa, memuji tinggi
Walau bangsamu jumlahnya kecil, peranannya tersangat suci
Itu amanah kita dari azali, pilihan maknawi.”

Anak helang terbang jauh melihat alam pelbagai ragam
Singgah di suatu padang melihat gagak galak berkawan
Ramainya bukan kepalang, hitamnya menawan
Langit nan terang di waktu siang dipergelapkan
Bisingnya menguasai padang dan segala hutan
Sampah dan bangkai mencerminkan kelazatan.

Si anak helang menumpang gagak mengisi dada
Raja gagak melihat kemungkinan besar tiada tara
Jika berjaya menggagakkan helang mencari kuasa
Menumpas helang sebagai burung perkasa di muka dunia.

Selagi helang mengenal dirinya selagi itulah gagak semua
Gagal merebut takhta kerajaan burung segala.
“Jika si anak helang itu dapat digagakkan kita
Dia akan dipulangkan pada bangsanya
Dan berperanglah untuk kita.
Jika helang tidak lagi terbang tinggi di puncak sana
Jika matanya ditumpulkan seperti kita
Jika makanannya dibiasakan sampah, bangkai dan sisa
Dia akan menafikan bapak sendiri, tidak mengenali bangsa
Akan meruntuhkan sarang bangsanya; tak terdaya kita.”

Memang setelah bertahun berguru pada gagak semua
Bulunya dihitam-kilatkan menyilau mata, untuk diterima
Lagunya semeriah, sebising, senyaring burung pensisa.
“Menangkap rezeki penuh risiko di dada angkasa,
Merugi masa, dan tenaga”, katanya.
“Lebih mudah mencuri sisa di tong sampah saja”.
Sekian lama berguru, ia dinobat wira nan perkasa
Diutus pulang ke padang asalnya memikul cita
Merubah helang mengikut millah gagak belaka.

Pulanglah helang bertemu ayahnya guru awali
Ayahnya melihat terbangnya tidak menghelang lagi
Suaranya bukan lagi menyanyi lagu asli
Tapi lagu baru yang tidak pernah didengari
Sepanjang sejarah helang tidak didendangi.

Sepanjang zaman bangsaku melihat tajam perubahan
Insan kehilangan diri setelah lama berjauhan
Kejauhan zahir terlihat pada jarak zaman dan ruang
Kejauhan batin terbukti pada akhlak ang pincang
Terpapar dalam Kisah si Tenggang dan Malim Kundang
Dalam perubahan jiwa jutaan cendekiawan malang.

Anak helang kehilangan diri, disanjung gagak di luar negeri:
Pulang ke sarang asli berbulu hitam, suara nyaring ngeri
Menghalau keluarga sendiri, menganggap jahil guru awali
Ajaran Nabi dan pewaris tradisi disifat tiada sesuai lagi
Bagi meniti arus pluralisme dan cabaran globalisasi.


- Petikan dari “Dalam Terang”
Prof Dr Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud

Torres named - man of the match

Torres named - man of the match Spain 1 Germany 0

Germany were outclassed, and for captain Ballack his catalogue of misery in major finals continues having lost two Champions League finals and also been suspended for the 2002 World Cup final when they lost to Brazil.

Match-winner Torres enhanced the reputation he forged at Liverpool last season, but this was an all-round effort for a side that is young enough to already be marked down among the favourites for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. . . more

Capt Casillas lifted the Henri Delaunay trophy for Spain

PAS: We're just partners in Perak

Piala Hamdan Tahir : HKSBP

Cagers are the CHAMPION, again

5th Championship: 26-05-08
against MOZAC 52 - 30.

the semifinal
against SMS Hulu Selangor 65 - 49

Group A Champ
4th game against SBPI Gombak 61 - 22.
3rd game against SESMA 50 - 33
2nd game against SMSKuching 62 - 40
1st game against SDAR 66 - 43


A blog on the Cagers activities

cagers in action

John Bolton escapes citizen's arrest at Hay Festival

John Bolton, the former American ambassador to the UN, managed to escape a British journalist's attempt to place him under citizen's arrest Wednesday evening at a festival in Wales. He had brushed off an attempted citizen’s arrest at the Hay Festival in Wales as “comic”.

Mr George Monbiot argues that Bolton helped plan the war in Iraq when he was undersecretary of state for arms control at the State Department, using information he knew to be false.

Mr Bolton said the war was legal, partly because Iraq had failed to comply with a key and binding UN resolution after the end of the Gulf War in 1991. On the war's legality, he added: "This is not my personal opinion, this is the opinion of the entire legal apparatus of the US government."

Mr Monbiot blocked by security guards

A crowd of about 20 protestors, one dressed in a latex George Bush mask, chanted "war criminal" as Mr Bolton was ushered away. Mr Monbiot was blocked by two heavily-built security guards at the end of the one-and-a-half hour appearance, before he could serve a "charge sheet" on him. Mr Monbiot said moments later he was "disappointed" that he had been blocked from making the citizen's arrest.

"This was a serious attempt to bring one of the perpetrators of the Iraq war to justice, for what is described under the Nuremberg Principles as an international crime," he said.

A citizen’s arrest is legal in certain circumstances under the under the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.

But Peter Florence, director of the Hay Festival, said on Wednesday that they had sought legal advice and been told carrying out such an arrest would be “completely unlawful” given the circumstances.

Countries to Adopt Cluster Bomb Ban

30/05/2008

Countries from across the globe were to adopt a landmark convention banning cluster bombs in a formal ceremony on Friday, in a move supporters hope will stigmatize the lethal weapons as much as landmines. Diplomats from 111 countries were to adopt the treaty in a closing ceremony at Croke Park in the Irish capital after 12 days of robust negotiations at the Gaelic games stadium.




A Cluster Bomb Explsion

The convention, agreed Wednesday, outlaws the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions. It also provides for victim welfare and clearing contaminated areas. Politicians and campaigners insisted it was a hugely significant pact despite the absence of key powers like the United States, China and Russia. Diplomats will adopt the treaty before Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin closes the conference.

Norway has spearheaded the treaty initiative and the convention is due to be signed in Oslo on December 2-3. States then have to ratify the pact. The United States, China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Israel did not participate in the convention talks, leading some commentators to question its worth. However, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere insisted the treaty would stigmatize the use of cluster bombs among those countries keeping their stockpiles.

Cluster munitions are among the weapons posing the gravest dangers to civilians, especially in heavily bombed countries. Dropped from planes or fired from artillery, they explode in mid-air, randomly scattering bomblets, with many civilians having been killed or maimed by their indiscriminate, wide area effect. They also pose a lasting threat as many bomblets fail to explode on impact.

The treaty is due to be signed in Oslo on December 2-3. The cluster munitions treaty requires the destruction of stockpiled munitions within eight years -- though it leaves the door open for future, more precise generations of cluster bombs that pose less harm to civilians. The treaty was welcomed by the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC), an umbrella group of non-governmental organizations, which hopes it will stigmatize cluster munitions.

Courtesy almanartv

Malaysia to develop oilfield in Iran

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:56:09

Malaysia signs a $300-million agreement with Iran for developing an oilfield in the Persian Gulf, a senior Iranian oil official says.

The memorandum of understanding, signed between the Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) and its Malaysian partner in Kuala Lumpur, is worth $300 million at initial phase and is expected to grow to $1.5 billion later, Mohammad-Ali Ghayem, an IOOC director, said.

The joint project to develop an Iranian oilfield is part of a Tehran-Kuala Lumpur bid to expand cooperation in oil and natural gas sectors, Ghayem, director of the IOOC Engineering, Procurements, Construction and Project Execution, was quoted by IRNA as saying.

Ghayem did not name the oilfield. However, the field is located in southern Bushehr province in the Persian Gulf.

The contract will be finalized next month and its implementation phase will begin next year, he added.

Implementation of the project adds to the country's energy capabilities and creating 500 permanent jobs and 2,000 temporary jobs, the official concluded.

coutesy presstv

Dikir untuk PaK Lah

EPL - Manchester United the Champions

Rangers 3-1 Dundee Utd

Page last updated at 13:26 GMT, Saturday, 10 May 2008 14:26 UK

By Thomas McGuigan Novo punished United with some razor sharp finishing Rangers moved to within a point of league leaders Celtic with a game in hand following a controversial victory over Dundee United. Nacho Novo calmed early Rangers nerves in the seventh minute when he headed home Kevin Thomson's free-kick. The Spaniard doubled Rangers' lead soon after with a superb volley. . . . read more

Championsleague semifinal liverpool 3 - Chelsea 2

UK Culture - Rugby

Muhammad emerging from a
tunnel formed by MCOBA
in the annual
MCOBA - MCKK match @
Oldboys weekend 2008

In the U.K, an old saying goes "football is a gentleman's game played by ruffians and rugby is a ruffians game played by gentleman". In most rugby-playing countries, rugby union is widely regarded as an "establishment," historically amateur sport, played mostly by members of the middle classes.

For example, many students at private schools and grammar schools play rugby union. By contrast, rugby league has traditionally been seen as a working and middle class, professional, pursuit. A contrast to this ideology is evident in the neighbouring unions of England and Wales. In England the sport is very much associated with the public schools system (i.e. independent/private schools).

In Ireland, rugby union is also associated with private, education and the "D4" stereotype, and this image of the spoilt, ignorant, wealthy rugby-playing jock inspired the best-selling Ross O'Carroll Kelly novels. In Wales, rugby is associated with small village teams which consisted of coal miners and other industrial workers playing on their days off.

Exceptions to the above include New Zealand, Wales, France except Paris, Cornwall, the Borders region of Scotland, County Limerick in Ireland, and the Pacific Islands, where rugby union is popular in working class communities. Nevertheless, rugby league is perceived as the game of the working class people in the English counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, and in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland.

In the United Kingdom, rugby union fans sometimes use the term "rugger" as an alternative name for the sport, (see Oxford '-er'). Also the kick off is known to be called "Rug Off" in some regions. In the US, people who play rugby are sometimes called "ruggers", a term little used elsewhere except facetiously.

Those considered to be heavily involved with the rugby union lifestyle — including heavy drinking and striped jumpers — sometimes identify as "rugger buggers". Retired rugby union players who still turn up to watch, drink and serve on committees rank as "alickadoos" or, less kindly, as "old farts". An alternative name for the game adopted primarily in local rugby comps is known as "Ra-Ra" referring to the pomp and circumstance associated with the sport

Because of the nature of the games (almost unlimited body contact with little or no padding), the rugby world frowns on unsporting behaviour, since even a slight infringement of the rules may lead to serious injury or even death. Because of this, governing bodies enforce the rules strictly.

French rugby league supporters sometimes call themselves "treizistes", reflecting the French title of their sport (jeu à treize). The epithet occurs almost universally in France, but its use has also spread to English-speaking countries.

Australia is unusual in that rugby league is by far the more popular of the two codes. Support for both codes is concentrated in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. The same perceived class barrier as exists between the two games in England also occurs in these two states, fostered by rugby union's prominence and support at private schools. Australian followers of rugby league usually refer to rugby league as "league", "footy" or "football" and rugby union as "rugby" or "union". A popular television show dealing with rugby league, called The Footy Show screens weekly during the NRL season and television coverage is generally known as Friday Night Football, Sunday Football and Monday Night Football.

New Zealanders generally refer to rugby union simply as either "football", "rugby" or "rugby union" and to rugby league as "rugby league", "football" or "league". In New Zealand, playing rugby football has a reputation as the epitome of manliness for both Māori and Pākehā (non-Māori), as symbolised by a haka (war dance) at the start of important games. Kiwis see rugby as the accepted substitute for military heroism and an excellent training ground for soldiering. If Britain won the Battle of Waterloo on the playing-fields of Eton College, New Zealand long saw its role in the British Empire as intimately connected with the football field. Popular Kiwi mythology sees the encouragement of New Zealand rugby in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the Imperial reaction to declining physical fitness in Britain's industrial slums.

(the above is UK Culture extracted from wikipedia, verbatim)