Saturday, May 28, 2011

Cadangan KG TRADISI, Kg PERLANCUNGAN DAN KG PINTAR





KU IMPIKAN SUASANA SEMASA ZAMAN KANAK2 , SUASANA MASIH ADA PADA MASA KINI


KG TRADISI,

i) Mengekalkan Suasana INFRASTRUKTUR, LANDSKAP, KOMUNITI, REKABENTUK Dan CORAK KEHIDUPAN SEDIA ADA.

ii) Mempraktikkan suasana hidup bergotong -royong, Bermesyuarat dan bermuafakat pd setiap penghuni dan penduduk KG.

iii) Memperkenalkan konsep Ubahsuai, rekabentuk dan susunatur yang perlu ditambah nilai terhadap setiap pemilik rumah yg terlibat

iv) Memberi INFO dan mengumpul DATA , serta menyediakan kemudahan, bahan-bahan , INFO , biodata dan salsilah (family Tree) serta mengadakan setiap rumah satu agenda konsep mengikut keperluan dan kemampuan mereka.

v) Mengadakan Ikatan,serta TERMA, prasyarat, dijadikan panduan serta garis yg sesuai kepada semua pihak yg terlibat pemilik Tanah, Pihak Kerajaan, NGO dan PERSATUAN PENDUDUK.

vii) Menjadikan KG Tradisi dapat mengubah sikap dan perubahan secara evolusi minda dan mentaliti serta sikap yg positif kepada setiap org yg terlibat.

viii) Setiap yg terlibat , adalah WARGANEGARA dan Pemilik yg sah serta masih hidup.





b) KG PERLANCUNGAN

i) Setiap Rumah dan landskap dijadikan bertujuan menarik Pelancung serta dgn mengadakan aturcara, konsep persembhan, spt " Henti , Hidang dan JAMU"

ii) Setiap Rumah dan Landskap, menyediakan aturcara, persembahan kesenian, perusahaan konsepkan inds kecil untuk Kraf , gubahan, masakan, tenunan yg berbentuk tradisi.

iii) Setiap rumah dan Landskap yg telah diubah suai menjadi Galeri atau Muzium mengikut PIAWAIAN Kem Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan.

iv) setiap Kg mengadakan Aturcara Karnival tahunan, dgn mengadakan pertandingan2, persembahan2 dan INFO2 serta IDEA2 pembangnan Tradisi yg lebih Efektif

DIKEKALKAN LANDSKAP (DITAMBAH NILAI) ,
REKABENTUK RUMAH (DIKAJI KEUTUHAN BANGUNAN DIGALAKKAN)





c) KG PINTAR.


Bidang ini saya kurang arif. secara ringkas yg saya difaham oleh pihak Kem Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan akan membantu mengadakan kemudahan Broadband, WI-5, fasiliti ICT, kemudahan Siaran TV Khas BERKABEL FIBER OPTIK seperti ASTRO.
Setiap perkara tersebut akan dijelaskan kelak dlm waktu terdekat

Friday, May 27, 2011

ilmu lebih berharga dari Harta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhjn4cnhtZE&feature=related

Cadangan Mengujudkan KG Tradisi, KG Perlancungan dan KG Pintar. Kg Padang Balang di tengah Kepesatan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur


KEADAAN LANDSKAP YANG PENUH DENGAN SUASANA NYAMAN DAN BERCIRI KAMPUNG ASLI
RUMAH TRADISI YANG BERPOTENSI


 USIA YANG MENJANGKAU LEBIH 50 TAHUN
 RUMAH YANG PENUH NOSTALGIA DAN KENANGAN SEJARAH DAN PERISTIWA
MENGHADAPI PERLBAGAI SITUASI DARI PENGHUNI SEJAK BERZAMAN
PENGUBAHSUAIAN MENGIKUT CITARASA YANG PENGHUNI DARI PERLBAGAI PERINGKAT GENERASI
SETIAP REKABENTUK MELAMBANGKAN KEISTIMEWAAN SETIAP PEMILIKNYA
KINI GENARASI BERTAMBAH , MAKA RUANGAN AMAT SEMPIT
DI ATAS TANAH YANG TERHAD DI HIASI PERLBAGAI TANAMAN TRADISIONAL DARI TURUN TEMURUN

POHON-POHON SEMANGKIN USANG. TETAPI RUMAH PUSAKA GAGAH BERDIRI.











INILAH DIA KAMPUNG HALAMANKU, KAMPUNG PADANG BALANG ,
SENTUL, KUALA LUMPUR.


4 KM DARI KOTARAYA KUALA LUMPUR
KELUASAN 270 EKAR,
MASIH BELUM DITEROKAI PEMBANGUNAN MODEN,
MASYARAKAT HIDUP , BERKOMUNITI SECARA KAMPUNG DAN BERGOTONG ROYONG.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Matawang Pada Zaman Nabi, Status Perlaksanaan sistem kewangan Islam

Hayan Waruk
Ukuran Uang di Jaman Nabi SAW
Pada masa Nabi sudah dikenal beberapa istilah pengukuran antara lain:
Mitsqal, Auqiyah/Uqiyah, Nasy, Nuwah, Qirath (قيراط) dan Habbah-sya'irah (حَبَّةً شَعِيرَةً) juga Daniq (دانيق), Dirham dan Dinar

A. Mitsqal ( مِثْقَالَ )
Mitsqal secara bahasa artinya 'berat' (Lihat QS 099:007-008). Maka 1 mitsqal adalah satu satuan berat atau berat dasar yang jadi batu ukuran berat-berat lainnya. Mitsqal sendiri ditakar beratnya menggunakan biji gandum (حَبَّةً شَعِيرَةً) yaitu biji gandum Barley yang memang digunakan di Tanah Arab dan Romawi. Ditetapkan bahwa berat 1 Mitsqal setara dengan 72 biji gandum yang dipotong kedua ujungnya.

Mitsqal (juga) merupakan berat yang diketahui umum setara dengan 22 qirath (قيراط) sesuai berat Solidus. Ada yang mengatakan 21 3/7 qirath (22 qirath dikurangi 1 biji yang dipotong kedua ujungnya). Qirath sendiri diartikan sebagai ‘biji kacang polong (carob)’ atau ‘satuan kecil’ dan mungkin berasal dari kata Yunani κεράτιον (keration). Tetapi qirath sendiri lebih banyak untuk menentukan kadar/ketulinan dari logam mulia (precious metal) yang dikenal sebagai karat.

A.1 Gram: Pengukuran Hari Ini (Waqi'i)
Penggunaan gram sebagai satuan berat mulai digunakan tahun 1586M dan ditetapkan standarnya 20 Mei 1875 (lihat Metric System) dan diadopsi oleh International System of Unitdan ditetapkan bahwa
1 gram (g) = 15.4323583529 biji gandum utuh (gr) atau
1 biji gandum = 64.798 91 mg = 1 biji gandum (gr) = 0.06479891 gram (g)
lihat Konversi unit
Sedangkan biji gandum ukuran sedang yang dipotong kedua ujungnya akan mendapatkan berat  0.061713247619047625 gram

A.2 Konversi Berat Tradisional Dasar (Mitsqal) ke Gram
Maka perhitungan syar'i konversi berat tradisional uang ke gram adalah sebagai berikut
1 mitsqal = 1 dinar
Berat 1 mitsqal = 72 biji gandum dipotong kedua ujungnya = 68-69 biji gandum utuh

1) Penghitungan berat ke gram dengan cara penimbangan 72 biji gandum ukuran sedang dan dipotong kedua ujungnya dilakukan pada Hari Sabtu, 12 Shafar 1432H bertepatan 16 Januari 2011 dan menghasilkan sebagai berikut
Berat 1 mitsqal = 4.443353828571429 gram

2) Konversi ke gram dengan cara penghitungan standar 68 biji gandum utuh didapatkan 4.40632588 gram;
Konversi ke gram dengan cara penghitungan standar 69 biji gandum utuh didapatkan 4.47112479 gram
Maka Berat 1 Mitsqal adalah antara 4.40632588 - 4.47112479 gram

3) Mengikuti pendapat Imam Al-Maqrizi [lihat Imam Al-Maqriziy, Ighatsat al-Ummah bi-Kasyf al-Ghummah: Syudzur al-Uqud fii Dzikr al-Nuqud -اغاثة الامة - المقريزي], beliau mengatakan bahwa 1 mitsqal adalah 22 qirath dikurangi satu biji atau 21 3/7 qirath. Secara umum berat 1 qirath adalah = 200 mg; Sedangkan qirath di Mesir adalah 196 mg sedangkan yang ada di Syria beratnya adalah 212 mg; Sedangkan di Arab 2% lebih kecil dari qirath Syria jadi beratnya adalah 207.76 mg (lihat di Carat) maka

1 mitsqal = 21 3/7 x 207.76 mg = 4451.999… mg = 4.452 gram

Dikutip dari Islam Hari Ini
Menurut Ibnu Khaldun dalam Muqaddimah (اﻟﻤﻗﺩﻤﻪ)

''…... Ketahuilah bahawa terdapat persetujuan umum (ijma) sejak permulaan islam dan masa Para Nabi dan Rasu, masa Nabi Muhammad, Khulafa’ur rasyidun, sahabat-sahabat serta tabiin, tabiit tabiin bahawa dirham yang sesuai syariah adalah yang sepuluh kepingnya seberat 7 mistqal (dinar) emas. Berat 1 mistqal emas adalah 72 butir gandum, sehingga dirham yang nilainya 7/10 setara dengan 50 dan 2/5 butir. Ijma telah menetapkan dengan tegas seluruh ukuran ini....''

أما وزنه بالحبوب:  فقد قدر أكثر الفقهاء وزن الدينار الشرعي بزنة اثنتين وسبعين حبة شعير متوسطة لم تقشر وقطع من طرفيها ما امتد

Demikian pula menurut 'Allamah Muhammad bin 'Abdurrahman ad Dimasyqi dalamFiqih 4 Madzhab, menyatakan bahwa : Berdasarkan wahyu Allah, Emas dan Perak harus nyata dan memiliki ukuran dan penilaian tertentu (untuk zakat dan lainnya) yang mendasari segala ketentuannya, bukan atas sesuatu yang tak berdasarkan syari’ah (kertas dan logam lainnya). Ketahuilah bahwa terdapat persetujuan umum (ijma) sejak permulaan Islam dan masa Para Nabi dan Rasul, masa Nabi Muhammad, Khulafa’ur Rasyidun, Sahabat serta tabi’in, tabi’it tabi’in bahwa dirham yang sesuai syari’ah adalah yang sepuluh kepingnya seberat 7 mitsqal (bobot dinar) emas. Berat 1 mitsqal emas adalah 72 butir gandum, sehingga dirham yang bobotnya 7/10-nya setara dengan 50-2/5 butir. Ijma telah menetapkan dengan tegas seluruh ukuran ini.
Lihat juga Kitab Adh-Dharaib Fi As Sawad, halaman 65.

Catatan: Dinar adalah emas murni = adz-dzahab (24K)

B. Perhitungan Denarius dan Drachma ke dalam Dinar dan Dirham (وزن سبعة)
Troy-ounce (ozt) adalah standar umum yang digunakan sebagai berat emas batangan dan koin di Dinasti Romawi, Yunani dan Persia yang diadopsi dari masa-masa sebelumnya. Berat ini digunakan untuk keping Denarius dan Drachma. Perlu dicatat bahwa istilah Denarius danDrachma (sedang di Persia disebut Drahm dan 1/6 drahm itu adalah 1 Danake atau daniq) didasarkan pada mata uang yang sudah digunakan pada jaman Fir'aun Mesir awal yaitu pada jaman Nabi Jacob AS dan Jusuf AS. Lihat daftar kurensi historis

Islam mengadopsi berat Denarius Romawi tetap digunakan tanpa perubahan yaitu 20 qirath.

Sedangkan untuk koin Drachma perak yang diambil dari Persia terdapat 3 jenis, Islam melakukan penyesuaian terhadapnya. Tiga jenis Drachma dengan ukuran berat yang berbeda-beda, yakni
  1. Drachma besar 20 qirath (disebut juga Dirham Kibar); Dirham ini beratnya hampir 1 mitsqal atau sama dengan 1 mitsqal. Disebut Dirham Baghliyah atau As-Su'ud Al-Wafiyah atau Sauda' Wafiyah.
  2. Drachma kecil 10 qirath (disebut juga Dirham Shighar); Dirham ini disebut juga Dirham Thibriyah atau Thabariyah 'Utuq karena berasal dari daerah Thibristan sebelah selatan Laut Caspienne (Qazwin).
  3. dan Drachma sedang 12 qirath (disebut juga Dirham Wasath); Dirham ini disebut juga Dirham Jawariqiyah karena berasal dari Jurqan, sebuah tempat di Isfahan. (Al Baghdadi, Serial Hukum Islam : Penyewaan Tanah Lahan, Kekayaan Gelap, Ukuran Panjang, Luas, Takaran, dan Timbangan. Al Ma’arif. Bandung, 1987; Lihat juga Al Maqrizi)
Kemudian ketiganya dirata-ratakan kadar beratnya.
(20+10+12)/3 = 42/3 = 14 qirath

Formula 14/20 ini setara dengan 7/10 yang merupakan prinsip waznu sab'ah yang sesuai dengan standar kuno yang digunakan sejak jaman Nabi Yusuf AS (Menteri Keuangan Mesir)yang menetapkan kembali dinar/dirham sesuai dengan Raqim (الرَّقِيمِ) dan Wariq di jamanNabi Idris AS (QS 018:009) [Abul Walid Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Rasyad Al-Qurthubi (w.450 H), Bab Kitab Zakat Adz-Dzahab Wa Al-Waraq, Beirut-Libanon: Penerbit Darul Gharbi Al-Islami, Cet.2, tahun 1988, Jilid 2, halaman 355- 422]. Namun demikian dalam penerapannya Dinar adalah 21 3/7 qirath, sehingga rumusan waznu sab'ahnya adalah = 15/21(3/7). Sehingga berat Dirham adalah 15 qirath.

Nabi Idris AS (Hermes) adalah Nabi pertama yang menemukan penambangan emas dan perak, memiliki kejujuran yang tinggi dalam mencetak mata uang Islam, yaitu Raqim danWariq, hal ini dijelaskan dalam Al-Qur’an Surah Maryam [019]: 056; Juga dijelaskan dalamSurah Al-Anbiya’ [021]: 085. Nabi Idris AS sebagai penemu Mata Uang pertama Islam, yaitu mata uang emas dan perak, diriwayatkan oleh Wahhab bin Munabbih dalam Kitab Qishotul Anbiya’, karya Ibnu Katsir.

Mengenai sejarah lihat Islam Hari Ini
  • Standarisasi Dinar dan Dirham pada masa Rasulullah Saw sama dengan ukuranRaqim dan Wariq pada masa Nabi Idris sampai Nabi Ishaq, dan sama pula ukurannya dengan Dinar dan Dirham pada masa Nabi Ya’qub dan Yusuf (perhatikan koin Yahudi) sampai Nabi Muhammad SAW.
  • Ukuran ini adalah ukuran yang telah disepakati oleh Jumhur Ulama’. Yaitu: nisab zakat harta yang harus ditarik sebanyak 20 Dinar untuk Zakat Emas dan 200 Dirham untuk Zakat Perak haul satu tahun. [Allammah Abdurrahman bin Muhammad Ad-Dimasyqi, Fiqih Empat Madzhab, Bab Zakat Emas dan Perak. Dan Kitab Fiqih Hanafi, Bab Zakat Emas, hal. 119, juga bisa dibaca dalam KitabBidayatul Mujtahid, Ibnu Ruysd [yang merupakan Kitab Fiqh Maliki] dan KitabAl-Umm Imam Syafi’i, Vol. 2, hal. 39. tentang Zakat Wariq, dan Al-Umm, Vol. 2, tentang Zakat Emas, hal. 40].
  • Standar ini diikuti para Khulafa-ur Rasyidin  [Muhammad, Quthub Ibrahim. 2003. As-Siyâsah al-Mâliyah li ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththâb].
  • Para pemimpin Islam sesudah mereka juga menggunakan standar yang sama [Al-Bidaayah Wan Nihaayah, Ibn Katsir; Tarikh Khulafa’, As-Suyuthi; Tarikh Bani Umayyah, Al-Mamlakah Su’udiyyah; Tarikh Islamy, Ibn Khaldun; Sejarah Bani Umayyah, Muhammad Syu’ub, Penerbit PT.Bulan Bintang]

Bersabda Rasulullah SAW
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ
عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ الْمِكْيَالُ مِكْيَالُ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَالْوَزْنُ وَزْنُ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ
Telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Ahmad bin Sulaiman] dia berkata; Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Abu Nu'aim] dia berkata; Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Sufyan] dari [Hanzhalah] dari [Thawus] dari [Ibnu 'Umar] dari Nabi shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam, beliau bersabda: "Takaran (yang benar) itu ialah takaran penduduk Madinah, dan timbangan (yang benar) itu ialah timbangan penduduk Makkah." (Sunan Nasa'i: 2473 lihat juga 4517; Muwatta 1374; Sunan Abi Dawud 2899)

C. Konversi untuk satuan lain ke dalam Gram

Setelah mengetahui mitsqal konversinya ke dinar dan ke dirham, maka juga diketahui pula konversinya ke gram. Sedangkan ukuran-ukuran lain dapat diketahui yaitu:

1 Mitsqal = 72 biji gandum dipotong kedua ujung = 4.44 gram
1 Mitsqal = 21 3/7 qirath (Arab) = 4.44 gram
1 Daniq-dzahab = 1/8 Mitsqal = 0.55 gram
1 Awqiyah/Uqiya = 4 Mitsqal = 17.77 gram

1 Dirham = 50 - 2/5 biji gandum = 3.11 gram
1 Dirham = 7/10 Mitsqal = (7/10)*4.44 = 3.11 gram
1 Nasy/Nisy = 20 Dirham = 62.2 gram
1 Nuwat/Nuwah = 5 Dirham = 15.55 gram
1 Wasaq/Awqiyah-fidhdhah = 40 Dirham = 124.4 gram
1 Rithl = 480 Dirham = 1,492.8 gram

Demikianlah ukuran-ukuran tersebut dikonversi ke dalam gram.

D. Aplikasi Dinar dan Dirham
Ada beberapa aplikasi yang digunakan di antaranya
  1. Dilarang menimbun emas dan perak. Dalam QS 009:034, Allah melarang manusia menimbun emas dan perak. Yang dimaksud menimbun (al-kanz) adalah menyimpan tanpa adanya hajat. Tetapi menyimpan untuk suatu tujuan, misalnya tabungan (al-iddikhar) atau simpanan haji, memperbaiki rumah, persiapan mahar nikah, diperbolehkan. Emas dan perak sebaiknya ditasharufkan atau disirkulasikan dan dipertukarkan dalam muamalat.
  2. Sebagai alat tukar dalam muamalat (sharf) yaitu sebagai uang baik dalam perdagangan maupun di pasar. Dinar dan dirham telah digunakan sebagai alat tukar (tashoruf = sirkulasi) sejak jaman Nabi Yusuf AS. Rasulullah SAW mentaqrirpenggunaan dinar dan dirham di pasar. Diriwayatkan dari Abi Bakrah RA, bahwa Rasulullah SAW bersabda, “Rasulullah SAW melarang jual beli perak dengan perak dan emas dengan emas kecuali dengan nilai setara (sama nilainya). Beliau membolehkan kita membeli perak dengan emas menurut kehendak kita, serta membolehkan kita membeli emas dengan perak menurut kehendak kita." (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)
  3. Mahar dan maskawin. Sebagaimana dicontohkan oleh sahabat 'Abdurrahman ibn Auf, beliau menikah dengan mahar satu nuwat emas (emas yang beratnya setara 5 dirham atau setara dengan 7.143 dinar) [lihat Musnad Ahmad 13361; Sahih Muslim 2557; Sunan Darimi 2107; Sunan Nasa'i 3319; Sahih Bukhari 5907; Muwatta 999; Sunan Abi Dawud 1804; dll]
  4. Sebagai alat membayar zakat. Rasulullah SAW menyatakan nisab zakat emas adalah 20 Dinar [Sunan Ibn Majah 1781; Muwatta 528] atau setara 5 Awqiyah [Musnad Ahmad 13646 & 10606]. Sedangkan nisab zakat perak adalah 200 Dirham [Sunan Darimi 1573; Musnad Ahmad 673, 1170; Sunan Abi Dawud 1343] atau setara 5 Wasaq [Sunan Darimi 1579].
  5. Islam mewajibkan pembayaran diyat dengan emas dan perak, serta menentukan ukuran tertentu untuk masing-masingnya. Diyat berupa emas besarnya 1,000 dinar; sedang diyat berupa perak besarnya 12,000 dirham. Diriwayatkan dari Ibnu Abbas RA, bahwa pernah seorang laki-laki dari kabilah Bani Ady terbunuh. Lalu Nabi SAW menetapkan bahwa diyatnya adalah sebesar 12,000 dirham. (HR. Ashabus Sunan). Diriwayatkan dari Abu Bakar bin Muhammad bin Amr bin Hazm dari bapaknya dari kakeknya, bahwa Rasulullah SAW telah menulis surat kepada penduduk Yaman. Dalam surat itu Rasulullah SAW bersabda, ”Bahwa dalam jiwa seorang mu`min  (yang terbunuh) ada diyat 100 ekor unta… Dan bagi yang mempunyai dinar,
    (diyatnya) 1000 dinar.” (HR. An Nasa`i)
  6. Islam mewajibkan potong tangan dalam kasus pencurian. Islam telah menentukan kadar minimal nilai harta yang dicuri supaya hukum potong tangan dapat diterapkan, yaitu seperempat dinar, atau 3 (tiga) dirham. Diriwayatkan dari ‘Aisyah RA, bahwa Rasulullah SAW bersabda, “Tidak dipotong tangan pencuri kecuali dalam (barang senilai) seperempat dinar atau lebih.” (HR. Khamsah)

E. Beberapa Istilah dalam Uang
Dawud (1999, 3) dan Syabir (1999, 175) menyebut ada 3 istilah yang mengacu pada 'uang' yaitu nuqud, atsman dan fulus. Ada pula istilah 'umlah yang artinya mata uang.

E.1 Nuqud (نقود)
Nuqud (bentuk jamak dari naqd). Para ulama berbeda pendapat dalam merumuskan pengertian nuqud. Al-Sayyid ’Ali (1967, 44) mengartikannya dengan “semua hal yang digunakan oleh masyarakat dalam melakukan transaksi, baik Dinar emas, Dirham perak maupun fulus tembaga.” Sementara Al-Kafrawi (1407, 12) mendefinisikannya dengan “segala sesuatu yang diterima secara umum sebagai media pertukaran dan pengukur nilai”.
Sementara itu, Qal’ah Ji (1999, 23) mengemukakan definisi yang memberikan penekanan pada aspek legalitas di samping juga memperhatikan aspek fungsi sebagaimana definisi di atas. Ia mengatakan, “nuqud adalah sesuatu yang dijadikan harga (tsaman) oleh masyarakat, baik terdiri dari logam atau kertas yang dicetak maupun dari bahan lainnya, dan diterbitkan oleh lembaga keuangan pemegang otoritas.” Atas dasar definisi ini ia berpendapat, seandainya masyarakat dalam melakukan transaksi menggunakan unta sebagai alat pembayaran, unta tersebut tidak dapat dipandang sebagai uang (nuqud) melainkan hanya sebagai badal (pengganti) atau ‘iwadh (imbalan). Hal itu karena sesuatu yang dipandang sebagai uang harus memenuhi sekurang-kurangnya dua syarat. Pertama, substansi benda tersebut tidak bisa dimanfaatkan secara langsung melainkan hanya sebagai media untuk memperoleh manfaat; dan kedua, dikeluarkan oleh lembaga yang memiliki otoritas untuk menerbitkan uang, yaitu Amir yang sah.

E.2 Atsman (أثمان)
Atsman (bentuk jamak dari tsaman atau dikenal juga sebagai tsamaniyah), dilihat dari sudut bahasa, menurut Al-Ashfahani (1961,82) atsman memiliki beberapa arti; antara lain qimah, yakni nilai sesuatu, dan “harga pembayaran barang yang dijual” yakni sesuatu dalam bentuk apa pun yang diterima oleh pihak penjual sebagai imbalan dari barang yang dijualnya; sedangkan dalam tataran fiqih, kata itu digunakan untuk menunjukkan uang emas dan perak; Tsaman dirilis oleh "goldsmith" yang memiliki emas sebagai surat pinjaman/jaminan emas yang disimpan.

E.3 Fulus (فلوس)
Fulus (bentuk jamak fals) digunakan untuk pengertian logam bukan emas dan perak yang dibuat dan berlaku di tengah-tengah masyarakat sebagai uang dan pembayaran, misalnya terbuat dari perunggu, tembaga, atau besi.

E.4 'Umlah (العملة)
‘Umlah yang memiliki dua pengertian; pertama, satuan mata uang yang berlaku di negara atau wilayah tertentu, misalnya ‘umlah yang berlaku di Yordania adalah Dinar dan di Indonesia adalah Rupiah; kedua, mata uang dalam arti umum sama dengan nuqud. Namun demikian, para ulama fiqih pada umumnya lebih banyak menggunakan istilah nuqud dan tsaman dari pada istilah lainnya.

E.5 Sikkah
Sikkah (bentuk jamaknya adalah sukak) dipakai untuk dua pengertian; pertama, stempel besi untuk mencap (mentera) mata uang, dan kedua, mata uang dinar dan dirham yang telah dicetak dan distempel (diotorisasi).

E.6 Qirthas
Qirthas adalah uang kertas yang sekarang dipergunakan yang dikenal juga sebagai legal tender. Uang kertas tidak memiliki nilai tapi 'dianggap' bernilai karena otoritas yang menerapkan nilai itu atasnya. Istilah ini tidak dikenal dalam fiqh maupun sejarah Islam tapi sudah digunakan sebagai badal/pengganti dari emas ataupun perak sejak lama (istilahnyaunderlying value). Namun sejak Kesepakatan Bretton Woods 1944, kertas menjadi uang (fiat money) dan bukan badal/pengganti dari emas/perak. Beberapa ulama mengharamkan penggunaan kertas sebagai uang karena tidak memiliki nilai intrinsik yang dibawa dan hal ini merupakan riba.

Taqiyuddin An-Nabhani (Muqaddimah Dustur. t-tp. 1963 atau Muqaddimah ad-Dustur aw al-Asbâb al-Mujîbah Lahu, Jilid I, (Beirut: Darul Ummah), Cetakan II, 2009) membagi qirthasini menjadi 3 yaitu:
  1. Nuqud waraqiyah Ilzamiyah (inconvertible paper money / fiat money). Yaitu uang kertas yang tidak ditopang oleh sejumlah emas atau perak, maka menurut An-Nabhani, ia dinilai berdasarkan substansinya yaitu kertas, bukan nilai nominal yang ditunjukkannya.
  2. Nuqud waraqiyah watsiqah (representative money). Yaitu uang kertas yang dijamin oleh suatu benda tertentu tetapi bukan emas dan perak, sebagai tanda jaminan barang tersebut atau dianggap sebagai kertas janji (promising note). Menurut An-Nabhani, barang yang dimaksud harus dikonversi dengan nilai emas dan perak yang ada.
  3. Nuqud waraqiyah na'ibah (substitution money). Yaitu uang kertas yang ditopang/dijamin oleh sejumlah emas dan perak. Ini pernah digunakan oleh China sejak abad ke-7 tapi tidak pernah digunakan oleh umat Islam.
Pendapat An Nabhani (An Nizham Al Iqtishadi fi Al Islam. Darul Ummah. Beirut, cetakan IV, 1990) mengacu secara umum bagi adanya khilafah, artinya menurut Nabhani harus ada khilafah terlebih dahulu. Sedangkan dalam Islam telah ditetapkan bahwa alat tukar yang syar'i adalah emas dan perak (Abdul Qadim Zallum, Al Amwal fi Daulatil Khilafah. Darul Ilmi lil Malayin. Beirut, cetakan I, 1983).

Dinar-Dirham Islam

Pengenalan Awal (ringkas)
Anam M. Alhabsyi
Dinar adalah mata uang emas yang mulai digunakan sejak jaman Nabi Adam, kemudian Nabi Idris (dengan nama Wariq), dan tetap digunakan pada masa Romawi dengan nama Denarius. Dirham adalah mata uang perak, digunakan sejak jaman Nabi Idris (dengan nama Raqim) dan digunakan jaman Nabi Yusuf (yang sempat dijual sebagai budak dengan bayaran Dirham) dan digunakan Romawi dengan nama Drachma dan Persia dengan nama Drahm. Islam dari pelbagai dinasti termasuk Umawi, Abbasi, Fatimiya, termasuk Majapahit juga menggunakan. Lihat sejarahnya di http://islamhariini.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/dokumen-sejarah-dan-penerapan-dinar-dirham-di-nusantara/
 


The ratio gold and silver it is the number of Kilogrammes of silver which one can buy with one kilogramme of gold. 
Rasio emas dan perak adalah harga kilogram perak yang bisa digunakan untuk membeli harga satu kilogram emas.

This ratio has varied greatly through history :
  • 90 was the ratio of silver to gold when the price of an ounce of silver was at a low in 1991. With one kilogram of gold one could buy 90 kilograms of silver. Rasio tertinggi antara emas dan perak terjadi tahun 1991 di mana 1 kilogram emas setara dengan 90 kilogram perak.
  • 51 was the average ratio of the price of gold to silver in 2007. Sedangkan di tahun 2007 rasio 1 kg emas adalah 51 kg perak.
  • 17 Was the gold / silver ratio at the time of the record gold and silver prices in 1980. Pada tahun 1980, rasio 1 kg emas setara dengan 17 kg perak.
  • 15 Was the official ratio of gold to silver during the great period of Bi metallism, 15 ½ for France (1803), 15.68 for the USA (1800), 14,29 for England (1806). Ini adalah rasio resmi masa keemasan Bimetalisme; di mana 1 kg emas setara dengan 15½ kg perak (di Perancis 1803), 15.68 kg perak (di Amrik 1800), dan 14.29 kg perak (di Inggris 1806).
  • 12 Was the gold/silver ratio in Antiquity in Rome. Di masa jaman Antik Romawi, rasio 1 kg emas = 12 kg perak.
  • 12.5 Was the ratio in Greece at the time of the death of  Alexander the Great in 323 BC. Pada masa Yunani ketika wafatnya Alexander 323 SM rasio 1 kg emas adalah 12.5 kg perak.
  • 10 Was the ratio in Islamic world until the end of Andalusid period and silver undervalued when colonialism started. 1 kg emas = 10 kg perak pada masa keemasan Islam sampai hancurnya peradaban Islam menjelang munculnya kolonialisme.
The ratio of production and reserves of gold and silver :
  • 13 Is the ratio of world production from 1493 to 1931. For this 400 year period 13 times more silver than gold was produced. Rasio produksi dari 1493 - 1931, perak diproduksi 13 x lebih banyak daripada emas.
  • 8 Was the ratio of silver to gold production in the world in 2006. What is being said is that eight times more silver than gold was produced in 2006. Sedangkan di tahun 2006, perak diproduksi 8x lebih banyak daripada emas.
  • 7.64 It the ratio of all production of gold and silver during one century (1900-2003). Secara rerata perak diproduksi 7.64x dibanding emas selama tahun 1900-2003.
  • In the 103 year period, there was 7.64 times more silver than gold produced in the world. Jadi selama 103 tahun, perak diproduksi 7.64x lebih banyak daripada emas.
  • 6.4 Was the ratio of the ground reserves of silver to gold in 2000. Dan perak disimpan 6.4 x lebih banyak daripada emas di tahun 2000.

- It is astonishing to see that we produce 8 times more silver than gold, that the reserves are 6 times larger, but that the price of the silver is 50 times lower. (Menarik bahwa secara rerata kita memproduksi perak 8x daripada emas, dan menyimpan 6x perak daripada emas, tetapi harga perak 50x lebih rendah daripada emas.)
- Over the period of the history one kilo of gold was exchanged between 10 and 90 kilograms of silver, today it is exchanged at 51. Dalam sejarah manusia, 1 kg emas setara antara 10 kg sampai 90 kg perak.
- During the raw materials bear market, silver suffered much more than gold. Silver has already caught up with part of the lag in its price, but there still is a way to go. Secara umum, sejak dari bahan tambang perak dan emas ditemukan, perak dihargai terlalu rendah.
  • The price of an ounce of silver will continue to increase more quickly than that of gold. For example, if the gold price rises 100%, the price of silver can increase between 100 and 600% depending on the evolution of the ratio. Harga 1 ounce perak akan naik dengan cepat dibanding emas. Apabila harga emas naik 2x lipat, maka harga perak akan naik 2x sampai 7x lipat.
  • With gold at 2000 dollars, the price of an ounce of silver may be between 40 and 100 dollars. As more time passes it is more probable that the ratio will go lower, be patient. Dengan emas 1 ounce senilai 2,000 dolar, saat ini harga perak 1 ounce antara 40 - 100 dolar. Tapi dalam waktu singkat, perak akan mengejar ketertinggalan harga, sabar saja

Anam M. Alhabsyi
Islamic Mint Nusantara is a sikkah who pioneering the first sovereign mint in Nusantara which is minting the first dinar-dirham ever here, establish in year 2000. Islamic Mint Nusantara also know as IMN become sovereign mint in 2008, simultaneously IMN starting to spreading the knowledge, the amal and the foundation of dinar-dirham movement for muslim in Nusantara, which you can see the result today. Alhamdulillah

We are welcome to all muslim jamaah in Nusantara such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Phillipines, Thailand, Burma for developing your own coins , which is starting from concept, design development, the calculation, dies development, metalurgi, profile detail development up until the production of the coins. Please contact us at: info@dinarfirst.org or call +6281808872081

The Muslim in Nusantara and everywhere are welcome to all muslims to donating their wealth to help IMN – sovereign mint. All of the donation will be recorded and publish at WAKAF SUPPORT FOR IMN (you can check the detail how to do it at this link). If you have further question please email at support@dinarfirst.org or info@dinarfirst.org.
 
 

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Department for Work and pension , UK proper financial managment, Economic sharing evently, open minds to listen all sort of information.






http://www.youtube.com/user/workandpensions#p/c/0B9D6E845A7A5808/5/V_CH6oA3v2w

http://www.youtube.com/user/workandpensions#p/c/0B9D6E845A7A5808/5/V_CH6oA3v2w

UK under recession

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD EINV UK
SUBJECT: UK STILL IN RECESSION AND FACING SLOW, VOLATILE RECOVERY

REF: London 2307 and London 2357

LONDON 00002427 001.3 OF 003

¶1. (SBU) Summary: The UK economy is still in recession and faces a slow, patchy recovery. According to official data released October 23, output in the third quarter was significantly weaker than expected. Economists at Oxford Economics and Morgan Stanley expect the UK to emerge from recession in the fourth quarter, in line with Chancellor Darling's forecast that growth will return by the end of the year, but have not ruled-out a "double-dip" recession. Weak sterling may improve the prospects of an export-driven recovery. Poor credit availability and mounting public debt pose significant risks to recovery. While the Bank of England's quantitative easing program could affect credit conditions, the Bank faces difficult decisions about when to start unwinding its position. Unemployment is set to stabilize next year, at a peak of approximately 9 percent. Inflation is likely to remain below the Bank of England's two percent target in the medium term. End summary.

UK Faces Bumpy Recovery -----------------------

¶2. (SBU) The UK economy is still in recession, with a 0.4 percent contraction of GDP in the third quarter, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics on October 23. Output was significantly weaker than expected, with many analysts previously forecasting mild growth (of approximately 0.2 percent) which would have kick-started the recovery. The UK has now had six consecutive quarters of contracting output, the longest period of contraction since quarterly records began in 1955. It has been one of the global economic stragglers, with an emergence from the recession only expected in the fourth quarter, according to Andrew Goodwin, a consultant for Oxford Economics, a forecasting firm. During a macroeconomic briefing, Goodwin said the UK remains a long way behind most G7 countries, only performing better than Canada in the second quarter. He blamed this on sluggish domestic demand as consumers and businesses deleverage. Andrea Boltho, an Oxford University professor, said "spring is in the air," but the UK will not see a return to business as usual for a long time. He said it would take approximately 12 quarters for UK GDP growth to return to peak levels.

¶3. (SBU) Oxford Economics expects growth in the fourth quarter of 0.5 percent, slightly more pessimistic than Morgan Stanley's forecast. Melanie Baker, Morgan Stanley's chief UK economist, told us she expects 0.8 percent growth in the final quarter of 2009. She forecasts strong end of year growth driven by money from HMG's car scrappage scheme and increased consumer spending resulting from the imminent reversal of the value-added tax (VAT) cut (in January 2010 VAT will return to 17.5 percent after a year at 15 percent). She believes, however, 2010 will be a subpar year. Household savings rates are likely to increase, with consumer spending slowing as consumers deleverage. Business investment, likely to be low because of spare capacity, will not be a driver of recovery.

¶4. (SBU) The exact shape of the recovery is unknown. Baker said there is great uncertainty around all forecasts because of continued uncertainty around the fiscal outlook. While most analysts expect significant fiscal tightening following the election, the speed of this tightening will depend largely on the governing political party. She said people will remain concerned about the potential for a "double-dip" or "W-shaped" recession through next year. Echoing concern about a W-shaped recession, Goodwin said that while growth could be boosted by inventory rebuilding through the remainder of 2009, final demand may remain weak as banks and households deleverage. This would result in sluggish growth through 2010 and 2011, despite an initial bounce-back in the second half of 2009.

Possible Export-Driven Recovery ------------------------------

¶5. (SBU) The UK's economic recovery is expected to be slow and patchy, largely because it is difficult to detect a sustainable driver of growth. Both Goodwin and Baker expect fiscal policy will be limited in its ability to support economic recovery. There is no money left, they say, for further fiscal stimulus, despite media speculation that Chancellor Darling could announce further stimulus in his pre-Budget report. Baker told us consumer spending also will remain subdued, domestic business investment will likely be weak in the near term, and the bulk of government spending has already played through. While loose monetary policy may drive growth in the near term, she said it is not a viable foundation for sustained economic recovery. One possible driver, however, is exports. Baker said exports are likely to be buoyed by sterling's weakness. The weak pound will place the UK in good stead to benefit from eventual growth in the eurozone. Her comments were echoed by Andy Scott, Director of International and UK Operations for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). During an evidence session with the House LONDON 00002427 002.3 OF 003 of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, Scott said the UK recovery will be supported by a strong export market. As the UK's domestic market "evaporates," companies are increasingly looking at overseas opportunities. Sterling's weakness, he said, will improve their competitiveness.

¶6. (SBU) However, there is reason to remain skeptical about the possibility of an export-driven recovery. Adam Marshall, Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, told the Committee that many companies have been driven to export markets looking for a quick fix. He said that while established companies will benefit from a weak sterling, companies new to exporting will find it more difficult. Costs of establishing in a foreign market, particularly the cost of foreign trade shows, will be heightened by the weak sterling. Oxford University's Boltho was also skeptical about relying on exports for recovery. He said Ireland, the UK's fourth largest export market, is still suffering from problems in its housing market, and is unlikely to be a large importer of UK goods and services.

Credit Conditions Pose Risk to Recovery ---------------------------------------

¶7. (SBU) A lack of bank lending poses a serious risk to recovery, according to Boltho. Prior to the crisis, he said, "banks would lend any amount to anyone, now they won't lend anything to anyone - regardless of how meritorious the project." Goodwin agreed credit is still scarce for consumers and businesses. Lending hasn't returned following its "spectacular collapse" in the second half of 2008 and first half of 2009 and lending is becoming more expensive as banks increase their margins. Morgan Stanley's Baker disagreed with their analysis. She told us that banks are showing signs of willingness to increase credit availability and are improving credit terms. She said demand for credit has not returned, particularly in the large corporate sector, where companies have just started raising funds in the capital markets. She acknowledged, though, there is unmet demand for credit among small companies. She said this problem requires a government solution and cannot be solved through further loosening of monetary policy. (Note: HMG has put significant pressure on British banks to lend. It set 2009 lending targets for two partly nationalized banks, the Royal Bank of Scotland (GBP 25 billion) and Lloyds Banking Group (GBP 14 billion) in return for their participation in the asset protection scheme. Chancellor Darling and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson have also made public comments that banks should increase lending or HMG will be forced to take further action.)

¶8. (SBU) All three analysts believed the Bank of England's quantitative easing (QE) program is beginning to work and could eventually improve credit conditions. Goodwin said interbank spreads are back to normal levels and gilt yields are low, despite spiraling government borrowing. Money growth (M4), which was negative from October 2008 to May 2009, moved out of negative territory in July, although it is too early to tell whether this growth is durable. Goodwin thought there was a 50 percent chance the Bank of England would extend its QE program in November, alongside the publication of its inflation report. If it does extend the program, however, Goodwin thinks it will only be by GBP 25 - GBP 50 billion.

¶9. (SBU) Unwinding the Bank's position will be difficult and timing will be crucial. Goodwin said the Bank, HM Treasury and the Debt Management Office (which auctions UK government bonds) must work together to maintain stability in the gilt market once the Bank begins to dispose of its assets. He warned that the Bank will start selling its gilts at the same time HM Treasury increases its gilt auctions to finance borrowing. Therefore, he argued, gilt yields are likely to rise in the next six to twelve months. He said the Bank needs to be careful about the timing of the gilt sales, particularly needing to avoid choking off recovery by tightening monetary policy too soon.

Public Finances: Debt to Reach Almost 100 Percent of GDP --------------------------- ----------------------------

¶10. (SBU) Alongside poor credit conditions, weak public finances are cited as a risk to UK economic recovery. Public debt rose to 59 percent of GDP in September, as HMG borrowed GBP 77.3 billion in the first half of the fiscal year - the highest borrowing level for the period since 1946. Goodwin expected UK debt to reach almost 100 percent of GDP by 2010. He said social security payments are rising while income tax revenue is falling, so the fiscal deficit will continue to climb, particularly in the next six to twelve months. He said the massive fiscal deficit needs to be addressed. He expected an extended period of austerity - with potentially ten years of tax increases. His comments reflect wider concern regarding the UK's public purse. In its 2009 Sustainability Report, the European Commission said the UK is at high risk of running an LONDON 00002427 003.3 OF 003 unsustainable deficit. It said the UK will suffer a "sustainability gap" of 12.4 percent - meaning tax increases or spending cuts of approximately GBP 200 billion a year will be necessary. The National Institute for Economic and Social Research warned about the sustainability of UK debt, saying fiscal consolidation will be expensive, but the faster it happens, the lower the rise in debt.

Unemployment Up, Inflation Down -------------------------------

¶11. (SBU) Public finances will be significantly impacted by further rises in unemployment until next year. Baker told us unemployment will stabilize next year, with a peak of around 9 percent (from a current rate of 7.9 percent). It will then begin to decline, but it is unlikely that there will be any rapid improvement. Goodwin also expects unemployment to peak towards the end of 2010. Opinion is divided on what will happen to CPI inflation in the short term, but there is consensus that it will remain below the Bank of England's two percent target in the medium term. Goodwin expected a prolonged period of below target inflation through 2012. Baker thought inflation would bounce back at the beginning of next year, above target, and then fall below target in 2011. She expected domestic inflationary pressure to remain subdued.

¶12. (SBU) Comment: Despite encouraging signs the UK is emerging from recession, there are still questions about the strength and sustainability of any recovery. Mounting public debt will remain an enormous drag on the economy and could undermine any recovery in the fourth quarter. Both the Labour and Conservative Parties will need to form credible, comprehensive plans to address mounting public debt in the run up to the next general election (see reftels). However, these plans will be contingent on the UK emerging from the downturn and embarking on a path of steady, sustainable growth. Implementing any fiscal tightening before the recovery is assured could risk choking off growth and pushing the economy back into recession.
SUSMAN

IRANIAN BANK IN UK

http://www.look4leaks.net/showCable.php?id=08LONDON1352&title=IRANIAN+BANKING+IN+LONDON%3A+UK+PLANS+AND+CONCERNS&lang=en

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2018

TAGS: EFIN KTFN MNUC Iran|Iran">IR UK

SUBJECT: IRANIAN BANKING IN LONDON: UK PLANS AND CONCERNS

Classified By: DCM RICHARD LEBARON FOR REASONS 1.4 B & D

1.(C/NF) SUMMARY. The British government is reviewing its options in going after Iranian banks following USG pressure to deny UK licensing requests to the UN regarding Bank Sepah. HMG believes the bank regulator has exhausted its options on the domestic branches, and HM Treasury is considering how far it can go in severing links to the parents in Tehran. HMG will begin explaining to Persian Gulf and East Asian governments its actions against London based Iranian banks, but must be careful not to give the Iranians ammunition for any court action. There is a pronounced split in HMG thinking, with the Prime Minister and Foreign Office backing a strong stance against Iran, while HM Treasury is protecting London's financial position and legal framework. Coordinated USG pressure has worked recently, and if continued, could help move HMG closer to our position. Suggested next steps are provided in paragraph

¶10. END SUMMARY UNSCR 1803 IMPLEMENTATION -------------------------

2.(C/NF) We met with Pete Maydon, HM Treasury's (HMT) Deputy Head of Financial Sanctions Unit on May 9 to discuss HMT's next steps after its about-face on the Bank Sepah licensing requests. Maydon said the UK shares U.S. objectives in stopping Iran's nuclear proliferation program. The UK is pressing its EU partners to go further than UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1803, Maydon told us, hoping for action - including against Bank Melli - by May 19th. HMT is also studying how aggressive it can be in following our position on continued vigilance, although Maydon claims they can not be as aggressive as the U.S. For instance, the British government will not agree to a complete ban on international transactions in and out of Iran, but is working with UK banking regulators to take a more forward-leaning stance.

REGULATORY ACTION -----------------

3.(C/NF) According to Maydon, in a heated meeting late last week, HMT pressed the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to sharpen the rest of the tools in its kit in going after Iranian banks. The FSA pushed back claiming they have already fully investigated local branches, and that they needed to show consistency in their approach to all regulated banks and a "proportionate" approach (i.e., the punishment should fit the crime.) HMT and FSA have told us on numerous occasions that the bank regulator was very aggressive in looking for irregularities in the London-based Iranian banks, and that they thought they had cleverly disguised the investigations as part of their normal "fit and proper" investigations. But now the FSA is sensitive to complaints that they have politicized their investigations, and point to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's summoning of the UK Ambassador to lecture about the "political abuse" of the FSA against Iranian banks, Maydon said. The British government is also concerned that if it goes too far under UK law it will run the risk of losing and having to pay compensation to the Iranian banks, which Maydon said would set back efforts on many fronts.

IRAN'S LONDON BRANCHES NOT YET FALLING DOWN -------------------------------------------

4.(C/NF) HMT views the likelihood of the sanctioning of Bank Melli, together with what they call the "state of suspended animation" of Bank Sepah, as positive movement, according to Maydon. When we forcefully pushed back that both banks were still open for business, and that Sepah was still operating at half-capacity, with approximately half of its staff, Maydon argued that it had been effectively cut off from its parent in Tehran. Patrick Guthrie, Head of Financial Sanctions Unit, previously told us that Sepah London was down to about BPS 1 million (approx. 2 million USD) and was not taking on new business; rather it was only doing what was permitted under UNSCR, and reserves are keeping the office going.

5.(S/NF) HMT and FSA have recently looked into shutting down Sepah completely by revoking their license, but can not find LONDON 00001352 002 OF 004 any violations of UK regulatory law which would allow them to do so, said Guthrie. In fact, the Iranian banks operating in London are very clean, probably because they realize they are under the microscope, Guthrie said. HMT originally looked at revoking Sepah's license on policy grounds at the time of the UNSCR, but could not use any UK legal or regulatory lever, and HMG lawyers believed the mere existence of the resolution was not sufficient legal justification. The Chairman of Sepah was, however, removed by FSA because he was designated by the resolution. The British Security Services have investigated Bank Melli for signs of the local branch's participation in proliferation, and have found none. However, they are sufficiently concerned about Melli's parent that they are pushing for EU action and are confident it will happen soon, according to Guthrie.

6.(S/NF) The British government is currently looking into Bank Saderat again to see if they can take any domestic action, Guthrie said, as high levels of government believe Saderat is quite guilty, but have not been able to prove it under UK law. On the other hand, the British government conducted massive investigation to get information on Persia International Plc, another Iranian bank operating in London, only to come up with nothing, Maydon told us.

CUTTING THE UMBILICAL CORD TO THE PARENT BANKS --------------------------------------------- -

7.(C/NF) We pressed further to inquire whether a fit and proper investigation had been done on all the parent banks in Tehran, and did not get a clear answer. According to the FSA, they can withdraw or deny a license to a bank if the parent is unfit to hold a license. It is harder to revoke a license once it is given, than to deny it up front, Sue Fisher, of the FSA's Policy and Intelligence Department told us. Maydon said the FSA was looking into whether they could revoke Sepah's license based on the links to the already UNSC-sanctioned Tehran parent, but has found too much autonomy for the London branch - which could cause the UK legal problems down the road if challenged by the local branches. Guthrie referred to the FSA's concerns about the use of classified evidence in what would likely become part of the public record when challenged in a UK court. (Embassy note: the current draft counter terrorism bill would permit the use of clandestine information in asset-freezing determinations, but would not be used by FSA in regulatory determinations, nor would it directly pertain to WMD proliferation cases.) Guthrie also stressed HMT and FSA were worried that closing a subsidiary of a Tehran bank would neither hurt the parent sufficiently, nor be a "proportional" response to the wrong-doing of the parent (i.e., the sins of the father argument.) Under British law, however, the UK could replace suspect directors with UK persons, if they had sufficient evidence of wrongdoing.

UK TO REACH OUT TO GULF AND FAR EAST ------------------------------------

8.(C/NF) The UK has until now focused on the legality of the measures it could take against the banks, the proportionality of any sanctions, and the ultimate effectiveness in harming the wrong-doing parent banks, Maydon explained. The UK has not sufficiently considered the symbolism of its efforts (or lack thereof), he said. Maydon questioned whether the U.S. was more interested in the symbolism rather than in actually hurting the Tehran parent banks of the proliferators, pointing to what he referred to as "conflicting signals from Washington" as to what the goal is. In taking on board our argument that the UK is setting a poor example for Persian Gulf and East Asian governments who point to the existence of several Iranian banks in London, Maydon described UK plans to approach those governments quietly and tell them that the UK is "cracking down" on Iranian banks in London. He said the UK needs to be careful, however, in describing both the extent of FSA probing (which he claimed "borders on bending the law") and the results of their investigations that show most of the banks are autonomous. HMT is also concerned that these targeted sanctions are growing in scope to a broad-scale full sanctioning of Iran through the back door, Maydon said.

PM AND FOREIGN OFFICE BULLISH ON IRAN; HMT CAUTIOUS LONDON 00001352 003 OF 004 --------------------------------------------- ------

9.(C/NF) Policy differences within the government split Prime Minister Brown and the Foreign Office, who are strong supporters of robust action against Iran, from the more cautious HM Treasury. HMT's concerns are with protecting London's position as a major banking center in the world, and maintaining international finance as a major contributor to the UK GDP. In doing so, HMT is very sensitive to protecting the legal and regulatory framework that holds up the entire financial sector, and not just looking out for specific business interests (i.e., Middle Eastern business.) Maydon told us that Chancellor Darling is concerned that any actions might end up harming the UK and UK banks more than they actually harm Iran. HMT is looking at other measures than to try to completely severe ties to the parent in Iran, but Maydon acknowledged that it may end up coming down to that. HMT is also concerned that if they shut down Iranian banks now, the Foreign Office and PM will start using this tool against other lesser threats.

NEXT STEPS ----------

10.(C/NF) COMMENT: In addition to presenting the UK with information on proliferation financing at the upcoming U.S.-UK Proliferation Finance meetings on May 16, we suggest the following: -Lay out what is at stake (it is particularly important for HMT attendees to hear this); briefly describe Iran's nuclear proliferation and terrorist support, including against U.S. and UK troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Emphasize that the threat is against us all and we need to make common cause; -Explain how the fact that any money that goes to the regime - directly or through tax revenues or export credits, etc. - allows Iran to continue its dangerous actions; -Make clear that despite the risk that any funds flowing to Iran could help the regime, the USG is NOT/NOT trying to shut down all banks and companies or cripple the Iranian economy. Rather we are targeting the specific bad actors and parties who actively, knowingly or reasonably should know they are supporting proliferation and/or terrorism; -With this in mind, the U.S. and UK need to stick together to show moral leadership and make sacrifices to send a message not just to Iran, but to the next rogue nation that tries to develop nuclear weapons. UK leadership in UN, EU and FATF is superb, but we need the British government to go the extra mile. Specific requests for the British government:

-We should press for more strenuous "fit and proper" reviews of the parents; urge UK to either shut down completely or at a minimum cut all links between suspect Tehran banks and London (i.e., change names, directors, senior managers, in addition to stopping the flow of funds to Iran);

-Revisit the possibility of domestically designating Bank Saderat (UK is considering doing this, but could use more information on Saderat's activities);

-Submitting to Parliament legislation allowing: asset-freezing of WMD and nuclear proliferators; the use of classified information in regulatory and asset-freezing determinations; and solidifying the current asset-freezing regime (not legally linked but very similar in theory and many aspects to sanctioning Iranian banks. The UK is actively working on this latter legislation.)

11.(C/NF) COMMENT CONTINUED: HMT until recently has been concerned about the legality of actions against the London branches, the proportionality of punishment against the subsidiaries for the sins of the parents, and whether domestic action could actually accomplish our goals. They are just now warming to the idea that the symbolism of shutting banks or severing domestic branches' ties to Tehran could have a powerful effect. High-level phone calls from several USG agencies and meetings combined with ground-level efforts made the difference in turning HMT's position on Bank Sepah a few weeks ago. We seem to have their attention now. A similar coordinated campaign could work now as the UK prepares a new approach. An appeal to British pride of principled, global leadership, as well as a further explanation of the risks of inaction, could work. LONDON 00001352 004 OF 004 Visit London's Classified Website XXXXXXXXXXXX
TUTTLE

info from;-
http://www.look4leaks.net/wikileaks.php?lang=en&op=s&orig=Embassy+London&tag=UK&ent=United+Kingdom&lq=en&txt=department+for+work+and+pension+London&p=6

CONSERVATIVE PARTY PLANS TO ABOLISH THE UK INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING COMMISSIONSimilar cables

http://www.look4leaks.net/showCable.php?id=09LONDON2492&title=CONSERVATIVE+PARTY+PLANS+TO+ABOLISH+THE+UK+INFRASTRUCTURE+PLANNING+COMMISSION&lang=en


C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LONDON 002492

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
TAGS: ECON ENRG UK
SUBJECT: CONSERVATIVE PARTY PLANS TO ABOLISH THE UK
INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING COMMISSION

REF: LONDON 1514

Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor Richard Albright for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 1. (C/NF) Summary. The Conservative Party is planning to abolish the UK Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) if they win the national election due by June 2010. The 2008 Planning Law -- established the IPC -- with the intent of reducing costs, increasing transparency, and eliminating long wait times in the planning application process. The Conservative Party argues ministers should make the power to make planning decisions, not the IPC. Businesses, however, fear the Conservative's proposal will cause long delays by ministers slow to reach planning decisions. End summary.

UK PLANNING ACT SEEKS TO SPEED THINGS UP ----------------------------------------

¶2. (SBU) The case for radical change in the UK planning process is not new. Prior to the passage of the 2008 Planning Act, planning decisions were made by local government councils, applied on an ad-hoc basis, and frequently driven by politics. Some large controversial infrastructure projects were ultimately referred to Parliament. UK airport operator BAA Ltd.'s application to build Heathrow Terminal 5 was one of the longest in UK history. BAA submitted its planning application in February 1993 and long delays in the public inquiry process and multiple reviews at various levels of government, including Parliament, resulted in the construction being delayed until mid-2002. The terminal finally opened in March 2008 -- fifteen years from the date the application was first submitted. While planning applications are usually submitted by large UK or European businesses, the Heathrow project included a few U.S. supply chain companies. British Energy had to wait six years for the go-ahead to build the Sizewell B nuclear power station, which became operational in 1995. Other examples of large infrastructure projects incurring delays in the past include upgrades to electricity grids, cross-rail linkages, and hazardous waste incinerators.

¶3. (SBU) The Planning Act was approved by the UK Parliament in November 2008. This legislation reforms the UK planning process by removing planning decisions for large infrastructure projects from local authorities and creating a national UK Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC). The goal of the IPC is to reduce review times for "nationally significant" infrastructure projects, increase transparency, and ensure that stakeholder input is received up front. The IPC is scheduled to become fully operational by March 1, 2010; it started providing pre-application planning advice on October 1, 2009.

IPC TO BASE DECISIONS ON NATIONAL POLICY STATEMENTS --------------------------------------------- ------

¶4. (SBU) The Planning Law calls for the IPC's decisions on planning applications to be guided by twelve National Policy Statements (NPSs). The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is preparing six of these NPSs -- Overall Energy Policy; Renewables; Fossil Fuels; Electricity Networks; Oil and Gas; and Nuclear Energy. The Department of Transport (DfT) is responsible for putting together three NPSs on the ports, transportation networks, and airports. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is responsible for three NPSs on the UK's water supply, dealing with waste water, and hazardous waste.

¶5. (SBU) All twelve NPSs will receive public comment and scrutiny by Parliament. DECC's Director of Planning and Consents Richard Mellish recently told ESTHOff a special parliamentary committee may be established to review all of the NPSs in addition to the respective committees which monitor the work of DECC, DfT, and DEFRA. Farrah Bhatti, a staffer on the House of Commons Climate Change Committee, told ESTHOff it will take four to five weeks for the committee to review each NPS from DECC. Bhatti added there will be an "option" for the House of Commons to vote on each NPS, but Mellish told ESTHOff any vote would be "non-binding." Bhatti, Mellish, and an MP indicated it remained unclear whether the House of Lords would review the NPSs.

IPC EXPECTED TO SPEED UP PROCESS, RAISE ETHICAL STANDARDS --------------------------------------------- ------------

¶6. (SBU) HMG expects the IPC to improve ethics on planning applications, since commissioners are required to be LONDON 00002492 002 OF 003 "politically independent" and financially unconnected to any project under consideration. Most importantly, HMG expects the IPC to reduce the processing times for major applications from 100 weeks (two years) down to 35 weeks (nine months). According to a presentation in July 2009 by Chair of the IPC Sir Michael Pitt and information on IPC's website, the planning reforms are also expected to cut overall costs of delivering national infrastructure by 300 million GBP ($500 million) annually. Decisions of IPC commissioners can be taken to court. Planning applications are required to include environmental assessments, site surveys, and other background.

¶7. (SBU) The IPC, once operational on March 1, 2010, will review planning applications and provide the requested decision for large infrastructure projects. The IPC opened its doors on October 1 and is providing pre-application advice and guidance to utilities and developers. The IPC released a list of eleven projects on October 22 in the renewable, nuclear, and electricity sector that it initially plans to review.

PERSONNEL BEING GATHERED TO RUN THE IPC ---------------------------------------

¶8. (SBU) The IPC's headquarters is located in Bristol and its leadership is already in place. The budget for the IPC for 2009/2010 is 10 million GBP ($16 million). Sir Michael Pitt serves as the Chair, with two deputies, Robert Upton and Dr. Pauleen Lane. Parliament reviewed and approved the appointment of Sir Michael Pitt in March 2009 and the two deputies in July 2009. Three commissioners are also in place, but this number is expected to rise to 30-35 once the IPC becomes fully operational. Approximately thirty staff are already on board, and this number is expected to grow as the workload increases. The IPC Board also includes a Chief Executive Officer, four directors, and two non-executive directors.

SUPPORT -- AND SKEPTICISM -- FROM STAKEHOLDERS --------------------------------------------- -

¶9. (SBU) John Cridland, Deputy Director General of the Confederation of Business Industries (CBI), stated on July 20 that the 2008 Planning Act has strong support from business. World Wildlife Fund-UK (WWF) Director David Norman said the law brings transparency "essential" to the planning process, although other environmental NGOs have been more guarded. UK Local Government Association staffer Philip Mind said UK local government authorities are supportive of reform, since the law requires businesses/utilities to consult with stakeholders and local communities early in the planning application process.

¶10. (C/NF) Despite the general support for planning reforms, HMG's delay in publishing the NPSs is disconcerting to some. Labour MP Jamie Reed told ESTHOff he predicts the timeline in publishing the NPSs may slip past December 2009. If this happens, he said, the 2010 elections will dominate the agenda and the NPSs will not receive the proper scrutiny. Westinghouse and Fluor officials also expressed similar concerns to ESTHOff. David Powell, Regional Vice President for Westinghouse, told ESTHOff he suspects DECC is being very careful before publishing the NPS on Nuclear Energy because it is trying to ensure the NPS will be "air-tight" against legal challenge. CBI published a report on the UK's "nuclear renaissance" on October 22 and urged HMG to publish the NPS on Nuclear Energy "as quickly as possible."

CONSERVATIVE PARTY'S PLAN TO SCRAP THE IPC ------------------------------------------

¶11. (SBU/NF) While the Conservative Party's opposition to the IPC is well-known among stakeholders and politicians, the party passed a policy paper to "The Independent" newspaper the week of October 22 to publicize these views. The Conservative Party reiterated its plans to abolish the IPC and to give planning decision-making power to ministers. Conservative Shadow Minister of Energy Charles Hendry argued that the IPC would not give the public sufficient opportunity to express views and that decisions would become "tied up" in legal challenges. Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Caroline Spelman also criticized the IPC in a press statement in early October, calling it a "quango" or independent quasi non-government organization (NGO) unaccountable to the government and public. Under a Conservative government, Spelman said, National Policy Statements would remain but each would require ratification by both Houses of Parliament. LONDON 00002492 003 OF 003 Conservative MP Bob Neill, Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party and Shadow Local Government and Planning Minister, echoed many of these same sentiments at a CBI conference in July, but added his plans for creating a special "planning division" within the Department of Communities and Development.

¶12. (C/NF) Labour MP Jamie Reed, who sat on the House of Commons Planning Committee temporarily formed to evaluate the 2008 Planning Law, told ESTHOff on October 14 the Conservatives are "playing hardball" in their efforts to abolish the IPC. House of Commons Climate Change Committee staffer Farrah Bhatti told ESTHOff the Liberal Democrats also oppose the IPC. Some business leaders fear that Conservative plans to abolish the IPC will result in long delays as ministers drag out their decisions. David Powell, Regional Vice President for Westinghouse, told ESTHOff that this uncertainty will cause more frustration for utilities investing billions in the UK with tightly-scheduled plans for nuclear new build. French-owned EDF Energy stated in the media in March 2009 it would not "tolerate" significant planning delays. Planning delays could also have a "trickle-down" effect on U.S. companies like Westinghouse, which is pursuing bids with utilities to provide its AP1000 nuclear reactor. A few other U.S. companies active in the UK nuclear new build market include Fluor and CH2MHill. Some industry and government officials speculated to ESTHOff the Conservative Party may "stick" with the planning legislation, but look to the implementing regulations to make changes if they win the next election.

COMMENT -------

¶13. (C/NF) If the Conservative Party wins the next election and carries through with its promise to eliminate the IPC, some businesses, including some major U.S. companies, are expressing concern this could cause more uncertainty in the planning process. Business investment has already slowed as a result of the recession. The Conservatives have taken aim in recent years at "quangos" (quasi-NGOs) created by HMG and are generally opposed to them. The Conservatives consider the IPC another "quango," which is unaccountable to the public and costing taxpayers money. However, removing planning power from an independent body and giving it to ministers may politicize the process, adding time and uncertainty and recreate some of the politicization and delay that the planning law was intended to overcome. Whatever planning system HMG ends up with in the long-term, investors are keen that it speeds up the planning process and provides transparency in its planning decisions. The UK's global competitiveness will depend on it. Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX
Susman