THE 'TWENTY POINTS' AND FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS people. The problem of illegal immigration (which is under the jurisdiction of the Federal In the UMNO Baru General Assembly in Government) had worsenend while "federalisation" of the November 1992 Deputy Prime Minister and Sabah bureaucracy had also been UMNO Baru Sabah Chief Encik Ghafar Baba promoted rapidly during Harris' challenged the PBS to a public debate on the time. Other issues involved his ''Twenty Points". Since then, the questions of authoritarian rule especially how when, in what form, and whether this debate he withdrew the District Office status of Tambunan (after Datuk will be held have been reported almost daily. Pairin Kitingan's victory in the In the process, many related issues have also Tambunan by-election in Decem­ been raised. In the first part to our lead ber 1984). and finally his intro­ story, FRANCIS LOH KOK WAH elaborates duction of the new category on the background to the Twenty Points and "Pribumi" which included not only the indigenous Sabahans but clarifies its implications for Federal-State those of Indonesian, Filipino, relations. Sarawak and Cocos Islands de­ scent as well. The following articles include statements by In the following state election two former Federal as well as Sabah State held about a year later, the ques­ tion of state rights was also high­ Cabinet Ministers, namely DATUK DR lighted. But the more pertinent JAMES ONGKILI and DATUK PENGIRAN issues were how Tun Mustapha OTHMAN RAUF, both of whom are not and Harris Salleh (both of whom directly involved in the current problems. are now accusing the PBS of un­ The final piece which is written from the democratic rule), attempted to by­ pass the electoral process and viewpoint of the Sa bah people is by STELLA seize power illegally. and the WONG, a Sabahan academic. arson, demonstrations and rioting that occurred (which have been attributed to the followers of these two leaders) just prior to the 1986 ~lections. Not surprisingly, the PBS wmped home to a spec­ tacular victory. Recent Political the Barisan Nasionat, BN) in the More recently, the question of 1985 state elections was certainly state rights emerged as the major D~velopments the question of state rights. Under issue again in the July 1990 state ne of the issues that Datuk Harris Salleh, the Berjaya election which was 'held shortly facilitated the success of State Government had ceded after several Sabahans including 0 the newly-formed Parti away Labuan to the Federal Dr Jeffrey Kitingan had been ar­ Bersatu Sabah (PBS) over Parti Government without compensa­ rested under the ISA for allegedly Berjaya (a component-member of tion or consultation of the Sabah involving themselves in seces­ sionist activities. It is significant

A/iran MonJhly 1992:12 (II) Page 2 Chief Minister Pairin ~ Kitingan, and the ISA ~~ detention of his - brother and other PBS supporters further 11 contributed to ten­ ' sions. Finally there occurred the so-called ...,. "stab in the back" withdrawal of PBS from the BN. UMNO Baru's entry into Sabah in 1991 appears to indicate that for that party at least, cordial relations between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu can only be re-established Arson in Kota Kinabalu between the 1985 and 1986 elections. with the removal of the PBS from power. In more recent that almost all of the contending general elections held in October times, Mustapha has parties had included in their 1990. Indeed, the PBS ' taken the Sabah Government to manifestoes some general state­ withdrawal from the BN, and dec­ court over the anti-hop law. It is ment on how, upon coming to laration of support for the opposi­ also very clear that UMNO Baru power, each of them would do tion Gagasan Rakyat on the is trying to force a split in the PBS their utmost to secure and main­ eleventh hour, was primarily government and/or new elections. tain the rights of Sabah within the motivated by the belief that a UMNO Baru, MCA and other BN Federation of Malaysia. Gagasan government would af­ leaders are visiting Sabah almost The range of these demands ford it a better deal in Federal­ every week, often, distributing included a fairer share of oil State relations. The emerging federal funds. " Dry runs" of the revenue which currently amounts symbol for all these demands in pending elections have even been to only five percent of the total for these instances has been the held. Sabah; effective control of the il­ "Twenty Points" Agreement. It is in this larger context that legal immigrants who come under we should view the current chal­ the charge of the federal Worsening Relations lenge by UMNO Baru to the PBS authorities; "Borneon isation ", in Relations between Kuala to debate on the ''Twenty Points" contrast to "Malayanisation" of Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu have Inter-Governmental Committee the federal civil service and deteriorated since 1985. The at­ Report Agreement. Firstly, the statutory bodies and their sub­ tempt by KL to set up a coalition issue pertains to long-standing sidiaries; a larger allocation of government comprising BN com­ demands with regards to state development funds for Sabah ponent parties in 1986 was rights which the PBS has cham­ especially in view of its relative rejected by the PBS. On its part pioned since 1984. Secondly, the lag behind peninsular achieve­ the PBS became increasingly dis­ challenge to a debate has emerged ments; and a greater devolution of illusioned with Kuala Lumpur for in the context of a highly powers from the Federal Govern­ not dealing with the perpetrators politicised situation of worsening ment to Sabah. In the case of the of the coup attempt, or with most tensions between the PBS and PBS, other specific demands in­ of their demands vis-a-vis state UMNO Baru in particular. cluded the establishment of a rights in any decisive way. In (A related context explaining separate television station, the turn, the PBS was accused of con­ the regular visits by UMNO Baru return of Labuan island, and a tinuing to fan anti-federal feelings leaders to Sabah is the contest review of the ISA. even after the PBS had been ad­ among themselves for the votes of The question of state rights mitted into the BN. The corrup­ the Sabah delegates, the second was again highlighted in the tion charges against the Sabah largest in the country, for the next round of party elections. In fish-

A/iran MonJhly 1992:12 (11) Page 3 ing for these votes these penin­ clarified that the referendum British Government) in mid- sula-based leaders have made all could be in the form of an election 1962. The task of the IGC was to sorts of allegations, sometimes and the parties concerned could work out "the future constitution­ completely irresponsible ones, address the issue in their respec­ al arrangements, including against the PBS leadership). tive electoral manifestoes. It was safeguards for the special inter­ at this point that Ghafar Baba ests of North Borneo and Sarawak The Spark challenged the PBS to a debate to cover such matters as religious However, the spark for the over the Twenty Points during the freedom. education, repre­ current war of words was caused, UMNO Baru General Assembly sentation in the Federal Parlia­ as perceived by many in the in early November. Initially it ment, the pos1t1on of the Peninsula (especially since it was was to be a debate bet ween indigenous races, control of im­ reported by the mainstream UMNO Baru and the PBS, sub­ migration, citizenship and the media) by the change in immigra­ sequently its Sabah branch and State Constitutions". tion law requiring other the PBS, and finally between the Twelve plenary and many Malaysians to produce their BN Sabah and the PBS. more sub-committee meetings passports upon landing in Sabah. The PBS, on the other hand, took place between 30 August and According to the Sabah Attorney­ has quite consistently argued that 20 December 1962. Many of General, however, it was in fact the issue at hand was not a matter these demands were incorporated simply "a notification to correct to be discussed between two into the agreements reached in the an anomaly": which required all political parties. It was a govern­ IGC Report, 1962. This Report Sarawakians and other ment-to-government matter. His was then approved by the Sabah Malaysians entering Sabah via party also preferred that the dis­ Legislative Assembly in March Labuan, wishing to seek employ­ cussions take the form of open 1963 and formed an important ment or to practise their profes­ talks at the top level, and that the basis of the London Agreement, sion, to produce a workpass in scope be widened to discuss all paving the way for the formation accordance with the existing law. aspects pertaining to the forma­ of Malaysia in Septmeber 1963. Under a previous notification by tion of Malaysia. It further sug­ Subsequently, some of these the former Berjaya government, gested that a "neutral party" from Points and amended versions of such categories of people entering Britain or the United Nations be the other Points, as contained in Sabah had previously been ex­ invited to chair the talks just as the IGC Report, were incor­ empted from such a requirement. how the various parties presumab­ porated into the new Sabah State At any rate, several UMNO Baru ly deliberated over the formation Constitution, and through amend­ leaders including Harris Salleh, of Malaysia in 1963, with the par­ ments, into the Federal Constitu­ Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and ticipation of the United Kingdom tion as well. Datuk Mohamed Rahmat had and the United Nations. Hence, the Twenty Points was made a very big issue of this. a very important document per­ In response to this, the Prime What are these taining to constitutional Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Twenty Points ? safeguards demanded by the announced on October I 0 that a Sabah government leaders vis-a­ In essence the Twenty Points review of the Twenty Points Inter­ vis the state's participation in the was a set of joint-demands sub­ Governmental Committee Agree­ formation of Malaysia. In this mitted by the Sabah Alliance ment signed in 1963 was regard it has official status. Many (comprising the United National necessary. He stated that the of the original demands have also Kadazan Organisation, United Sarawak government had also been given legal status because Sabah National Organisation, asked the Federal Government to they are now incorporated into the United Party, Democratic Party undertake this review. Federal and State Constitutions. and National Pasok Momogun Pairin voiced his support for However. this does imply accord­ Organisation). then led by the late such a review. Dut he suggested ing the original Twenty Points Tun Fuad Stephens, to the Inter­ that the Sabah people be con­ document a legal status. Governmental Committee (IGC, sulted on the matter as well, per­ AI that point, however, such a comprising representatives of the haps by way of a referendum. He question was not of primary con­ Federation of Malaya, United was attacked from various cern. All were anxious to form Kingdom, Sarawak and quarters for suggesting something Malaysia as soon as possible. For Sabah)which was headed by Lord which the Constitution does not instance, although No.3 of the Landsdowne (then Minister of provide for, whereupon. he demands stated that "the Con­ State for the Colonies in the stitution of Malaysia should be a

Aliran Monlhly 1992:12 (ll) P~~ge 4 completely new document" and not be "a series of amendments" to the Federation of Malaya Con­ stitution, nonetheless, the latter was agreed and resorted to, ap­ parently, because of shortage of time. Suffice to say, there was much give and take, especially since assurances were given by Kuala Lumpur during the bargain­ ing process that the interests of the Sabah (and Sar.1wak) states would be honoured. Item 14 of the IGC Report stated: "in certain respects the Committee agreed that the re­ quirements of the Borneo States could appropriately be met by un­ dertakings or assurances to be t- .A given by the Government of the Stephens: Kuala Lumpur was not Mustapha: Safeguards to language Federation of Malaya rather than honouring the "Twenty Points" and religion whittled away under by Constitutional provisions.... agreement. his rule. The Committee agreed that the more important undertakings the Malaysian Constitution con­ standardised to conform with should be included in the formal cluded: "It is fair comment to say those of the other peninsular agreement and envisaged that the in some respects the Malaysian states subsequent to a review after other undertakings and assuran­ set-up is a loose federation of four ten years, as has been announced ces might be dealt with through units, namely Sabah, Sarawak, by the Prime Minister. And very exchanges of letters between the Singapore and the Federation of clearly, these safeguards cannot Governments concerned". Malaysia". be removed by the Federal Whichever the case, two points Not surprisingly, Tun Government acting on its own. need to be stressed. Stephens and other Sabahan No.l6 of the Twenty Points leaders considered the status of states: "No amendment, "One of Three" Sabah to be different from that of modification or withdrawal of any Firstly, Sabah (and Sarawak) the other peninsular states. As far special safeguards granted to were given more rights than any as he was concerned Sabah was North Borneo should be made by of the other peninsular states in "one of three" (four, if one in­ the Central Government without 1963. (Singapore, which was part cludes Singapore) signatories to the positive concurrence of the of Malaysia for two years, was the London Agreement and as Government of the State of North given even more rights especially such, should not be treated as "one Borneo". The spirit of this with regards to control over of the thirteen" states, still less to demand was essentially incor­ education and labour matters. Its be dominated by Kuala Lumpur. porated into Item 30 of the IGC leader was even allowed to be This is an opinion which con­ Report, and subsequently, into the referred as "Prime Minister"). In tinues to have much support London Agreement 1963, and the fact, the provision of these addi­ among Sabahans today. In fact, it Sabah State and Federal constitu­ tional state rights was questioned is also a very popular opinion tions as well. Any review of these by the opposition parties but throughout Sarawak. An amend­ safeguards, therefore, requires the strongly defended by the Alliance ment to the Federal Constitution consent of the Sabah State Party. in particular the late Tun Dr in 1976, however, had reduced the Government, as the Sabah Attor­ Ismail. when the Malaysia Bill significance of the original terms ney-General Datuk Stephen Foo was debated in the Dewan of reference. has correctly stated recently. Negara. Observing these arran­ There is also no mention in the Not surprisingly therefore, gements at the time of Malaysia's documents available that these when Singapore was forced to formation, Professor L.A. additional rights were of a tem­ leave Malaysia in 1965 without Sheridan, a well-known scholar of porary nature, or that the status of Sabah's consultation, Tun Sabah and Sarawak would be Stephens and his party called for

A wan Mon&illy 19!111:12 (11) Page 5 a re-examination of Sabah •s terms that there would be no official education and the medical and of entry into the Federation on the religion in the State. Funds were health services, nonetheless, there grounds that the original Malaysia then made available for the build­ exists a strong sense among fabric, of which Sabah was one of ing of mosques, and the promo­ Sabahans that No.8 of the Twenty four component parts, had been tion and administration of Islam. Points pertaining to Borneonisa­ broken. This call was repeated in Ironically, another tense tion of the services has not been 1967 when Stephen's party was period in federal-state relations honoured. forced out of the Sabah Alliance. occurred in 1975 when Tun Mus­ At any rate, a review or a Then, he charged that Kuala Lum­ tapha, who was ruling Sabah as debate will need not address all of pur was not honouring the Twenty his private fiefdom, began to be the original Twenty Points. Points and was treating Sabah as pressured to vacate the Chief Several of the original points were a "colony". Ministership after he, allegedly, never safeguards or have been threatened secession. (He had overtaken by time: they pertain to Erosion of Twenty also become an increasing em­ the names of the federation, the Points Safeguards harassment to the Federal state and the head of state; the Government because of many election of the Chief Minister and Secondly, there has also oc­ reports of his exploits related to introducing a Ministerial system; curred an erosion of some of these his flamboyant high living). On constitutional arrangments for the safeguards since 1963. that occasion Mustapha, too, transitional period; provisions for The first erosion occurred claimed that Kuala Lumpur was citizenship; the denial of any right when the Sabah Education Or­ acting contrary to the spirit of the to secede; and the position of the dinance No.9, 1961 was declared Twenty Points guarantees. British officers then. a federal law. Prior to this the There has also occurred in­ Some others concerning st~lle 's education system was creasing federalisation of Sabah' s education, religion, and language under the control of the Sabah bureaucracy especially during as discussed above, have also Board of Education and Local Harris' time. By the early 1980s, been revised with the support of Education Committee. Sub­ only 19 departments continued to the Sabah Legislature. It is the sequently in 1976, the Education be under the control of the Sabah rest, especially with regards to Act 1961 of the federation was government while the number of immigration, Bornconisation of extended to Sabah as a result of departments under the control of the services. representation in which the state's Education the federal government had in­ federal parliament, land and Department and its Director came creased from 13 in 1963 to 51 in forests, development funds, spe­ under the purview of the Ministry 1981, including many new ones cial position of the indigenous or Education. that were created over this period. races that will constitute the core Under Tun Mustapha's rule, In 1989, the Public Services of any review. two other important safeguards Department, Sabah branch, noted We believe that a debate on with regards to language and in a statement that there were the Twenty Points by political religion were whittled away. some 23,000 peninsular parties serves no useful purpose. Contrary to the safeguards which Malaysians serving in Sabah. We support any serious review allowed the use of English in the They constituted about 50 per that will address the issues out­ State and Federal Legislatures for cent of the total46,780 employed lined above so as to facilitate an 10 years after 1963, and its use as in the Federal public service. A improvement of relations be­ an official language for State and review of the Federal agencies in tween the Sabah and the Federal Federal purposes until changed by Sabah conducted by the Institute Governments. The leaders con­ the State Legislature, Mustapha of Development Studies (Sabah) cerned should approach the oc­ introduced the Language Bill in further noted that some 85 percent casion like statesmen and not 1971. making Bahasa Malaysia of the 64 agencies were headed by politicise the review. Finally, the the sole official language. In people from peninsular Malaysia review should be one that upholds 1974 he further ordered all broad­ that same year. Although these justice and democracy, and serves casts in Chinese, Kadazan. Murut figures have been disputed by the to guarantee the rights of the and other indigenous languages Chief Secretary to the Govern­ people of Sabah in particular, and terminated. ment recently, who claimed that those of other Malaysians in ln addition, the Sabah Con­ Sabahans make up the majority of general. • stitution was amended in 1971 to Group A officers in the federal make Islam the official religion. departments and agencies in again contrary to the agreement Sabah with the exception of the

A/iron Monlhly 1992:12 (ll) Pag~ 6 The Twenty Points

1. Religion: North Borneo should have unfet.. necessarily applicable in North While there waa no objection to tered control over the movements Borneo. lalam being the national religion of pereons, other than those in 13. Stau Govern~Mnt: Federal Government employ, from of Malayma, there should be no (a)The Chief Minister should State religion in North Borneo, other parts of Malaysia into North be elected by unofficial members Borneo. and the provisions relating to ofLegislative Council; lalam in the present Constitution 7. Right ofSuccession: (b)there should be a proper of Malaya should not apply to There should be no right to Ministerial system in North Bor­ North Borneo. secede from the Federation. neo. 2. Language: 8. Borneanisalion: 14. Transitional Period: (a)Malay should be the nation­ of the public services should This should be seven years and al language ofthe Federation; proceed as quickly aa possible. during such period legislative (b)English should continue to 9. British Offuers: power must be left with the State be used for a period of ten years of North Borneo by the Constitu­ after Malaysia Day; Every effort should be made to tion and not be merely delegated (c)English should be the offi· encourage British Officers to remain in the public services until to the State Government by the ciallanguage of North Borneo, for Federal Government. all purposes State or Federal, their places can be taken by without limitation of time. suitably qualified people from 15. Education: North Borneo. 3. Consatution: The existing educational sys­ tem of North Borneo should be Whilst accepting that the 10. Citiunship: The recommendations in para­ maintained and for this reason it present Constitution of the should be under State control. Federation of Malaya should form graph 148 (k) of the Report of the the basis of the Constitution of Cobbold Commission should 16. Constitutional Safeguards: Malaysia, the Constitution of govern the citizenship rights in No amendment, modification Malaysia should be a completely the Federation of North Borneo or withdrawal of any special new document drafted and agreed persons, subject to the following safeguards granted to North Bor­ in the light of a free association of amendments: neo should be made by the Central States and should not be a series (a)subparagraph (1) should Governmment without the posi­ of amendments to a Constitution not contain the proviso aa to five tive concurrence of the Govern­ drafted and agreed by different years residence; ment ofthe State ofNorth Borneo. States in totally different cir­ (b)in order to tie up with our 17. Representation in Fetkral cumstances. A new Constitution law, subparagraph (2) (a) should ParliiJmtnt: for North Borneo was, of course read 'seven out of ten years' in­ stead of'eight out of twelve years'; This should take account not essential. only of the population of North (c)subparagraph (3) should not 4. Head of the Federation: contain any restriction tied to the Borneo but also of its size and potentialities and in any case The Head of State in North citizenship of parents - a person Borneo should not be eligible for born in North Borneo after should not be less than that of election u head ofthe Federation. Malaysia must be a Federal Singapore. S. Na~M ofFederation: citizen. 18. Name ofHead ofStaU: 'Malaysia' but not 'Melayu Yang di-Pertua Negara. Raya'. 11. Tariffs and Finance: 6. IIIUIIigration: North Borneo should have con­ 19. NafTU ofState: Control over immigration into trol of ita own finance, develop­ Sabah. any part of Malaysia from outside ment funds and tariffs. should rest with the Central 20. lAnd, Forests, Local Government but entry into North 12. Special PositWn of Government, etc: Borneo should also require the ap­ Indigenous Race~: The provimona in the Constitu­ proval of the State Government. In principle, the indigenous tion ofthe Federation in respect of The Federal Government should races of North Borneo should the powers of the National Land not be able to veto the entry of enjoy special rights analogous to Council should not apply in North persona into North Borneo for those enjoyed by Malaya in Borneo. Likewise the National State Government purposes ex­ Malaya, but the present Malaya Council for Local Government cept on strictly aecurity grounds. formula in this regard is not should not apply in North Borneo.

Alinl11 MOfllhly 1992:12 (11) Pt~~e 7 eroded pathway. You cannot do it That is the essence of a federa­ The Malaysia simply by bulldozing. tion. Agreement is When we formed Malaysia we That was how Tunku Abdul all wanted unity, socio-economic Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak, Lee Sacrosanct: progress and prosperity. Kuan Yew, Tun Datu Mustapha, Our founding fathers worked Tun Fuad Stephens, Tun Abang Statesman-like hard to avoid quarrels and Haji Openg and the other found­ Approach misunderstandings. Otherwise ing fathers faced the struggle for there would have been no our nationhood. Needed Malaysia. As a historian, I say that And they achieved Malaysia without malice. for all of us. Today, we are playing politics We should not have a televised too much. debate like a US presidential elec­ We are making the art of the tion where the objective is to get possible rule our actions. Indeed, more electoral college votes. it is beginning to look like gutter That would surely heighten politics. feelings and excite temperaments It is becoming a finger-point­ all round and create political en­ ing affair. mity instead of friendship and How can it be that what we Malaysian brotherhood. agreed upon when we came The proposed debate, if it together and formed a nation, takes place, will be much ado Malaysia, is to become the topic about nothing. It will only worsen of a political debate? an already bad situation, not only Datuk Dr. James Ongkili That agreement is sacrosanct. in Sabah but also Malaysia. • In that case we might as well s a former Minister of Jus­ debate the Malaysia Constitution. Datuk Dr James Ongkili, tice, I am sad to see the It cannot be violated. It is Tuaran Apolitical development and taboo. It is inviolate for all time. trend of national life in Sabah No one should question what is today. It is getting worse the basis of our nation which is Sabah's everyday. Unity is wearing thin. founded on justice and Here we have the national democracy. problems better leaders working at cross purposes That basis had been agreed resolved by with state leaders. upon by our founding fathers. The federalists want the state The Malaysia Agreement of Sabahans to fall in line; the state-rightists 1963 which includes, by implica­ insist that what they have since tion, the 20 Points was founded on 1963, must be retained and discussions and consensus. I respected. There is no question about it; It is becoming much like and to make it the subject of a Canada and Quebec. debate is merely to take advantage and make political mileage from IL is understandable that the it at the expense of the nation. national leaders wish to forge an Surely our federal and state identity, an ethos which would leaders can come to a discussion lead to a Malaysian way of life in table and iron out any problem succeeding generations. amicably. But in striving to achieve that We believe that our leaders noble ideal one must not drive a can be more statesman-like. Like vibrating steamroller. The road to the first Inter-Governmental national development is rough 1 Committee (IGC) of 1962-1963 Datuk Pengiran Othman Rauf enough in Sabah. which worked tirelessly and in­ What is needed is better corporated the 20 Points, a similar am concerned over political premix from Kuala Lumpur; not committee could discuss any developments in Malaysia, dropping more rocks to an already serious federal-state problems. Iparticularly Sabah. Presently, I

Aliran MonJJaly 1992:12 (11) Page 8 have no official duty in any form I, personally, believe Sabah's ties. This, which we have never and that gives me a little time, political problem can be better experienced before, is becoming while concentrating on my busi­ resolved by Sabahans themselves. part of our daily lives. Although ness and private affairs. I have This could be achieved the police are taking action the held full ministerial posts both at through the spirit of brotherhood threat cannot be positively solved the State and Federal levels. and respect and understanding for if both Federal and State govern­ Political developments in each other. ments do not co-operate to Sabah have entered a new dimen­ I believe that Sabah-based eliminate this problem. sion with the debut of Barisan parties are better for Sabah, We should not just talk in Nasional (BN) component par­ provided of course we can co­ tenns of development alone. ties, particularly Umno. BN Par­ exist and solve our problems. As far as the issue of im­ ties have Umno as the backbone. Federal leaders from Kuala migrants is concerned, we should The entry ofUmno and MCA into Lumpur have openly and loudly also seriously consider the Sabah signifies the political inter­ criticised PBS and its leaders for security of our local population. est of Federal leaders in the politi­ being anti-Federal, practising In the same tone we should not cal affairs of the State. nepotism, corruption, for being consider foreign investments in For some time, the State's ineffective and so on. this country solely in our haste to political affairs had been The State leaders, on the other be industrialised. We should also entrusted to local leaders. hand, have strongly accused determine as to who benefited the With this new development Kuala Lumpur of being unfair, of most and the side effects to the more experienced, progressive not respecting State rights and not community in terms of inflation, and dignified local leaders, able to giving due consideration to re­ corruption, business manipula­ compete in the same environment quests by the State. tions, etc. and with the same calibre, would While both sides are involved When Sabah became part of be needed. Whether the entry of in political squabbles on who is Malaysia on Sept. 16, 1963, it was peninsular-based parties to Sabah right or wrong and who could through the wisdom and effort of is good or otherwise depends on serve the State better, pressing our past leaders to bring our the acceptance of the people and problems like the increasing num­ people together under the system on what happens hereafter. ber of immigrants and the of Federal Government. Sabah, being a unique State, economic slowdown keep haunt­ This system was chosen so as perhaps almost similar to ing the State and the people as a to give some freedom to the States Sarawak, comprises various races whole. on certain matters like land, with different cultures and While the Federal Govern­ religious affairs and others. religious backgrounds. ment is not doing enough to solve Federal leaders should, in their All these have a bearing on the immigrant problems, the State own wisdom, realise this is the political activities and develop­ allows these outsiders to do busi­ basis of the Federation which was ments in the State. In the past, the ness locally, thus, depriving local endorsed by the people. people here have been living har­ entrepreneurs of business oppor­ The State leaders, on the other moniously interacting in their tunities in the State. hand, should realise that there daily lives and happily mingling We can see these outsiders may be a need to standardise cer­ during celebrations and doing business in towns and tain matters in order that these ceremonies such as at weddings, tamus. One wonders who gave may be more effectively ad­ harvesting and other activities. these immigrants licences to do ministered and acted upon. Politics, to some extent, have business. One side should not take ad­ brought changes to the life of A lot of jobs also go to these vantage of the other solely be­ Sabahans. It remains to be seen outsiders because employers cause it is stated in the law or the whether the entry of outside par­ prefer cheap labour. I am sure Federal Constitution. ties will bring peace to the people every concerned citizen does not After all laws are man-made here or cause more rifts or resent­ only see what's going on in the and could be made or unmade ment. State, butto some extent also feels under our system of government. In short, the new elements in the consequences of unstable What is important is the Sabah politics should rightly politics. leaders in authority should not use bring peace and hannony and not Today it is common to be fear­ "the winner takes all" in the ex­ create more ill-feeling and ful that someone might enter our treme sense of the words. suspicion among the people. home to cause harm to our Both majority and minority families or to take away proper- groups have the same basic

Alira11 Molllhly 1992:12 (11) Page 9 human rights under the Human However, if we agree it is the It is the people who drive the Code of Conduct which should man behind a weapon that is the "vehicle" or who make it move become the basis of consideration danger and not the weapon itself, that matter most. on all actions of our leaders be it we can then agree the im­ In a democracy, the people at national or state level. plementers of the laws are the have the final say in the fonnation No wonder the majority rules. ones that can cause problems. of the government be it at State or But justice and basic human Since the implementers of Federal level. rights must prevail if we want to laws are human, they, sometimes, It is, therefore, vital for voters see lasting peace and freedom in can make mistakes, especially in the State to make a stand and to this country. People's assembly under pressure or in an emotional act on it decisively. should not be used as "licence" to state. Although this may not neces­ legalise moral wrongs or simply Therefore, a government as an sarily solve our political problems to legalise the wishes of leaders. authority to initiate and, imple­ overnight, it may well be the Under our present system, ad­ ment laws, should give due con­ beginning of solving the political ministration is divided into three sideration to natural justice and crisis in Sabah. levels or categories namely, the basic human rights when im­ Of late, the politics of confron­ Federal Government which plementing such laws. tation has been the order of the covers the whole of Malaysia, the People have immense power, day in Sabah politics. This is State Governments which ad­ especially to decide on their own dangerous as this can cause hatred minister the State and the Local affairs or the management of and discontent among leaders and Governments which look after people's affairs. followers. their respective local areas. In a democracy, as we all History has shown us that Duties and responsibilities of know, the people decide the for­ direct confrontations, even if ver­ each are spell out in the Federal mation of a government and, in­ bal between opposing parties cre­ Constitution, State Constitutions directly, the actions of such ate discord and despair which and Local by-laws. government. eventually lead to heated argu­ Each level of government Malaysians should be proud ments that can become violent from Federal Government as a that the formation of government and uncontrollable. higher authority to local govern­ or the change of it has always An attitude of moderation and ment at the lower level, has its been peaceful. We should main­ compromise C3n work better in own functions and certain powers. tain this approach in our political handling sensitive problems or is­ Whatever power a govern­ struggles and no one should be sues, especially in plural societies ment has under the Federal Con­ allowed to exploit our people on like ours. stitution, the laws are intended to the matter. This approach works like a benefit the people as a whole. We should refrain from being two-way traffic where sacrifices There may be flaws in certain emotional and endeavour to main­ in the spirit of "give and take" laws or laws that are vague in cer­ tain peace and harmony as the should prevail. tain matters. basis of development, including Naturally it requires a lot of But good government should political development. patience and restraint by the par­ not exploit these flaws at the ex­ Sabah politics should be in­ ties concerned, as well as sin­ pense of other authority and, par­ stituted within this approach, cerity, respect and good faith. ticularly, the interests of the especially at times when political Political leaders in this people. environments are constrained and country should give more con­ One particular example is the unstable. sideration to this approach espe­ ISA (Internal Security Act). The We should identify the cially so in efforts at resolving "security" of the nation can be problems and the causes of the political crisis like in Sabah. taken to mean many things problems. Thereafter, we should Confrontations and threats depending on the implementer. decide how to solve these only make matters worse and, at To what extent a "threat" could be problems, set our priorities and best, suppress the problems but construed as threat under ISA has work on them. not solve them satisfactorily and a wide interpretation that can be To me political parties are conclusively. Authority should argued or possibly exploited. only organisations like "vehicles" only be used as a last resort to There are many other ex­ to achieve or to reach certain prevent an exploding situation amples of such laws if one cares goals. that involves public interests. to read and examine every law in In our system of the Federa­ this country. tion there are many things related

AlinuaMonthly 1992:12 (11) Pare 10 to the functions of the government certain political party or group­ wishes while maintaining a de­ that require the State and Federal ing. If this should happen, it could gree of flexibility to ensure basic governments to work closely be looked at as an effort at forcing co-operation by all in the interest together for better results. the population only to vote a cer­ of the country and people. These include • but are not tain group. On the question of me forming limited to - the providing of in­ This may well also be inter­ a new party, there are many con­ frastructures, administration, preted as "blackmailing" the siderations I have to examine and security, education, economic and people and goes against the consider, particularly the support social development. It is of ut­ people's freedom or democratic of the people. most importance that the interests rights as provided for under the Political uncertainty should of the people as a whole should be constitution. not be allowed to continue for given priority above other con­ It is the duty of party leaders long because it is bad for our siderations. to win the people's hearts within country as a whole. • It is unethical for any govern­ or in accordance with constitu­ ment to penalise the people just tional means. All leaders should Datuk Ptngiran Othman Rauf, because they did not vote for a respect the people •s power and Kota Kinabalu

a referendum must be taken in the whole of Malaysia GAJAH SAMA GAJAH as there might be states which do not wish Sabah to BERJUANG, be a part of Malaysia. PELANDUK MATI DI Intentional Challenge Such mockery only conftrms the marginalization TENGAH-TENGAH of the people of Sabah. For the past twenty-nine Sabahans must decide years, the people of Sabah have seen little effort made by the Federal government to reduce the physi­ what they want and cal, p:sychological, social and economic gap that where they stand separates Sabah from West Malaysia. Not by choice, the people of Sabah adapted to the idea of being the s the conflict between the Federal and Sabah peripheral and less developed sister state to the rest governments escalates, several observations of Malaysia. A are noteworthy. One, it is a blatant struggle The attacks upon the 20 Points Agreement is, for power; one side to dominate, the other to survive. however, a much more serious offence. It is, and Two, it is clearly an unequal match. One side is the should be viewed as an intentional challenge to the Federal government with its entire machinery, while validity of the conditions under which Sabah agreed the other is a state government with limited resources to be a part of Malaysia, and the identity of Sabahans and power. And three, it demonstrates the type of as Malaysians. The significance of the 20 Points "autocratic democracy" which brooks no opposition, Inter-Governmental Committee Agreement to as practised in Malaysia. While these observations Sabahans is that it is the contract under which North are obvious, less so is the fact that at the end of the Borneons agreed be become a part of Malaysia. It day, the real loser in this battle is the people of Sabah. was drawn up after the Cobbold Commission found Many issues have been brought up by both sides that only one-third of North Borneons surveyed as relations between the Federal and Sabah govern­ wanted to federate. The 20 Points guaranteed the ments have deteriorated over the last two years. One rights and privileges which enabled the other two­ of the more significant and damaging development thirds of the population to agree to the Federation. surrounds the issue of 20 Points. As the sacrosanct The politicised tum of events surrounding the 20 document which united the people of Sabah with Points Agreement has also diminished the long-felt, West Malaysians to be one people living in one and genuine call for a redressal of grievances in terms country, it has been undermined by utter disrespect of honouring faithfully the contents of the A~ree­ and contempt. There were calls to review, and even menl There is a strong feeling among the people of to debate the contents of the document. There were Sabah that the 20 Points have not been faithfully also absurd comments made by certain federal mini­ adhered to in the course of implementing policies sters, such as that the 20 Points Agreement is no relating to the state. If a proper avenue for such a longer important as it is almost 30 years old, and that redressal had existed previously, it is definitely not

Alircn Monlhly 1992:12 (11) Page 11 available now. This connict then, has cost the people people of Sabah. What UMNO has done will probab­ of Sabah. But matters now arc much worse than that. ly be irreversible. It is only a matter of time before If the Federal government went ahead with its review Sabahans will be openly divided along racial lines, of the 20 Points, it is very possible the people of and the future generations of Sabahans will probably Sabah will lose their rights and privileges as stipu­ not enjoy the same degree of tolerance for one lated in the Agreement. another. Perhaps the saddest point of all is that UMNO's presence in Sabah is only for political UMNO in Sabah reasons. The people of Sabah face another serious assault While these two developments have serious long­ at a different front. Since the PBS's pullout from term consequences, the people of Sabah also face Barisan Nasional on the eve of the 1990 general other immediate challenges. As the Federal govern­ election, Barisan Nasional, especially UMNO has ment diverts funds for the state to its own supporters, been very determined to destroy PBS. Their main thereby creating difficult bread-and-butter issues for strategy was to introduce UMNO directly to Sabah. the rest - the majority of Sabahans, all Malaysians (Previously, Barisan Nasional's presence in the state should rightly question whether the Federal had been represented by local component parties). government's feud is with PBS, or the people of The introduction of UMNO to Sabah is a Sabah. Perhaps the feud is both with PBS and the phenomenon that should be observed closely as it people of Sabah. will have very significant impact upon the social Given the vengeful character of our Barisan fabric of the Sabah society. Nasional Federal leaders, it is not surprising that they As we all know, UMNO is a communal party would remember that the people of Sabah have a which champions the rights of Bumiputeras. Its history of rejecting them. Who could forget that in rhetoric is often racist too. As UMNO and the other 1990, Sabah's electorate voted for PBS despite the communal parties fan their particular racial senti­ pullout from Barisan Nasional? How about 1985, ments, one can observe a high degree of racial when Barisan Nasional leaders vowed to "sink or polarization among West Malaysians. swim" with Berjaya, yet Berjaya suffered a most However the political situation in Sabah is dif­ humiliating defeat? In 1976, USNO, the component ferent. Since 1976, it has been ruled by multi-racial party of Barisan Nasional, which had ruled for thir­ parties, and not a multi-party coalition as practised in teen years with Federal blessings, also suffered a West Malaysia. As a result, most political leaders, shocking defeat. for their own survival, seldom espouse racial chauvinism. Instead they try to foster genuine Sabahans Cannot be SJ?ectators cooperation and tolerance among the different races. Perhaps one has to re<1ssess the applicability of That only multi-racial parties have done well with our Malay saying quoted in the title. While it is true Sabah's electorate says something about the attitude that there are two elephants fighting, it is clear that and predisposition of the people of Sabah. If one the elephants are not of the same size and strength. were to conduct a survey, one would probably dis­ And although the mousedcer suffers because of this cover that Sabah has one of the highest rate of inter­ fight, it is not simply an innocent bystander. The racial marriages in Malaysia. Furthermore, one people of Sabah have a role, and a stake in this tussle. would also find a high degree of fluency in Sabah's They are, and should be actors, and not merely pas­ colloquialistic version of Bahasa Malaysia among sive onlookers, waiting for the two connicting parties the people. The ease with which people communi­ to seal their fate. cate among themselves, and the degree of acceptance With the advent of a new chapter in Sabah's among different racial groups make the people of history, the people of Sabah will have to decide what Sabah a unique group of people. How they live in they want and where they stand. Do they want peace harmony is certainly something that West with the Barisan Nasional Federal government, and Malaysians can emulate. if so what price are they willing to pay? The 20 Points Agreement? Do they still believe in PBS and Society Being Corrupted the cause they supported in 1985, 1986 and 1990? But what did the Semenanjung political leaders WiU they rejectforces which threaten Sabah's unique do? Among other things, they have introduced racial harmony? And finally, will they stiU have the UMNO's brand of divisive propaganda to Sabah. courage to believe in justice and democracy in the History has shown that aJI it takes is for one group of face of mounting adversities? • people to adopt racist attitudes before a whole society . ~·ella Wong is corrupted. This will be the second big loss to the

Aliran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Poge 12 "What comes from the lips reaches the ear, what COTTI8S from the heart reaches the heart • -Arab Proverb Heart to Heart

OTTAVIO: ITIY long-haired friend orne weeks ago, on my way also bad is served free but 'no­ good, what's bad. I did not listen to Indonesia, I sat beside a smoking', eh?" to what he has to say." Slong- haired man in his thir­ I could see that he was fired "Who took care of him these ties (later, I found out that that day up. two years?" I asked. was his 36th birthday). He wore "You see, the capitalist system "My sisters," he replied. his brown hair in a pony tail which ruins the environment in many "I don't know if you will came undone every so often. So, ways," he continued. "People are believe this," he continued, "But I he had tore-tie it that many times. encouraged to buy cars. The have a photo of my mother, here, He wore a pair of silver ear­ fumes from the cars hurt the en­ in my wallet. I felt my mother's rings - about half-an-inch wide. vironment." spirit saying "Ottavio, go home On each of his wrists he had a Our conversation was inter­ and take care of your brother." solid silver bracelet. · rupted when the stewardess came "So, next week, I'll be back in He had on a pair of white cot­ to serve lunch. I was curious to Rome and I will give my attention ton pants and a white cotton know if he was going to Indonesia to my brother. I will listen to him. "kurta." On top of that he wore for a holiday. He said that he was I will show him I really care for light brown leather waist-jacket. going to buy some silver jewel­ him."-> When the senior chief steward lery as he had been trading in sil­ Hamima Dona Mustafa announced that the flight was a ver these past two years. non-smoking one, he looked at me He introduced himSelf as Ot­ and repeated the announcement, tavio and he told me that he left adding, 'Three hours m~d no Italy two years ago after his smoking?" mother died of breast cancer. The Hindu God I nodded, saying that I was "I had to run away because I thankful for that because I am al­ could not face my mother's lives in lergic to cigarette smoke. death," he said. Benares; the That started a long exchange Now he felt compeJJed to between us. return home because he came to Muslim God at He said, "I agree smoking is realize that he had actually aban­ Mecca. But He bad for health as well as the en­ doned his 24-year-old epileptic vironment but there are other brother. who made the things that people do to hurt the "My mother had asked me to world lives not environment." He singled out take over her job of taking care of in a city made clothes detergent as an example, my brother. My father was also saying that a huge amount is being epileptic and had passed away by hands. dumped into the environment. many years ago." he continued. There is one "My girlfriend could not bear "I was so overcome with grief to see a little dirt on her clothes. that I just ran away. I went to Father of Hindu Just a little bit of it and she would Thailand to live in one of the is­ and Muslim, wash the whole piece of clothing lands. I had neglected my one God in all with lots of detergent. The chemi­ brother." cals go to pollute the river, the I listened intently without in­ matter. lake and the stream." terrupting. Humayan Kab1r, Then he pointed to the men on "Now, I want to go home and the f1lteenth-century board the flight. "You see the take care of my brother. Pre­ Musl1m myst1c. double standards? Booze which is viously, I used to tell him what's

Aliran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Page 13 LETTERS '"-~ ..:;

TRUTH CANNOT BE to help the small man go into busi­ ness and succeed. A MISTAKE Since the small man fonned the Mara spends $11.3 million on 450 golf bulk of the bumiputra poor, MARA memberships. I refer to the NST report "RTM was created to help the many who ob­ airing of Dili shooting a mistake" on viously required help. family helped set up the club and 27-9-92. As long as the shooting real­ In spite of the many policies to retains control. An avid golfer, Ghafar ly took place and is a fact, then, it can help the bumiputra poor all these had a hand in designing the Rahman never be a mistake. years, we still hear loud and noisy Putra course. The Bernarna national claims that many of the bumiputras The Indonesian government must news agency, which broke the story, have recognised that the shooting is had not really benefited and that they quoted "golfers" as saying MARA ungraceful and is a shameful act. continue to be poor. paid too much for the 450 member­ That's why she was against the RTM In view of this situation, one ships.' screening of the Dili incident. It is a would think that the original aim of hideous conduct to tJy and cover up a MARA to help the poor would con­ POOR KEIANI'A.NESE heinous act. Bad deeds should be tinue to be pursued even more KOTA.BA.RU shown on TV so as to deter further vigorously. bad deeds in the future. Wicked But somehow or rather MARA people fear bad publicity of their has veered away from this noble ob­ cruel deeds. jective. It is now serving the rich and We, as conscientious citizens, the powerful. BE RATIONAL should encourage RTM to screen and Many fmd it difficult to believe publicize bad deeds e.g. the Serbian that it could spend something like It is said that the western culture atrocities, the Maika scandal, the KL $11.3 million to buy 450 member­ is unhealthy for our Malaysian en­ City Council Volvo scandal, the ships in the Rahman Putra Golf Club! vironment. Thus, there was a great various ethnic discrimination against This $11.3 would have helped outcry to restrict films from the west. Chinese rice millers in AJor Setar, the 1,130 poor bumiputras to set up small Some of the viewers claim that by SRP examination leak, etc. businesses if a loan of $10,000 was watching these American program­ CONSCIENTIOUS CITIZEN given to each of them. mes, we tend to adopt their way of Why then MARA did not do this? living which is deemed to be a threat JOHORE I had no answer to this question until to our so-called sacred society. But I read the ASIAWEEK (November what about the programmes from 13, 1992). Hong Kong, Taiwan and India? Most Let me quote, so that others of the Cantonese series which are bothered by a similar question may shown in the 6 o'cloclc slots are based THE FATHER, THE begin to understand mnre clearly: on gangsterism, violence, drugs and 'The Chairman of MARA is Tarn­ alcoholism. Whereas the Tamil SON &THE rio Ghafar, an MP with the countJy's movies show numerous rape scenes, dominant party, the United Malays use abusive language and portray the COMMUNITY National Organisatiion (UMNO). His exploitation of women. father, Deputy Premier and UMNO The claim that the western culture When MARA was set up some 26 deputy president Abdul Ghafar Baba, is a threat to our morals is simply a years ago, the purpose was very clear - is president of Rahman Putra. His vague statement. Undoubtedly some

Aliran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Page 14 bies of private and public corpora­ tions. How parliament can close its eyes to such obvious mocking of touted government policies of protecting workers, doing things in the best inter­ est of workers, and so forth, is to say the least bewildering to the common worker and the worst that can be said is an absolute swindle of workers right to proper compensation. How does the promulgators of SOCSO regulations and laws pertain­ ing to it expect an invalid or crippled Not everything from the East is good. worker to subsist on pensions that do not quantify the immense pain and suffering of a worker-victim of gross of the values from the west are inap­ negligence of his employer? Are we propriate for our society but that docs human beings or just toys to these not mean we should stereotype all the employers who us~ us as and when it western culture as "bad". suits them and discarded when the Everything from the west is not employer has no use of us anymore. bad and everything from the cast is If the parliamentarians want the "---...... not good. We should be rational al­ rakyat to have any confidence in them Ghafar Baba : lambasting Sabah. ways in what we perceive as is re­ any more it is absolutely necessary quired of thinking people. that every piece of legislation passes The frequent visits made by SUBAHSHINI KRISHNAN through the mill parliamentand not UMNO leaders to Sabah and the stri­ dent stand taken by them while in SUNGAI PETANI just a rubber stamp! To the workers of Malaysia, let Sabah, will not fool those who are me wam them not to be complacent aware of their ulterior motive. anymore or just be apathetic about These leaders go there not be­ laws being passed in Parliament. You cause they care for the welfare of the ARE WE HUMAN may be a member of any component Sabahans but they go there for their party of Barisan Nasional but you own welfare and to preserve their BEINGS? will be equally affected by these laws position in the party hierarchy. as many found out in the Operation UMNO Sabah with its 220 votes, G.T.S. Sidhu's letter in the Star Lalang of 1987. consisting of one eighth of the total (26/10192) lamenting the injustice You must enlighten your MPs and votes at next year's UMNO general done to workers only goes to prove chairman of party divisions on all assembly, holds out a promise to all even more that our parliament is be­ these dastardly laws passed to please the amb1tious politicians in West coming more and more a rubber only the king-pins of corporations Malaysia. That is the reason why for the and others. Use your heads now or Sabah is being pursued and wooed your family may not be able to see relentlessly by these Jess-than-roman­ your decapitated head in one of these tic politicians whose aims are not employer-negligent accidents! noble. I A.B. The other day was surprised to read Ghafar Baba blasting the PBS IPOH government for not providing piped water to all the people of Sabah, something which he himself is not able to do in West Malaysia. What galls me is the fact that BE FAIR, GHAFAR since PBS left the Barisan, it has been labelled as a useless and uncaring BABA government Over the last two years, since becoming an opposition, the The latest punching bag, Sabah, Barisan expects the PBS to have per­ has been assailed as never before by formed miracles and solved every UMNO Baru and its colluding problem of the people. partners in the Barisan. Let me ask Ghafar Baba if these Nitpickering and lambasting PBS problems could be solved in two Malaysian Worker, wake up! has become the order of the day. years, why did the Barisan govern-

A/iran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Page 15 ment which ruled Sabah from 1963 to tion that needs to be answered by the October 1990 was not able to solve nation as a whole. these problems when they were ruling While we are raising funds for Sabah for 27 years? Come, come 'Bosnia-Herzegovina' where sense­ Ghafar, what could not be solved in less killing is a daily affair, we tend to 27 years by the mighty Barisan, you forget what's happening in the other expect a puny party to solve in two parts of the world. years? It is a crazy thought. I would lilc:e Malaysians to ponder There was so much inefficiency on what's happening in Somalia, and corruption in the previous Ethiopia, Mozambique and India. Barisan goverrunents; there was so Only then, we will be regarded as much abuse and misuse of funds principled human beings, driven by when Barisan leaders were rultng universal, spiritual values. Sabah. But where was your concern I was moved by the report on the then? How many trips did you make tragedy of Somalia in the Asiaweek to Sabah during these 27 years of of September 18, 1992. Let me quote: Barisan rule to express your pious "Their postures are a parable for shocks over the neglect and indif­ their country's catastrophe. A young ference of the Baris an government? Somalian mother's outstretched hands There was a Barisan leader who beseech food for her dying child. reportedly despatched an aeroplane to Nearby. a young man clenches a Kota Kinabalu to fetch his vaohn Kalashrikov rifle. He and his when he wanted to play it at a func­ clansmen control the trickle of food tion while he was in Kuala Lumpur. that supports a nation where more There was no outcry at this out­ than 1.5 million face starvation. Lying landish and opulent lifestyle. Imagine StaiVing Somlli.,a: Lukewarm in the Horn of Africa on the Indian sending a plane to fetch a violin! responn from ABIM. Ocean, Somnlia is scarred by famine What wastage, what frivolity! Yet not and fragmented by civil war." a squeak from all the moralizing for­ towards starving Somalians compared Malaysians who feel for cesinUMNO. to Bosnians. humanity must not be selective in When PBS was part of the coali­ A baby is born to the world their sentiments. We must feel for the tion, Pairin 's religion, Christianity, oblivious to any discrimination of death of human beings regardless of was not the issue, his inefficiency was skin colour. To a baby everyone is their religion, colour, race and place. not the issue, his lack of concern was equal regardless of race or sex. I do hope that Malaysians who not the issue, his alleged corruption As they grow wise to the ways of are involved in fund raising for Bos­ was not the issue. the world and progress in age, we nia, will also include in their cam­ But now that he is out of the teach them the difference between paign people who are dying in the Barisan, everything has become the black and white. Years of prejudice third world countries lilc:e Somalia, issue. The double standards practised has instilled in us a sea of intolerance Ethiopia. India, etc. by the Barisan is really sickening. since time immemorial. Our PTR While discussing thas opportunis­ forefathers tell us how lucky we are BANG/ tic ways of the Barisan, a friend of not to be like "them". mine summed up the situation rather In times of trouble we look for a succinctly. He said. "When you are scapegoat from among "them". In with them you can do no wrong and times of prospenty we ignore our dif­ when you are not with them you can ferences but only tentatively. LIFT SUSPENSION do no right." Shouldn't we be citizens of the ANGRY VOTER world flCSt, in spite of our race and ON LIM KIT SIANG KUALA TERENGGANU country and even religion? Which leaves me to ponder - what if the Bos­ AJthough we may have different nians were not Muslims? political views, it is simply immature WEUBE and undemocratic to suspend the Op­ PETAUNGJAYA position leader of our Malaysian Par­ BOSNIANS AND liament. What cnme did Lun Kit Saang SOMALIANS commit? He just sought clarification and justice. Whatever may be his mo­ En. Abdul Rahim Bin Ahmad WHAT IS HUMANITY tive, the Mailc:a-Telekoms shares issue (Aliran 1992:12(8)) couldn't be more is of public importance and it was correct when he questioned ABIM's What do Malaysians understand childish of the BN M.Ps to throw Kit less-than-enthusiastic response by the word humanity? It is a ques- Siang out of Parliament until the end

AUron Monlhly 1992:12 (11) Page 16 of the year. Siapa malum cili dia rasa none of them can match the size of peda.r. UMNO. Bul k~:ynult: ill.ldre:;s of ~:v~:ry If it is a simple and straightfor­ party, irrespective of their size, need ward issue, as we are made to believe, to be telecast life so that people can why did the ACA take 24 hours to in­ understand fJist-hand what they stand terview Samy Vellu? for and what they promise for the na­ It is clear that our ACA is not tion. 100% independent. If Lim Kit Siang There is also a need to carry par­ is allowed to speak on the Maika­ liamentary proceedings life on our Telekoms shares issue in the Dewan TV. This will encourage them to be­ Rakyat., the public, especially the have responsibly and promote quality Maika share holders, would have got debate. If any MP misbehaves or more information regarding the scan­ flouts the rulings of the chair, his con­ dal. duct and behaviour is watched by By suspending Kit Siang, the BN thousands of Malaysians and there is MPs had also shown disregard to the no fear that this can be distorted later voters of the Tanjong constituency. outside parliament. They have actually suspended the I hope that 1993 will be a better voice of the people of Tanjon g. One and fairer year for all Malaysians. thing is assured - no one can cow the PRO-COVERAGE voice ofTanjong! MAIACCA Lim Kit Siang is a 'life-member' of Parliament of the Tanjong con­ stituency. He has a clean record and we believe he will not waver. We hope he will uphold Truth, Justice UMNO General Assembly: Unfair to WHO'S THE BOSS? and Democracy at all costs. You have give it so much publicity. our support Lim Kit Siang. You arc The circulation of poison-pen let­ not alone. pened in the country and that nothing ters was the subject of heated debate May Democracy, Truth, Sincerity, else mattered either. during the recent UMNO Baru Compassion, Justice and Fairness be Many Malaysians felt that it was general assembly. our backbones in our daily lives. very unfair and wrong to give so Later, when questioned by FOR TANJONG Ill much publicity to a party affair. They reporters, Deputy Home Minister PENANG argued that UMNO is not the govern­ Megat Junid was reported to have ment and that there should be a clear­ said that police had begun investigat­ cut distinction between the ing even before the matter was raised government and party matters. at the UMNO Baru general assembly. But I am one of those who felt (The Star, 20 November). THE UMNO that there was nothing wrong in Almost immediately after that GENERAL providing coverage for party matters - Deputy Inspector-General of Police perhaps not as much coverage as Abdul Rahim Mohamed Noor came ASSEMBLY being provided now but a moderate out with a statement which effectively coverage should be in order. contradicted Megat Junid's claim. The recently concluded UMNO Not only UMNO general assemb­ "We cannot investigate the letters be­ general assembly wa.> very widely ly should be covered but also the cause there is no official report." said covered by RTM. The president's ad­ general assemblies of the coalition Abdul Rahim. Asked to comment on dress was carried life - both at the parties should be covered. This is one Megat Junid's statement about an in­ opening and closing sessions. way by which not only the party faith­ vestigation being carried out by the TV 1 had special time slots for fuls but also Malaysians generally police on the letters, Abdul Rahim reporting the proceedings. The reports will get to know the policies, the said, "We will not be responsible for were brought to the viewers in the programmes and the aspirations of whatever comments made by those evenings as well as at night. these parties. outside the police force." (The Star, Besides the special reports, the In keeping with the democratic 22 November) news was mainly dominated by the tradtion, PAS, DAP, Semangat 46 and I am confused. I need some UMNO proceedings - what was said IPF should be provided similar clarification here: and by whom and snippets of such coverage as well. After all, they are *Is the matter being investigated speakers were flashed on the screen. lawful parties 31\.d represent a sig­ or not? Why was there a contradic­ The print media devoted pages nificant segment of the country and tion? and pages to the UMNO proceedings. deserve to be treated as such. •Does the police force come Reading the newspapers one gets the Perhaps all the other parties can­ under the control of the Home Minis­ impression that nothing else hap- not be given equal air time because try?

A/iran MonJhly 1992:12 (11) Page 17 *If so, why does the Deputy IGP from 1 January (for new cars) and 1 the fact that they formed the state refer to Deputy Home Minister Megat July (for old cars). government It was a bitter pill to Junid as someone "outside the police By 24 November when the swallow that was why they became ir­ force?" Do I detect a rift between the specifications were provided, I think rational when they hit back. Deputy IGP and Megat Junid? well over 75 per cent of Jaw-abiding They said it was undemocratic, As a foot-note, I would like to say motorists had already bought and they raved that the people of Penang that if genuine press freedom really fitted their vehicles with third brake were the losers for it The PM ac­ existed in Malaysia, nobody would lights. cused the DAP of being unconstitu­ pay any attention to worthless poison­ Then, came the bombshell by tional for voting against the proposal pen letters. Deputy Transport Minister Zaleha Is­ to amend the state constitution. WHAT'S GOING ON? mail, that motorists whose lights do How can the defeat of the AWRSETAR not meet the specifications will have proposal be undemocratic and uncon­ to change them. stitutional? The decision to reject the "I pity the many motorists who amendment was a democratic process are caught with such brake lights. in keeping with the state constitution. They have no choice but to replace The DAP assemblymen had the man­ $1 FROM EVERY them," said Zalcha. date from their electorate to exercise Thanks a lot for your pity! their vote according to their wisdom. WORKING CITIZEN Now many motorists will have to The Barisan is always fond of pay from their own pockets and all be­ saying "We have the mandate from The National Unity and Social cause of the incompetence and lack of the people". What do you think the Development Minister's plan to set foresight on the part of the Transport DAP assemblymen had? up a trust fund to help the less for­ Ministry. Fellow Malaysians, if you do not tunate with every working citizen con­ Next time when you make such want your rights to be eroded away tributing a mandatory ringgit each announcements, please, please pro­ then you must deny the Barisan their month should see no barriers at all. vide al( the detailed specifications of two thirds majority. Without denying The caring Malaysian society should your requirements. them the right to rule, we can deny ensure that poverty is wiped out and The last thing we need is more of them the right to do whatever and that sufficient funds are available for your pity. however they like. the needy. Let them form the government, What is important today is the RED HOT PENANG but do not give them the right to availability of funds for wider con­ amend the constitution. It is only cerns like surgery, tragedy, unemploy­ when this right to amend the con­ ment etc. stituion is denied, the Barisan will be The Minister should take all forced to become democratic and ac­ measures so that aid will be given THUMBS UP FOR countable to the people. As long as regardless of race or religion. The we deny them the two third majority, Minister's idea of appointing direc­ PENANG we, the people, will remain their tors to decide where money from the masters and not their slaves. fund should go can only be effective The rest of Malaysia should Jearn We owe it to ourselves, our if the composition of directors reflects something from Penang and put it to children and their children to ensure the ethnicity of Malaysia. good use in the next general election. that henceforth the Barisan does not SIVA If they could do that then they would get the mandate to mutilate the con­ JOHORBAHRU be doing themselves and the nation a stitution and make a mockery of the good deed. democratic process. The recent attempt to amend the Deny them this power and they constitutions of the various states to will be powerless; they will become provide for delineation was a piece of decent; they will become respectors SEEING RED cake in all the states except Penang. of your rights; they will be sensitive. ABOUT THIRD With their more than two thirds This is the only way to reform majority, in these states it was plain them. Deny them the two-thirds BRAKE LIGHT sailing for Barisa.n. majority and they will come to their The well-heeled and oiled Barisan senses. FIASCO machinery came to a grinding stop in Pcnang. It was a rude awakening and HAPPY VOTER The Transport Ministry issued a terrible jolt to Barisan who have al­ KLANG detailed specifications for third brake ways had their own way when it lights on 24 November. carne to meddling with the constitu­ These specifications were issued tion. several months after the Ministry had They were aghast with shock. be­ announced to motorists that third cause they could not tinker with the brake lights would be compulsory Penang state constitution in spite of

A/iran Monthly 1992:12 (II) Page 18 the suggestion been made earlier, Parliament's f&rSt in-house jailbird would surely be a cer1ain deputy speaker with a certain in-door hobby. As far as we • know. only animals are kept in cages, or in the case of children, in cots. So are we dealing with animals or children in Parliament? Perhaps both, judging by the wvuJy and childish behaviour on the part of some that we have witnessed in the house the past decade or so. The opposition obviously thinks it has the right to behave like hooligans since P.Mliament, it says has been reduced to a rubber stamp, under the stamp of the ruling party. But how docs one explain the equally abominable behaviour of nne of those on the government bench? Do they also believe that • Parliament is a farce BEHIND BARS the sillier• you are the greater the or are they jiN plain gangsters. chances of making the news. badly brought-up children or weD. WHERE THEY 1bcir antics have grown quite :.nimals? Some think that BELONG unbcar:lbly ridiculous but then who regardless of whether they are jiN Sometimes it is difficult 10 leU are we - mere voters - 10 say so. one or all of the above, the cage is Recently, even me of their own obviously where they belong. whether Parliament is a circus, zoo kind appears 10 have had enough of magic show. There is no shortage or their histrionics fcf' one of them has of antics on both benches and they admitted thai those of a wilder sort • • • are actually thrilled to see of behaviour oughtiO be kepi in an themselves in the news the next day enclosW'C until they cool off and for saying the silliest of things or PRIME-TIME behave themselves. behaving in even siUicr ways. Of In b:t, one of them even went ENTERTAINMENT late, some of them have tried 10 so far as 10 suggest an in-house jail The Umno general assembly outdo one another in silliness since for P..uii3mentary offenders. Had has come and gone with a sound and fury unrivalled even by those r !(jrfj;: ,) ~)~ I performers in Parliament. Malaysians, generally starved for rrr~ ~ ,,,~~' ~ political news. were enthralled by /' &( (i \ the reports which ran into pages in ~,"\ 1\\' many of the major new~ eclipsing entirely Parliament's debate on the Budget. But politicians whether inside ~~~t\~ ~~r or outside P:u1iament tend 10 be the -, ~ ( '\ same - generally unsavoury and ridiculous. Those who followed the general a...sembly proceedings in the newspapers would surely notice ~ 0 /( " that the funnier and more absurd the ~ \\""' delegate, the more likely it was that

A/iran Monthly 1991:12 (II) Page 19 to those behind the letters as cowards and likened them to the notorious Nazi propagandist Goebbels. The Home Minister, not to be outdone in terms of publicity, claimed that the police were aware of the identity of those behind the poi')()n pen letters. He must have been halli,ICinating for the police was reported several days later as saying that they had not received any report on the matter. As we all know, no report means no investigation. Meanwhile the man in the centre of the stonn. Ghafar Baba, he or she would fmd his or her way Those caught creeping out of remained calm. He declined to into print - never mind whether the closet were among the group comment on the episode though he what they said had lillie or no who had threatened to sue a appeared on 1V severn! days later consequence on the assembly. The business magazine for reporting mouthing the platitudes that we are point is to be funny- the funnier the that they had convened at a swanky growing quite tired of hearing: age betler. Parliament has found a true Singapore hotel fora secret meeting should not be a factor in politics. competitor in the Umno genernJ up with another ex-claimant t:> the experience is what counto;. Can't assembly. Umno tluooe. One of them Sanusi blame him though. What else could One of the more interesting Junid complained with some he say? He is after all, already 67 ... aspects of the Umno general petulance that fingers tend to point about ready to spend his days assembly was the existence of a at him whcocver negative things tending the dusun. The PM is also clear rift between the two factions occurred in the party. Moreover, he the same age except that he has the of the )XIIty. This despite the fact was really above such petty good fortune to look 20 years that a certain troublesome prince practices, leading one to wonder younger. has been long exiled to the what he was doing in politics then. The PM was most northeastern wilderness. He then proceeded to prcd.ict magnanimous though. He said the For weeks before the geneml that more poison pen letters are to party tradition. w~ereby the deputy . assembly. all sons of"surat Ia yang" be expected before the next gencr.ll president would succeed as party had been zooming around alleging assembly in 1993 when the party chief and PM, would continue. In quite incredulous wrongdoings (on elections will take place. Is that an the next breath he said he was still the other hand, some of the informed forecast or what? healthy and would continue to lead allegations may not be that However, it was in rather bad taste the party as long as his services are incredulous) on the part of those that he was quoted as saying: "I am needed. But of course his services pen:hedonthesideofthePM. Their glad that the aiJport fJre ... and the are nccdcd. We cannot do without distribution was extremely oil l>"Jlill from the Nagasaki Spirit him for each time he leaves us, well-organised and some of these happened this year. If they were to something disal>1roUs happens. leUers were posted twice weekly to happen next year, people would still Thus by the time Ghafar Umno delegates all over the blame me." succeeds Dr M, he may be our flfst country. Another ex-closet-dweller. Tok geriatric PM To look on the bright Naturally, the poison pen letters Mat, denied that the party side, it may lead to even more were thought to have been written headquarters had been used to cordial bilateml relations with the and sent by those on. the side of the circulale the poison pen letters for People's Republic of China where one who sought to be.PM Hence, the letters had been sent to the age is certainly no deterrence to the ones supporting the one who delegates at their proper addresses. political leadership. Ghafar's !JOUght to be PM were forced to He took exceptional offence since sentiments cxa:lly. emerge from the political closet to he was the party secretary-general. The other interesting fact that defend themselves. He ought to since the PM referred became clear from the general

A/iran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Page 20 ~bly was the prevalence of One would think that the nine This obviously will take some time money politics in the Umno out oC the I0 would be the ones since most the ambitious ones are le:klers' a:azc b power. The p:lrty causing the most environmental usually too busy polishing the president himself confU11lcd thai degradation. He has pledged to Slop apples since this has been found to plenty of money was thrown them. that is, the one out of the 10. be the surest way of making illo the around and government facilities One suspects lhougl\ that he is top. used to garner support for doing so not out oC love f

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·Please include 50 sen for bank commission for outstation cheques. • For local orders, prices quoted are inclusive of postage ·For overseas orders, prices quoted in US$. Add 20% of total order for surface mail and 100% of total o~der for airmail. &••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Aliron Molllhly 1992:12 (1 I) Page 22 SOCIETY A CARING SOCIETY Meaningless if people are not involved in shaping it

• extend equal opportunity of be tapped. This is evident from the The concept of a caring access to national resources and following examples: . and just society is not new services to every one, taking into * The spontaneous outpouring in Malaysia. In fact, this consideration the various social of sympathy and offers of practi­ has been the main and physical limitations of in­ cal help by the public in response dividuals who may have special to the July 1988 Penang ferry objectives of the needs. tragedy and to the September programmes of some * grant people the freedom to 1989 fire at the Taufiqiah political parties and determine their own destiny and Khairiah AI'Halima Secondary NGOs. Recently, much exercise their responsibilities to School in Padang Lumat, Kedah. discussion and publicity contribute to society without dis­ * The continuing financial crimination. support given to charitable in­ have been centred around * safeguard the right of every stitutions. this topic. In. this piece, consumer to high standards of ser­ * The expressions of concern JOHN KIM discusses vices and facilities. for victims and disgust shown what it means to be a Whether Malaysia will be­ towards perpetrators of sexual come a caring society depends a and physical abuse. caring society, and · lot on the willingness and deter­ To become a caring society, focusses especially on the mination of both the government there must be a definite change in needs of the disabled. and the governed. Some negative thinking and attitude in our characteristics of the present society. There should be are- ex­ Malaysian society do cast a amination of the function and role shadow, for example: A Caring Society of the government. Serious * the light-hearted attitude of thought should be given to and the Human most Malaysians towards ir­ reforming the government, the regular practices and impropriety Being laws and public policies and in high places; the abuse and programmes so as to create a con­ caring society is a society misuse of government machinery, which attaches great im­ ducive atmosphere which would the electronic media and public facilitate more active involve­ A portance to the develop­ facilities by the ruling party espe­ ment of the people in the building ment of the human being - the cially during election campaigns. of this desired society and to en­ human being who is imbued with *The lack of public discussion compassion, understanding, a sure that the "voiceless" will also and consultation on national is­ be heard and served. Such reform sense of justice and a generous sues and controversies. could include the following: attitude. These are essential in­ • The lack of interest of most gredients for creating a healthy Malaysians in the affairs of state * Transforming our system of society in which all will have their and in the status and legitimate government from an oligarchic rightful place. To reach this goal, needs of other groups. style of "democracy" where real it is important that society should: • The increasing incidence of power is centred around a few in­ *recognise the inherent values violent crimes and fraud in the dividuals, to a truly "people's" of each individual. Every person country. democracy in which the people's should have the right to develop On the other hand, there are opinion counts. his/her potential to the full and certain positive qualities among * Moving away from a govern­ lead a fulfilling lifestyle. the Malaysian people which could ment by patronage to a tolerant,

A/iran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Page 23 open and accountable administra­ The Present the disabled are integrated into tion. mainstream society will they be • Reviewing the legal system Situation: Case of able to contribute meaningfully with the aim of making it equally the Blind towards its development. accessible to all citizens regard­ How is it that even after 35 It has been the t.cndency to less of their social and economic years of Merdeka and a history of regard the disabled as a group of position. 60 or so years of work for the people with complicated • Repealing repressive laws blind, the status of the blind and problems requtnng separate and introducing laws that would the disabled has not changed sig­ charity- funded services and safeguard the interests and rights nificantly? Several reasons could programmes. To cater effectively of minority groups (including the be given but I will only touch on for their needs, the disabled disabled). a few. should therefore be isolated from A caring society will have no As the development, meaning at all if the people are behaviour and attitude not involved in the process of of agencies for the blind, shaping it. The whole essence of parallels to a great de­ such a society is the well-being gree that of the agencies of the people. It is therefore es­ for other categories of sential that we instil in the disabled people, I shall minds of the people, especially therefore use agencies the young, integrity, a feeling or and services for the self-worth, a sense of respon­ blind as a basis for my sibility and also the respect and discussion. value ortheir fellow beings. For For the benefit of only with such healthy at­ those who may not be titudes, will the people be able to familiar with the work play a more meaningful role in for the blind, let me the creating of this caring quickly explain. society- a society or people who In Malaysia, we have care enough to share with one three organisations of another the goodness of life. the blind. They are: • Society of the The Disabled in a Blind in Malaysia, Caring Society registered in 1964. • Persatuan To ascertain whether we al­ Tunanetra Islam, ready have the potential or Semenanjung Malaysia, framework for the building of registered in 1989. such a society, I shall now look at • Kedah Association the situation of the disabled as an of the Visually Hand­ illustration since I am more Cosy chat at Aliran's Caring Society seminar. icapped, registered in familiar with it. 1990. In trying to figure out how the "A caring society will have Apart from these, disabled can fit into this caring there are four agencies society, three questions surface: no meaning at all if the for the blind, namely: • What does all this mean to people are not involved in • St Nicholas Institu­ the neglected groups - the dis­ the process of shaping it. " tion for the Visually abled, the poor, the old and the Handicapped in Penang, sick? • Sarawak Society • Will the disabled and other mainstream society. The segrega­ for the Blind and neglected groups be given a place tive nature of such services has • Sabah Society for the Blind. in this caring society? inevitably hindered the integra­ Agencies for the blind are run • Will the environment be tion of the disabled into and administered by well-mean­ conducive for them to play their mainstream society and mini­ ing able-bodied people (sighted) role in the building of this mised their contribution to its regarded as professionals. The society? growth. I believe that only when users of their services (the blind)

A/iran MonJhly 1992:12 (1 1) Page U The nature and character of cause of this, the agencies have agencies for the blind indirectly not been able to: contributed to the present condi­ A)Update and modernise their tion of the blind. This is due to the training programmes in accord­ following: ance with the development plans • Charity has been and is the of the country; basis on which agencies fund and B)Improve the availability of run their services and program! equipment and/or facilities for the mes for the blind. Education and blind with the view of widening "Any blind person training programmes are largely job opportunities for the blind; financed by donations from the C)Suggest to relevant who feels that a Malaysian public and overseas authorities changes and modifica­ particular service is supporters. The Government has tions to public services and social contributed by way of grants to amenities so that the blind and the not suitable ... will these programmes since the six­ disabled can have access to them. be viewed with ties. Because of this, the scope of disdain and chided the work of the agencies has been Negative Attitudes, narrow and their influence on the Misconceptions and for ingratitude." development trend of the work for the blind has been restricted. Prejudices are regarded as clients. As "ex­ • The agencies tend to ur­ Without a doubt. attitude is the perts in the field", it is assumed banise and institutionalise their chief culprit for the problems and that they, and they alone, know services. By this. I mean that the woes of the disabled. Attitude is what is best for their clients and residential centres and offices of not inherent in humankind. At­ can thus dictate or determine the such services are located in major titudes are formed, instilled, or type of services for the blind. towns. This practice tends to iso­ cultivated from our exposure and The agencies tend to patronise late the blind from their families understanding of a given situa­ their clients and expect the blind and the main stream of society, tion. Adequate, accurate informa­ to be eternally grateful to them for thus creating artificial com­ tion and knowledge can help to their "wonderful work". Any munities of the blind. cultivate healthy, positive at­ blind person who feels that a par­ • Because of their heavy de­ titudes while ignorance and ticular service is not suitable or pendence on public donations, the misinformation can create nega­ needs improvements and makes agencies are preoccupied with the tive attitudes, misconceptions and his feelings known, will be need for image projection. Their prejudices. viewed with disdain and chided publicity campaigns arc usually Prejudice and discrimination for ingratitude. held in big towns and are designed against the disabled are not new. In the early sixties, blind to display their "successes" rather If we were to trace back to the people, as consumers of these ser­ than explaining the problems and traditions of our ancestors we vices, began to ask for a say in the needs of the blind in trying to lead would find that ignorance and fear planning and running of such ser­ normal lives. Such campaigns of disability were horrifying. vices. This was not well received have limited effect for they do not Deformed babies were either got by the agencies and some of their have in-depth discussion of the rid of or abandoned to die, dis­ officials were hostile to the idea. issues and problems faced by the abled people were destined to for­ The blind then decided in 1964 to blind and the disabled which tune telling or begging while form an organisation of their own. could be publicised via the mass blind women were made pros­ Thus tO

A/iran Monlhly 1992:12 (11) Page 2S a!ld have jobs in the open market. tices and biases they encounter in • There has been more However, sad to say, taboos and society at large. If positive, com­ coverage in the press on issues superstitions still exist in some prehensive remedial measures are concerning the disabled in recent societies and prejudice and dis­ not introduced, the frustrations times. It means that such matters crimination against the disabled felt by the disabled may tum them are no longer hidden or swept are still rampant. into a negative element of society. under the carpet. If handled well, The Government's attitude • From a long-term perspec­ such coverage could benefit both towards the disabled bas not tive, it will cost society less to the public and the disabled been_exemplary. It is generally initiate and implement construc­ psychologically and morally. assumed in government circles tive and remedial measures now, that anything to do with the dis­ than to have to continue to main­ Growing Concern abled other than those concern­ tain the disabled as an unproduc­ Since the International Year ing education, should be dealt tive economic and social liability. with by the department or wei­ for Disabled Persons (IYDP), rare services or the Ministry or 1981, there seems to be a growing National Unity and Social Changing for the concern and involvement of the Development. This bas a nega­ government in the affairs of the Better disabled. tive psychological effect on both the public and the disabled. The situation of the disabled is • National Budget Ignorance and negative at­ changing for the better. My hopes There have been encouraging titudes have relegated the dis­ are based on the following: developments in so far as the na­ abled to second class citizenship • Despite the hostile environ­ tional budget is concerned. because the disabled have been ment for disabled people in In the 1981 National Budget, excluded from the general former times, the world was there was a provision for double development of the country. From blessed with groups of en­ tax exemption to employers who the construction of public roads, lightened people who genuinely employ disabled persons. How­ buildings and schools, to access to believed that the disabled, too, ever, there is a negative condition supermarkets, public transport deserve the protection and care of in the provision which, if not and recreational parks, the special society and also the opportunities modified, wiU perpetuate the mis­ needs of the disabled have not to a better life. Their tireless and conception of the inadequacy of been catered for. This is due to the fearless efforts have transformed disabled persons in the work following: the lives of disabled people all place. The condition states that in • It is estimated that only one over the world. Today. we do have order to qualify, " ... the person per cent of our population is dis­ groups of concerned people who claiming the deduction shall abled and, therefore, to spend a are willing to listen to what the prove to the satisfaction of the large amount of money on the disabled themselves have to say. Director-General that the minority is not economically jus­ • In recent years, we have employee is physically or mental­ tifiable. come across more able-bodied in­ ly diabled and is not able to per­ • The disabled are considered dividuals with much healthier at­ form the work or a normal • as politically insignificant and, titudes. They are interested in the person". therefore, their needs are given well-being of the disabled. They In the 1991 National Budget, low priority. do not come to the disabled and there were two provisions con­ • Both the government and the say, "Hey, chaps, I know all the cerning the disabled. Firstly, a tax public tend to assume that the answers to your problems, so fol­ relief of $3,000 would be avail­ needs of the disabled are ade­ low me." Rather, they believe in able to the disabled taxpayer, or to quately catered for by private working with the disabled and the disabled spouse, or to the dis­ charitable agencies. together with us, they look for the abled dependent(s) for the pur­ This unacceptable situation solutions. chase of specially adapted or must change because: • Another positive sign is the designed equipment. This could • The disabled are human growing interest in the disabled improve the beneficiaries' beings like everyone else. There­ by non-government organisations prospects for socio-economic fore, they have the right to an not directly involved with the dis­ pursuits. Secondly, there was an equal share of the resources and abled. The invitations to disabled increase of $600 foi tax relief to opportunities of society. people to discuss the problems of the taxpayer for the disabled • The disabled are increasing­ the disabled in various seminars is child. This could be of some help ly aware of the inequalities, injus- proof of this. to the taxpayer concerned.

Atu.,. Monlhly 1992:12 (1 1) Poge 26 • Employment Policy implementation of public policies important on two counts: Firstly, for the Disabled and programmes. it helps to prevent the disabled In 1989, the Government im­ However. it was disappointing from being continuously mar­ plemented a policy to make avail­ to note that the Department of ginalised thereby minimising able at least one per cent of the Statistics deemed it necessary to their frustrations and the feeling jobs in the public sector for the exclude the disabled from the of hopelessness. Secondly, it disabled. In 1990, the Ministry of 1991 national census survey. It enables the disabled to become Human Resources called upon the should be pointed out here that productive, responsible, con­ private sector to emulate the there has not been a single survey cerned citizens thereby giving Government's example by also to find out the size of the disabled them dignity and a sense of pur­ making available at least one per population since the 1958-59 pose. Here I wish to emphasise cent of jobs to the disabled in sample survey conducted by the that "integration" does not only commercial and industrial estab­ Department of Welfare of the mean that disabled persons study lishments. Also encouraging was (then) Malayan government, along side, work with and live the fact that the Ministry of which gave a projected estimate among the able-bodied. "Integra­ Human Resources agreed to set up that the disabled constituted one tion" also means that services in­ placement services at state level per cent of the country's popula­ tended for the disabled should be to help open up job opportunities tion. an integral part of the services for for the disabled. In order to plan for com­ the general public. As full mem­ prehensive and appropriate bers of the Malaysian society, the • Access to Public measures to improve the situation disabled should have the liberty to Facilities and of the disabled and to ensure that concern themselves with and be Buildings no disabled person be denied involved in the affairs of the dis­ SIRIM's inclusion in the education, training and. employ­ abled and that of the country. Standard Code of Practice ment, we need to have up-to-date The success of the nation Provisions which will facilitate reliable data on the population of should not be measured only by easy access to the interior and ex­ the disabled in the country. Be­ its material growth. What really terior of public facilities and cause of this exclusion, it appears counts is how society as a whole buildings by the disabled will that the country will have to wait treats its people. We need to ask greatly ease the mobility problem until the year 2000 before we can ourselves questions like: of the disabled. This is necessary have any hope of obtaining the • Have we done enough to en­ for their academic and socio­ actual data. sure that the benefits of develop­ economic advancement. The The omission of the disabled ment reach everyone? Minister of Housing and Local from the census clearly reveals: • Do we sacrifice the welfare Government, Dr Ting Chew Peh, • the persistence of the old at­ of the people for the sake of was quoted as having said, "All titude that matters concerning the development? public buildings must now have disabled are and should remain • Do we have the same stand­ facilities for the disabled." He under the purview of the Depart­ ard of justice and fair play for also stated that the amended by­ ment of Welfare Services. everyone? laws and standard codes were dis­ * the attitude that the disabled • Do we consciously or uncon­ tributed to all states last year and are too insignificant politically sciously exclude the weak and the urged the state governments to and socially to be of any concern. poor from public services and gazette them fast. We look for­ * the attitude that the disabled development plans? ward to the early implementation cannot contribute to the economic If we want to become a just of this policy. development of the country. and caring society, we need to in­ The Government should be troduce major reforms which will commended for having taken such Conclusion ensure that the poor and the rich, measures since the IYDP. We The commitment of the the weak and the powerful, the old earnestly hope that it will play a government to the creation of a and the young, the disabled and more meaningful and active role caring society should by itself the able-bodied, the sick and the in promoting the socio-economic serve as a further impetus towards whole will have the same right to advancement of the disabled and achieving the goals of the full participation and equality, to will make a vigorous effort to en­ "equalisation of opportunities" share in the political and socio­ sure that the needs of the disabled and the integration of the disabled economic life of the community are included in the provision and into mainstream society. This is and to enjoy the same standard of Jiving conditions.+

Alinut Monlh/]1992:12 (11) PDge 27 LABOUR RAW DEAL FOR PLANTATION WORKERS

The Industrial Court award to drag the industry into strikes While the average per (Award No 111/1986) handed and other unproductive measures. capita income of down on 30 April 1986 covered On the other hand, MAPA, Malaysians has been the collective agreement for the which has been successful in its period from 1 September 1984 to bid to obtain cheap foreign steadily rising, 31 December 1988. There was a labour, has taken comprehensive ARUMUGAM points out lapse of 20 months. The sub­ measures to protect the 'cheap that the real income of the sequent dispute upon expiry of labour' policy. which falls within plantation worker has this agreement was again settled the ambit of government labour deteriorated. The by the Industrial Court (Award policies. Neither the NUPW nor No 92/1990) on 14 April 1990, MAPA seems concerned about government, he says, after a lapse of 15 months. resolving collective agreements. cannot shirk its Presently, the harvestors' col­ The weakening bargaining power responsibility in lective agreement negotiations of labour works to the advantage addressing this issue. have been dragged into its seventh of MAPA while the NUPW month without any sign of settle­ remains impotent in the negotia­ ment. tions. The NUPW. the largest union The result is disastrous. Tens he issue of concluding col­ of plantation workers, with its of thousands of workers were lective agreements between limitations. has to rely on negotia­ made to work on undecided TMAPA and the NUPW is tions to reach satisfactory wage labour agreements. By the time becoming a disgrace to our settlements, as it has a legal and any conclusion is reached, the country which has set foot in the moral obligation to the nation not workers are totally sapped of direction of in­ dustrialisation and nation building. The squabbles that are taking place between MAPA and the NUPW are dramatic but mean­ ingless. It is rather humiliating to see negotiations for such agreements, which are normally entered for a period of three years, being dragged on for almost a year at times, not to men­ tion unresolved dis­ putes, that arc referred to industrial courts, which take even longer. RUBBER TAPPER'S AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGE

A/iron Monthly 1992:12 (II) Page 28 energy to resist or to voice out any dissatisfaction. Though meagre, the back pay dues are used to entice them. The workers, pressed with the burden of immedi­ ate needs, readily accept their arrears, a portion of which is often sliced off by the NUPW for their welfare projects. The outcome of '------_J such collective PALM OIL HARVESTER'S AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGES agreements and similar wage pacts .------. of non-MAPA plantations may surprise many 2.701f readers. The fol- lowing graphs show, the monthly Ill average earnings of rubber tappers (grnph I) and palm oil harvestors "Itt IOL'l. (grnph 2). The MO " 1 wages have been adjusted in accord- ance with the con- sumer price index 5S 60 70 75 80 ss 90 (CPI of 1967 = '------' 100) to derive the INCOME PER CAPITA OF MALAYSIANS AT 1g67 PRICES real wages. The rubber tappers real income has decreased from S194 are more or less constant if not labour only constitutes around ten in 1974 to $187 in 1989, a period decreasing. This issue must be ad­ per cent of the total costs in the of 15 years. The harvestors real dressed. entire production? Why is it that income too has come down since It has also been argued that the labour is not treated as a valuable 1982. It has dropped from $294 in plantation labour costs is within asset to the organisation deserv­ 1982 to $233 in 1988. eight per cent of total production ing of respect? Over this period, the quality of cost. These labour costs are In conclusion, the government life of average Malaysians has termed as variable costs, that is, has a tremendous responsibility in gone up. Graph 3 shows the in­ its value increases with an in­ addressing the various labour is­ come per capita of Malaysians at crease in production and sues. It is time we respect the 1967 constant prices. Note the decreases with a decrease in hands that have built our nation. tremendous growth between 1970 production on a daily basis. The Can our government help our to 1990. There has been an in­ idea of terming resources as workers to earn a decent income, crease of 265 per cent during this 'variable' only summarises the a fair minimum wage and offer period. lack of respect for and the some _E!Otcction against exploita­ Besides being daily-paid. the psychological oppression of tion?U real wages of plantation workers human potential. Why is it that

A/iran Monthly 1991:12 (11) Poge 29 JUSTICE ZIONISM AND APARTHEID a look at two racist states

"We consider ourselves to be The common characteristics replaced by Hebrew names. A comrades in arms to the of the racist states of South Africa French book has been written on Palestinian Arabs in their and Israel are legion. First of all, the subject, the title of which struggle for the liberation of both have the same mission: the could not have been more ex­ Zionist state has been a plicit: "Sous Israel, Ia Palestine!" Palestine. There is not a bridgehead for the West and espe­ (Scratch Israel and you'll find single citizen in South Africa cially the United States since the Palestine!"). who is not ready to stand by fifties in an area of paramount Palestine is a living reality and his Palestinian brothers in strategic importance becau·se of the Zionist state a fraud which their legitimate fight against its oil reserves; Pretoria is a aims to erase reality and to blot the Zionist racists ... " western bastion on the African out the past. As for segregation, it continent. is as ubiquitous and implacable as • Nelson Mandala In 1961 the Prime Minister of in South Africa: in many cases, South Africa, Dr Hendrik Ver­ the Arabs are segregated and "We would like to woerd told the Rand Daily Mail: priority given to Jews. Arabs, demonstrate to our African "The Jews took Israel from the moreover, are not allowed to ex­ friends the common destiny of Arabs after the Arabs had lived ercise certain activities or work in racism and the organic link there for a thousand years. In that any public capacity, such posi­ which exist between all I agree with them. Israel like tions being restricted to Jews. South Africa is an Apartheid regimes of apartheid, State." Racist Twins whether they be in Palestine Both apply the same prin­ Both Israel and South Africa or in South Africa. We would ciples and methods: settlement are united in their oppression of like to show you the alliance and expulsion of the natives. The the indigenous peoples in the between the Government of Zionist state deals with the Arabs countries they occupy. Both share South Africa and the racist Is­ as Pretoria deals with its blacks. a common racist outlook. Zionism raeli Government in occupied The Zionist state has always and Apartheid share much in com­ Palestine. The blows availed itself of the slightest op­ mon. delivered to the racist South portunity to expropriate new In the formative days of the African thus bring us one Palestinian land and settle it with Zionist movement Zionist leader Jewish colonists. Such oppor­ step closer to the end of the Weizmann found identity of tunities presented themselves in racists in Palestine. The at­ views with South Africa's the beginning of the century, in General Ian Smuts. Smuts ad­ tacks led by the Palestine 1936, 1947, 1948 and again in dressed a meeting arranged by resistance in Palestine bring 1967. South African Jewish Board of racism in South Africa yet Policy has remained un­ Deputies and the Zionist Federa­ another step closer to its changed and even today the tion, in Johannesburg on Novem­ demise. This is why it is ines­ Zionists aim to drive the Arabs to ber 3, 1919 and said: "I need not capable that an alliance be­ the other bank of the Jordan, an­ remind you that the white people tween the Palestinian nexing the whole of the Pales­ of South Africa has been brought resistance and the African tinian territory. Needless to say up almost entirely on Jewish that village, .town and other resistance come about ... " tradition. The Old Testament has geographic names are erased to be • Col. Muammar AI Qadhali been the very matrix of Dutch cui-

Aliran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Page 30 Minister of Israel in 1968, Chaim Herzog, former intelligence chief and now President and later Begin in 1971. In August 1973, General Hendrik An den Bergh, the chief of South Africa's Bureau of State Security (BOSS), paid a secret visit to Israel and in an interview with the Israeli newspaper, Ytdiot Aharanot. said: "I went to Israel recently and enjoyed every mo­ ment there. I told the Prime Mini­ ster when I got back, that as long as Israel exists, we have a hope. If Israel should, God forbid, be destroyed. then South Africa would be in danger of extinction." For quite a period of time Is­ rael attempted to cover up its strong links with South Africa by paying lip-service support to anti­ racist and African national strug­ gles. The exercise soon became transparent. Today, as the apart­ heid regime gradually crumbles from the blows innicted by the African masses, Israel and the in­ ternational Zionist movement are attempting to ingratiate themsel­ ves with the African peoples struggle and draw away attention from their own apartheid regime and racist policies. Renewed at­ tempts by Zionists to portray themselves as opposed to racism and thereby deceive genuine anti­ racists must be fully exposed and condemned. No amount of statements and resolutions can overturn the fact South Africa; Israel: Racist statae serving the int•esta of the West. that ZIONISM IS RACISM. Facts are facts, despite the wininng of ture here in South Africa. That is stated: " Israel and South Africa George Bush and the lobbying of the basis of our white culture, and have a common lot. It is in South the world Zionist movement. it is the basis of your Jewish cul­ Africa's interest that Israel is suc­ From the very beginning of ture; and therefore we are stand­ cessful in containing her enemies, their settlement in Palestine the ing together on common who are among our most vicious Zionists pursued policies based platform." enemies." on the denial of the Palestine Arab The common aims of the two The period after 1967 saw in­ people. Golda Meir quoted in the countries grew more and more ap­ creased trading links between the Sunday Times, June 15, 1969 said: parent as both countries fought an two countries which served to by­ "There was no such thing as increasing battle against national pass sanctions imposed by Europe Palestinians. They did not exist." resistance. Following the 1967 and Afncan states. This was fol­ This racist dehumanising p3rt war, the Afrikaner newspaper Die lowed by visits to South Africa by of Zionist ideology made it pos­ Burgtr published an article which Ben Gurion, when he was Prime sible for the Israelis to expel, dis-

A/iran Monthly 1992:12 (II) Pogdl possess, massacre and oppress the creed. In the words of the great of economic.and military affairs. Palestinian Arabs with ease. Jewish anti-Zionist Moshe The ANC has, on numerous oc­ Herzl, the father of Zionist ideol­ Menuhin: casions, maintained that the PLO ogy, spoke of expelling the Pales­ "Zionist Israel is dragging an is our comrade in arms in the tinians rather casually: "We shall innocent and unknowledgeable struggle for the liberation of our try to spirit the penniless popula­ world into an apocalyptic nuclear respective countries." tion across the border by procur­ world war, which is bound to hap­ Those who have been the vic­ ing employment for it in the pen soon, unless a just peace is tims or history will soon become transit countries, while denying it imposed in the Middle East, and its victors. any employment in our own all stolen and conquered Arab country." lands and properties are returned Extracted from The New Dawn" Zionism preached and Israel to their lawful owners." implemented the policies of ex­ Clearly, the criticisms of pulsion and oppression of non­ apartheid and the vocal condem­ Jews (Muslim and Christian nation of racism by the apologists Palestinians). It is these practices of international Zionism are pure­ that brought about the passage on ly designed for 'public MIRAGE November lOth, 197 5, by an over­ consumption'. A cover for their by Chamnongsri L. Rutnin whelming majority, by the UN own racist practices and ideol­ General Assembly, of resolution ogy. Condemnation of dis­ 3379 which correctly identifies crimination coming from the Man makes masks "Zionism as a form of racism". apologists and supporters of a for his own soul This statement of truth that US state which institutionalises and He looks at the masks President Bush and pro-Zionist legitimatizes racism - Israel - is a governments such as that of con! Through such deception and says 'I know myself. Australia are so eager to deny. Zionists seek to draw away the attention of the peoples of the Man makes mirrors world from their persecution and for his own eyes Nazi State oppression of the Palestinian He gazes into the mirrors Professor Israel Shahak, a Jew Arab people. and says 'I see myself. and the chairman of the Israeli Israel and South Africa, two League for Civil and Human racist comrades-in-arms, stand Man makes images Rights, had this to say about before the world community con­ for his own mind Zionism and the state of Israel: demned. These racist states must He points and says " It is my considered opinion stand and fall together. Genuine that the State of Israel is a racist anti-racists must not fall victim to 'These !love, state in full meaning of this term. the insidious propaganda of the those I hate'. In this state people are dis­ Zionist lobby. Serious activists criminated against, in the most should work to oppose racism permanent and legal way and in worldwide be it in South Africa or the most important areas of life, Palestine. only because of their origin. This Let all those who hate apart­ racist discrimination began in heid note the words of the African Zionism and is carried out today freedom fighter Nelson Mandela mainly in co-operation with the on his arrival in Tripoli, Libya in institutions of the Zionist move­ 1990 for a meeting with the inter­ ment." national revolutionary leader Israel is a racist state founded Muammar AI Qadhafi: "There has on a racist ideology. Zionism, and always been close collaboration built on the bodies of the Pales­ between the Zionist entity and tinian Arab people. The world South Africa. We have not ceased will never enjoy lasting peace to condemn this cooperation loud­ until this racist entity is dis­ ly and clearly and to call for put­ mantled and replaced by a Pales­ ting an end to it. We all know that tin ian state in which all people can both racist systems lend each live free, regardless of race or other a helping hand in the areas

Aliron Motllhly 1992:12 (II) Pag• 32 BOOK REVIEW

Kepada Pengkrilik' , is to mount a Title: reply against his critics. But there HADIS: JAWAPAN is a lot missing in terms of the KEPADA PENGKRITIK points they had raised. What Kas­ sim Ahmad has done is to select By Kassim Ahmad what he considered the ten most salient points in their criticisms Publisher: Media Indah and rebut them point by point. Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur, Among the critics were Haji Is­ 1992 mail Haji Youscff (Salah Faham Terhadap Hadith), Haji Saad Ibraham (Penolakan Terhadap Price: $15/- Peml01an Semula Hadith), , Muhammad Abdul Raof (Ir­ Reviewed by : A Rahim rationality of the Anti-1/adith Abdul Karim 1/eretics) and others who were quite distinguished in their fields and were supported by the Per­ satuan Ulama Malaysia which is a hen Kassim Ahmad's HADIS writer Kaseim Ahmad powerful organisation. book 'Hadis: Satu The ten points in question Ptnilaian Semu/a' first W With that book Kassim cover a wide area of the debate. appeared in 1986 it raised a storm Ahmad opened himself to attacks They relate to wh:tt the Holy of protests from religious because what he had done was to Quran says on the Hadith, the academics, Ulamas and pious create some doubts about the guidance of the Prophet, the ac­ Muslims because of the con­ value and accuracy of the Islamic ceptance of the Hadith as part of troversial message it carried. As a traditions. The conservative ele­ Islamic jurisprudence, the result the book was banned by the ments in Islam jumped on him and relevance of the traditions, its his­ Malaysian Government. It led to from their illuminaries came a toricity, its veracity, its methodol­ the author being declared an apos­ spate of books that sought to chal­ ogy, the role of the orientalists, tate by. at least, one religious or­ lenge Kassim Ahmad's views. the author's sources and his com­ ganisation and this caused much They claimed that these doubts petency on the subject. The issues anguish to the author, his family constituted one of the most vi­ raised are quite arbitrary because and close friends. cious attacks on Islam and, per­ the cnttcisms were endless and The main thesis expounded in haps, the author was an insidious the scope of the debate is wide. the book is that the Holy Quran instrument in the hands of an in­ was the only legitimate source of fluential school of western orien­ The important point to note, Islamic jurisprudence and that the talists causing dissension among however. is the author's new Hadith -the body of a voluminous the Muslims. The more progres­ stand on the Hadith. The little Islamic literature embodying sive ones, of course. understood blurb on the book-cover says it Prophet Muhammad's sayings that the questions raised by Kas­ all. "The two important sources and deeds - was not necessary sim Ahmad were as old as the first that I used are the Quran and the ("tidak di-w:tjipkan") for modern­ century of Islam itself. The Hadtth. There is nothing more day Muslims because of their in­ Prophet, himself, had been authentic than these two sources. herent weaknesses. According to reported to have said on his death­ From these two sources we can Kassim Ahmad, by clinging on to bed. to guard against such issues discern the areas of difference be­ the Hadith, the Muslim world had dividing the Muslims. that he was tween the Quran and Hadith and gone into regression and disunity. leaving behind the Holy Quran between Hadith and Hadith." It Instead of opening the doors to and the "Ahlul Bait" (his family looks like while defendjng the independent judicial thinking (lj­ of followers who initiated the horns of attack, Kassim Ahmad tihad) it had. in fact, closed the Had ith) for posterity. has also retreated from his earlter doors and brought about blind fol­ What Kassim Ahamd has done stand. This point should not be lowing (Tak:lid). in his new book, 'Hadis: Jawapan missed by his critics.

Alinut MoNIIIy 1992:12 (11) Page JJ In his new book, Kassim "For a Muslim, the order. This proposition is con­ Ahmad's explanation of the dif­ troversial to say the least but Kas­ ficulties faced by Muslims on the Constitutional right sim Ahmad is no stranger to topic of Hadith is much more is still controversy. In my view, this part detailed and less dogmatic; it of the book could have been left shows that the author has not only circumscribed by out without doing damage to the done more serious thinking on the political rest of his argumt!nts. He has subject but also is more accom­ sensitiveness in opened up a field that needs a dif­ modating to his critics. He sup­ ferent forum for discussion. ports the Hadith on a selective those areas which The third part of Kassim basis and from an Islamic point of Kassim Ahmad has Ahmad's book is what I find most view, this seems to be more heal­ interesting. They are the appen­ thy. chosen to enter." dices which give the correspon­ There are other questions of dence between the author and interest. How is it that the Hadith, their respective malaise. It will be various religious authorities. which was part of the Islamic found that while Islam has been They were included to show how thinking process in the first few slow to change because of the peremptorily he had been treated hundred years after the Hejira, Hadith, Christianity has under­ in seeking to put forward his came to be blamed hy those who gone rapid changes to suit the views. But that is not the case. In thought it to be too restrictive for arising needs. Why is this the fact, the author's views were the problems of modem-day? Can case? widely discussed and debated in we blame those who were respon­ For a more meaningful the mass media before the ban sible for its compilation and change, however, Western took effect and the appendices codification? If the Hadith could societies have to undergo a fun­ show that Kassim Ahmad did have been part of the early damental revision of the basics. receive a good hearing before he progress of Islam why shouldn't it Kassim Ahamd cites Lyndon B. fell to the political exigency of the be part of the Islamic rc- genera­ Larouche in support of this asser­ day. One wonders if he would tion now? tion. Larouche is a rich American have got such a hearing if he had If Islamic Jurisprudence were politician who is now serving a not been a member of Prime Min­ to discard the Hadith what should long-term impnsonment for tax­ ister Dr. Mahathir Mohammad's replace it if, say, the Quran were fraud charges, which his sup­ UMNO party. silent on a given issue? The law porters claimed to be a frame-up The appendices are also of in­ would be thrown into disarray by political opponents such as terest to those who think that the without the judicial decisions of Henry Kissinger and George issues raised by Kassim Ahmad the earlier learned judges. The Bush. Larouche thinks that the lie in the purview of religious Hadith, by and large, is the pride Western civilisation has started freedom , guaranteed by the Con­ of the Muslim jurists. There is on the wrong foot when it incul­ stitution of Malaysia. There is a nothing in the entire body of cated Aristotle's philosophic limit, iL would appear, for those Western legal systems that comes ideas instead of Plato's. more than who tread on fragile ground. For ncar it. Its strength lies in the fact two thousand years ago. He main­ a Muslim, the Constitutional right that it recognised change as a tains that the absorption of Aris­ is still circumscribed by political process and makes allowances for totleian philosophy into sensitiveness in those areas which it. The problem, however, is that Christianity accounts for its crisis Kassim Ahmad has chosen to modem-day Muslims are slow to of faith today. He publicises his enter. In view of the fact that he grasp the change and make al­ views through books and has retracted his previous stand, lowances accordingly. magazines sold in the United will the religious authorities now The second part of Kassim States and Europe and Kassim make a re- appraisal? Kassim Ahmad's book raises political is­ Ahmad sees this small group as Ahmad has made a good case for sues rather than legal ones. He the standard bearer of change in such an understanding with his linked the decline of the Muslims, that society. latest book. • via criticism of the Hadith, to the Based on that premise, Kassim general cnsas affecting the Ahmad m_akes the statement that AM will carry a response from Western civilisation with their the 'Mahdi' for change in the Kassim Ahmad in its next issue. materialistic philosophy. In this Muslim world is Iraq's Saddam respect, both the West and Islam Hussein because of the challenge -Editor need to go back to the roots of he posed to Bush's new world

Alirrut Monthly 1992:12 (II) P11ge 34 areas. There are reports of deten­ tion without trial, torture, rapes, •POLITICS summary executions and mass killings. We call on the Indonesian •RELI

Alirtm Monthly 1992:12 (11) PagelS MAIKA-TELEKOM SCANDAL: WHO IS TELLING THE TRUTH? MIC President Samy Vellu has claimed that the 10 million Telekom shares wen allotted to the Indian Malaysian community through the MIC and not Maika Holdings.

5 Tornado aircraft Enough grain to feed 20m Africans for a month

• s.my telling the truth about the One year's supply of clothes, Maike-Telecom acandal? seeds, pots and storage facilities 23 Patriot missiles for 2m Mozambicans However, this claim was denied by Parliamentary Secretary in the Prime Minister's Department Othman Abdul who stated in Parliament on 12 November that the shares were given through Maika Holdings. Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim Save The Chi 1990-91 confirmed thia in Parliament 5 Tomahawk cruise missiles budget for Ethiopia again on 17 November when he said that the 10 million shares were meant for the Indian Malaysian community and were allocated through Maika Hold­ ings. - ~' As concerned Malaysians, we lJ!:Itf want to know who is speaking the Enough seeds and tools for truth. Were the shares alloted to Train one Tornado pilot 100,000 Eritreans hit by drought Maika or to the MIC? Our only hope in determining the truth lies with the ACA. Let us hope that the ACA report will be out sooner rather than later when everyone would have conveniently forgot­ ten about the whole affair. ANILNEITO 10 Scud missiles 15 relief trucks plus spares !. ~ EXCOMEMBER and shipping costs to Africa rt-J 25 November 1992

Aliran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Poge36 .•. continued from back page CIVIL LIBERTIES Colleges Act; it mandates govern­ AND POLITICAL RIGHTS IN MALAYSIA ment approval for student as­ soci:rtions and prohibits student December. In December Prime been rescinded, both government associations, as well as faculty Minister Mahathir, acting in his and opposition parties have held members. from engaging in politi­ capacity as Home Minister, large indoor political gatherings cal activity. Campus demonstra­ revoked the licence of the dubbed "discussion sessions." tions must be approved by a newsweekly Mingguan Waktu. Government and opposition can­ university vice-chancellor. Al­ This weekly had published ar­ didates campaigned actively though spontaneous demonstra­ ticles critical of Prime Minister during national elections in Oc­ tions have occurred periodically Mahathir's governance. tober 1990 as well as in local and in the past without permission, no In June 1990, Parliament state elections during 1991. There unapproved demonstrations oc­ enacted kgi:ilation making the are, however, some restrictions on curred in I YY I. University Malaysian News Agency (Ber­ freedom of assembly during cam­ authorities did approve a few nama) the sole distributor of paigns. During the actual cam­ demonstrations in January by stu­ foreign news in Malaysia, for­ paign period, political parties dents protesting the Gulf War. malizing previous practice. The submit lists of times and places Parliamentary Opposition op­ for their "discussion groups;" no posed the bill, arguing that it police permit is required. Outside Freedom of Religion would increase Government con­ the campaign period, a permit is Islam is the official religion. trol over foreign news. Although required, with most applications Ethnic Malays are legally bound this law has not restricted foreign routinely approved. In past cam­ in some civil matters, such as news coverage or availability, paigns, however, some opposition family relations and diet by Is­ under separate legislation the discussion group meetings have lamic religious laws administered Government banned editions of been cancelled for lack of a police by state authorities through Is­ two prominent international permit. During the September lamic courts. An Islamic religious weekly newsmagazines in July election campaign in Sarawak, establishment is supported with and September, evidently for car­ state immigration officials barred government funds, and it is offi­ rying articles and photographic Malay opposition politicians from cial policy to "infuse Islamic essays critical of Government peninsular Malaysia from enter­ values" into the administration of policies. In both cases, the Mini­ ing the state to campaign. Govern­ Malaysia. At the same time, the ster of Information did not explain ment coalition members suffered Constitution provides for freedom the rationale for the prohibition no such exclusion. Sarawak offi­ of religion. and the Government but simply cited his authority to cials stated they took their action has refused to accede to pressures deny circulation under Section 9 under Provisions of the Immigra­ for the imposition of Islamic of the Press and Publication Act tion Act of 1959 but did not ex­ religious law beyond the Muslim amendments. plain the rationale behind the community. Religious minorities, decision. which include large Hindu, Bud­ Other statutes limit the right of dhist, Sikh and Christian com­ Freedom of Peaceful association, such as the Societies munities. are permitted to Assembly and Act of 1966, under which any as­ worship freely. sociation of seven or more mem­ The Government opposes Association bers must register with the what it considers extremist or The Constitution provides for Government as a society. The deviant interpretations of Islam; the rights or freedom or peaceful Government may refuse to in October it imposed restrictions assembly and association. but register a new society, and has the on the proselytizing activities of there are significant restrictions. power to revoke the registration the Islamic sect Darul Arqam. These rights can be limited in the of an existing society, although These included enforcement of a interest of security and public this power is rarely employed. prohibition on using government order, and the 1967 Police Act The threat of possible deregistm­ facilities for religious activities. requires police vennits for all tion under the Societies Act, how­ There are persistent allega­ public assemblies. ever, may inhibit political tions that some state governments In the aftermath of the inter­ activism 'by public or special in­ are slow in approving building communal riots in 1969. the terest organizations. Another law permits for non-Muslim places of Government banned political ral­ affecting freedom of association worship. The Government has lies. While the formal ban has not is the Universities and University limited the circulation of a

A/iran Monthly 1992:12 (ll) Poge 37 popular Malay-language transla­ regulate internal movement is their will. In addition, the Foreign tion of the Bible, and some states sometimes exercised arbitrarily Minister said in October that the restrict the use of Christian terms for political purposes.(See Part 1 Government would not force in the Malay language. In 1991 a in this series: AM 1992: 12(10)) Acchnese asylum- seekers to social action group reported the The Government does not return against their will but would demolition of a Christian church restrict emigration Although in encourage them to repatriate in a village populated by some cases the Government has when they consider it safe to do aboriginal peoples. According to refused to issue passports on so. the report, officials argued that security grounds. Malaysians In accordance with the Com­ the chw-ch building was erected generally are free to travel abroad, prehensive Plan of Action (CPA) several years ago without a except to Israel. Former restric­ on Indochinese refugees signed in licence. Government officials tions on travel to South Africa and 1989, Malaysia continued to refused to permit the church to be to several Communist countries, screen Vietnamese boat people in rebuilt. including China, were eliminated its first -asylum camps. Malaysian Conversion to religions other in 1990 and 1991. military officers do the screening, than Islam is permiucd but not Thousands of illegal workers with legal consultants from the encouraged. Proselytizing of from Indonesia arrive in Malaysia UN High Commissioner for Muslims has long been proscribed each year to fill entry-level jobs in Refugees(UNHCR) present by law in some states and strongly the plantation and construction during each interview. The discouraged in other parts of the sectors of the economy. Although Malaysian screeners and UNHCR country. some ultimately are able to consultants make every effort to In a March 1990 decision, the regularize their immigration develop the asylum-seekers' Supreme Court upheld the status, others depart voluntarily claims to refugee status. The primacy of the Constitution over after a few months, while some Government discusses all dis­ inconsistent state Jaws by ruling are formally deported as illegal puted cases with the UNHCR that parents have the right to migrants. Between March and before announcing a decision. An determine the religion of their July, however, separate groups of administrative appeal is available minor children under the age of asylum seekers from the In­ to denied cases. 18. The decision has eased fears donesian province of Aceh (totall­ Having provided first asylum of the non-Muslim community ing approximately 14Y) arrived in to more than 250,000 Vietnamese over state laws which in religious north-western Malaysia, alleged­ refugees since 1975, the Govern­ conversion cases set the age of ly fleeing violence stemming ment began to deny flrst asylum to majority at puberty based on Is­ from a separatist rebellion in In­ some arriving Vietnamese in May lamic law. donesia. These asylum seekers re­ 1989 in contravention of its com­ quested refugee status. Despite mitments under the CPA; 10,473 expressions of concern by local have been denied first asylum Freedom of and international human rights or­ since May 1989. Since June 1990, Movement Within ganizations and foreign govern­ passengers on all but two Viet­ the Country, ments, the Malaysian namese boats have been denied Government denied their re­ first asylum, and no Vietnamese Foreign, Travel, quests, ruling that at least the ear­ were granted first asylum in 1991. Emigration and liest arrivals were "illegal Cred1ble reports indicate that immigrants" subject to deporta­ Malaysian authorities put back to Repatriation tion. sea about 110 Vietnamese asylum Malaysians generally have the Intervention in court proceed­ seekers from four vessels during right to travel within the country ings by local human rights 1991. There were no reports of and live and work where they lawyers evidently halted- at least new landings after early May please, but the Government temporarily - a formal determina­ 1991. restricts these rights in some cir­ tion of illegal immigrant status for Before arrivals ceased in May, cumstances. The states of Sabah a group of 40 Acehnese asylum Malaysian authorities allowed and Sarawak have the inde­ seekers who arri"cd in Malaysia Vietnamese boats to land, and pendent right to control immigra­ in Jul). Some Acehnese have normally held asylum seekers in tion into their territories; returned home; others remain in temporary camps closed to ob­ Malaysians from peninsular west official custody. but the Govern­ servers. The Government Malaysia are required to present ment has taken no steps to deport provided life jackets, boats and passports for entry. This power to them or repatriate them against essential supplies to asylum

Aliran MonJhly 1992:12 (/I) P~tgeJS Prime Minister Mahathir for the UMNO leadership. in 1987, the party joined the Parti Islam Se­ Malaysia (PAS) and two small Malay opposition parties in an umbrella organization to contest general elections in 1990. Sub­ sequently, the Chinese-based op­ position Democratic Action Party (DAP) and several small opposi­ tion parties formed a separate electoral pact with Semangat '46, called the People's Front. As a result, in the 1990 elections, the Government coalition faced the unprecedented prospect of a multi-ethnic, multi-party opposi­ tion linked into two groups which fielded smgle opposition can­ didates for virtually every seat. In During the recent Sarawak State elections, Immigration oHicials barred these elections, the opposition Malay Opposition leaders from Peninsular Malaysia from entering the state. won 53 seats and gained control of two state governments. seekers put back to sea. Govern­ periodic elections, although elec­ Malaysian elections are proce­ ment authorities have not toral irregularities and campaign durally free and fair. with votes responded positively to concerns restrictions sometimes detract cast secretly and recorded ac· that this "redirection" of boat from the overall fairness of the curately. General elections in people placed them in additional process. Malaysia has a 1990 were subject to intense danger. Westminster- style parliamentary scrutiny by both international and There have been some system of government. National domestic observers. Among the credible reports of abuses in the elections, required at least every international observers was a temporary camps, as well as of five years, have been held regular­ group dispatched by the Com­ instances in which Malaysian ly since independence 1957. monwealth of Nations, which authorities provided inadequate Through the United Malays Na­ reported that the elections were boats to asylum seekers put back tional Organization (UMNO "properly and impartially" car­ to sea. The only reported deaths Baru), Malays dominate the ried out. The Commonwealth ob­ resulting from the denial of first ruling National Front coalition of servers criticized as campaign asylum in recent years were four ethnic-based parties which has "imperfections," however, une­ which occurred in mid-1989. In­ controlled Parliament since inde­ qual media access for the opposi­ terviews with asylum seekers in­ pendence. The Government coali­ tion and irregularities in the dicate that the Government takes tion currently controls 11 of 13 electoral rolls. A local election positive steps to safeguard the states. Non-Malays fill a number monitoring group called Election lives and welfare of those denied of Cabmet posts. and at present Watch reported that the election first asylum and disciplines per­ ethnic Chinese leaders of a mem­ was free, but criticized unequal sonnel involved in abusive be­ ber party of the government coali­ opposition access to the media, haviour. tion hold executive power in the problems with the electoral rolls, State of Pcnang. In Sabah, the and subtle intimidation of voters Respect for Political party in power 1s controlled by by reference to the 1969 race Sabah's predominant indigenous riots. • Rights: The Right of ethnic group and headed by a Citizens to Change Christian. (NEXT ISSUE · Part3: HUMAN A new Malay pohllcal party RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, DIS­ Their Government called Semangat '46 (Sptrit of CRIMINATIONS AND By law and in practice, '46) was registered in July 1989. WORKERS' RIG/ITS) Malaysians have the right 1o Led by former UMNO leaders change their government through who unsuccessfully challenged

A/iran Monthly 1992:12 (11) Pag~ 39 HUMAN RIGHTS Civil Liberties And Political Rights In Malaysia

In tbe previous Issue of Alinut MonlhlJ we carried tbe first part of tbe Country Report on Human Rigbts Practices for 1991 prepared by tbe US Department of State. We now look at tbe next part of tbe report rocussin1 oa dvilliberties and political ri&bts in Malaysia.

Freedom of Speech and Press ldlou&b 1be Colllti&aliGa -.led in 198710 make die pub­ anions IIICI other private Jf0UP1 .,rovidel for freecbR ol licalion ol ..maliciou rte'd" a actively cover oppolilion .,.niel. A JpCCCII udprea,IOIRO lm· ,...... _.. offelce. expand the IRCI frequently print views critical portan1 lilnitalions exiiL For ex­ Oovenuncat'l power lO .... Of of JOVGRIMIIt policies. Tile ..,ple. lhe Coostitulion provide~ ralricl pablicldoal.lnd prohibit Govenwent exertslipific:lnt ia­ lhlt freedom of speecb may be court challen.. IO supension Of Ouence over these publicaliona by lall'iclcd by lqislation ... die in­ mocatioft of,.lllicllion pennill. reqairiDI IIIIUII ~newal of lerell of ~eeurity ••• (or) pabllc In priiCCke. prca r~ il publilhinJ pennits. At leut two order." Thu, the~ Act restricted by die fiCt that the aew independent newJPIPCII AmelldmeMI of 1970 prohi'bit Govcmtnelll Cll' coaapMiel cc.­ WCR Pftll permission lO bepn public c:om~ne~~tcatll.. defllled tnJIIed by tile Willi political publbtion duriR&I991, bat 10111e • ~enlilive, suclt • citizenlllip parties in &he rulina caalilion own established papcn faced aovcm­ riJII&sfornon-.....,..tllle~pe­ aD ...... newtpapen and all meat Umilltiont oo their publilll­ dal polilioR ol Mlllqa ia soddy. llldio .. lelevilioft l&atiolll. Tile inJ licenc:el. In Ncm:mber lbe The Oovenwenr haiiiOicMraed Govenuaent-linbd mall media Government w...ecl two lftyORC ..... tbe ~ Ad pw:a Gilly u.ieed and ICicctiw ..iplpCII publilbed by oppclli­ Iince 1986...... trial eo.a 11:- ecMiaP ID oppoaion polilical lial ~*lies dull the lenni ollbeir quiued a f~ prelideat of 111e Yiewl. A ComiiiCIBWCallb election lic:encel limited di•ribution lO BarCouadl. .._.,._.....,. ... ap- party .anben Oldy. Oae ollhe Plea freedaiD iiiUbpW 10181- politioa parties were denied eqal .... bloaJbt lepl atlion lO portaAt linlilationl uader abe IICCCIII lO die media d..m, the quash enfom:ment ol tbe Ucenc:e PrinlinJ Plalel and~ 1990 Jeaeal elecdoa c.npaip. limillltioa. nus plea .. dis­ Nl ol1984, Wider wllicb .,.__ Dapite ~lCOIIIIOI of .-.. by &be Hip Court 011 31 lie lnd foreian publicaliORI "'.. major publicatiou. nan- clr· apply lftnually to lhe ~ caladon publicalions ol oppoli­ - continued on page37 for a permit The Act was liua ...... IOCiaiiClioa JIOIIpl.