For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity

For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity PP3739/12/2007 ISSN 0127 - 5127 RM4.00 2007:Vol.27No.9

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 1 COVER STORY Rage Against the Machine Or how Reformasi may be set to rock again by Khoo Boo Teik s Reformasi back in II town? Possibly; it may III have returned this year with three marches that brought some new names, a lot of new actors, and a number of new ways of saying things.

Bar Council, Bersih and Hindraf

The Lawyers’ March of 26 Septem- ber was led by the Bar Council. The marchers headed for the ‘Pal- ace of Justice’ in Putrajaya, calling for the head of the then Chief Justice. Exasperated with the ‘rot- ten state of the house of Den- mark’, the protesting lawyers and social activists demanded an end to the corruption, hence subver- sion, of a key institution of state.

The Bersih Rally of 10 November was organised by Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil (Coa- lition for Clean and Fair Elec- tions). From different locations in Kuala Lumpur, the rally wound its way to the Istana Negara to hand a petition to the King. Bersih’s participants demanded a cleansing of the electoral system to break the crippling shackles the Opposition faces in every general election.

The Hindraf Rally of 25 Novem- ber was called by an ad hoc Hindu Rights Action Front. Its supporters, coming from different

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 2 EDITOR'S NOTE

In our cover story, we look at what is going on in Malaysian society in the aftermath of recent demon- CONTENTS strations organised by lawyers, the Bersih coalition and Hindraf. Khoo Boo Teik observes that the goodwill that was shown to Abdullah Badawi in 2003- COVER STORY 2004 has largely evaporated and wonders if there is ••• Rage Against The Machine 222 a whiff of reformasi in the air now. ••• The Government Must Be Prepared To ListenListenTo 777 ••• Is Malaysia Going Down The Jeyakumar Devaraj, however, cautions that the Mandalay Road? 999 Hindraf approach is misguided and the struggle ••• Unmuzzle Our Media 111111 for social justice must be reoriented to make it more ••• Why The Hindraf Approach Is multi-racial. Looking at the heavy-handed police re- Misguided 191919 sponse, Angeline wonders if we are heading down ••• A Rising Crescendo Of Protest 222222 the Burma road. As the level of protests rises reaches a crescendo, she writes, in a second article, that the FEATURES fate of the country lies in the hands of ordinary peo- ••• Commemorating The 20th Anniversary ple and their courage to change the course of his- Of Operasi Lalang 242424 tory. ••• Gandhi And The Spiritual War Between Good And Evil 262626 P Ramakrishnan say that ordinary people should ••• Level Of Faith: Stone, Water And Air 303030 vote responsibly so that the BN is not given another ••• Treated As Deviant Even Before Court Hearing 323232 huge mandate to perpetuate its arrogance and lack ••• One People, One Nation of accountability. If the government wants to recover - Is It Possible? 404040 its lost credibility, it must be prepared to listen to the people, writes Tunku Yusuf Jewa. In an open letter REGULARS to the premier, Beth Yahp urges him to unmuzzle ••• Current Concerns 151515 the media and practise real democracy. OTHERSOTHERSOTHERS The “Seven Deadly Sins” enunciated by Gandhi are ••• The New Executive Committee 171717 still relevant as Mahadev Shankar points to the ••• Subscription Form 181818 growing concentration of power in the hands of ••• Aliran T-Shirt On Sale 393939 national governments. K Haridas meanwhile argues that we have to deepen our faith so that we view humanity as one and develop a deeper sense of compassion. Published by Julian Lee reports on a forum to mark the 20th anni- Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara versary of Operasi Lalang while A Detainee recounts (ALIRAN)(ALIRAN)(ALIRAN) his nightmare at being detained and treated as an 103, Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, Islamic deviant – even before a court hearing. Penang, Malaysia. Tel: (04) 658 5251 Fax: (04) 658 5197 Email (Letters to Editor): ALIRANALIRANALIRAN is a Reform Movement dedicated to Justice, Freedom & Solidarity and listed on the [email protected] roster of the Economic and Social Council of the Email (General): [email protected] United Nations. Founded in 1977, Aliran welcomes Homepage : http://www.aliran.com all Malaysians above 21 to be members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or visit our webpage. Printed by Konway Industries Sdn. Bhd. Plot 78, Lebuhraya Kampung Jawa, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 3 parts of the country and starting Indeed, why has ‘water-cannon thousands of marchers who had at different points in Kuala and tear-gas violence’ against had to contend with warnings, Lumpur, went to the British High peaceable marchers become so threats, court order, water can- Commission. The Hindraf leaders much a part of the culture of the nons, tear gas and Red Helmet had prepared to hand a petition ‘Red Helmets’ and their political charges with batons and shields. to Queen Elizabeth II, ostensibly masters? to demand the historical restitu- In the heat of each event, the tion of the rights of British-im- It was easy but cheap to divide or protestors of each rally, let alone ported Indian indentured labour. belittle the lawyers and social ac- outside observers, might have tivists: ‘only 2,000 lawyers out of been engrossed with their own Variety and number the Bar Council’s 13,000 mem- cause, and seen it to be separate bers?’ from the other causes. The phraseology of the demands differed. The slogans varied. The It was simple but stupid to stigma- Still, there is a far deeper common marchers were of different back- tise the Bersih marchers: ‘They cause among them than meets the grounds. None of that was in were not civil society, they were jaundiced eye. doubt. instigated by The Opposition.’ The Bar Council was right to de- This much was certain, too: their And it must have been fun (for mand judicial reform and punish- numbers exceeded expectations – seemingly urbane columnists, ment for those who corrupted le- 2,000 lawyers and activists in such as Rehman Rashid) but vul- gal institutions right up to the Putrajaya, 40,000 marchers with gar to ridicule the Hindraf highest judicial offices. If there are Bersih, and 30,000 for Hindraf. protestors: ‘trillions of ringgit, did no independent and impartial they say, and, really, whatever judges to oversee it, the ‘rule of More than that, the stridency of would the Queen say?’ law’ would be meaningless for their missions indicated a deep different strata, diverse groups frustration and seething anger at Diversity and and ordinary citizens. The Machine of the Barisan common cause Nasional. Yet, no level of govern- It’s fanciful for some to liken peace- ment threats and police warnings This is no time to play any name- ful rallies to anarchy on the could prevent the expressions of and-blame game with the tens of streets. But, without an honestly those sentiments from being lo- cally blogged and globally seen and heard.

Cheap and vulgar tactics

One of the regime’s favourite responses was to argue that rallies and marches burdened local mer- chants, unnerved foreign inves- tors and turned off foreign tour- ists.

‘Violence’, we are piously told, ‘is not part of our culture.’ We agree. The marches and protestors were orderly and trying their best to avoid trouble until the police dispersed them with force.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 4 administered system of justice, le- the Indian community. KESAS Highway. gal practice would simply be dominated by powerful preda- The historical deprivation of the Let’s not be fooled either by those tors. poor and powerless requires res- who attack one cause to weaken titution by present-day policies all others. Consider: If Tun Dr Bersih and Hindraf and measures. Otherwise, ac- Mahathir Mohamad’s ‘Buy Brit- countability, transparency and ish Last’ government saw fit to The Bersih coalition was right to fairness are mere words while se- host the 1998 Games of the British insist on levelling the electoral lective neglect and Commonwealth, why can’t playing field, not least because the marginalisation co-exist with Hindraf link the Indian commu- next general election looms. cronyism, discrimination and nity’s present problems to the past privilege. practices of the British Raj? Only the BN and the Electoral Commission believe that the ad- Other dates, Another historical connection ministration of elections is fault- other demands beckons. Where would we place less. Everybody else knows other- the collective demands of the Bar wise. Without reform, the electoral Let’s not forget easily. 26 Septem- Council, Bersih and Hindraf if not system will remain so heavily ber, 10 November, and 25 Novem- beside the Permatang Pauh Dec- loaded against the opposition as ber belong with other dates, other laration, Towards a Just Malaysia to undermine the integrity of elec- moments of discontent and strug- (the manifesto of the Barisan toral contestation and democratic gles for reform that haven’t been Alternatif), and Suqiu’s 17-point representation. achieved. Appeal?

Nor were the Hindraf supporters Remember 1998–1999, and the All these return to the requisite nyanyuk by any means. It was use- Dataran Merdeka demonstrations foundations of a broad movement less for the well-fed and well- against Anwar Ibrahim’s mal- to achieve genuinely democratic clothed Samy Vellu to say no In- treatment, the ‘shopping for jus- politics, inclusive social policies dians here are without food and tice’ sprees against his ‘black eye’ and true inter-ethnic respect. Only clothing. and ‘arsenic’ episodes. such a national movement can face the 14-member BN Machine. It was futile of the ‘Prime Minister Think back upon 27 October 2000 for all’ to deny any unfairness to when 2,000 people commemorated What a Machine? Indians. Those who make a vir- ‘Operasi Lalang’ outside the tue of the New Economic Policy Kamunting Detention Camp. Re- The Machine that rules the coun- can’t so blithely wish away the call 5 November 2000 when try is not truly an equitable, con- sense of deprivation that pervades 50,000 people ‘gathered’ along the sultative, consensus-driven, power-sharing coalition. That characterisation is mere BN- speak.

In theory, BN is an Umno-led standing coalition of component parties. In practice, Umno domi- nates while its ‘non-Malay-based’ partners are reduced to being institutionalised Kapitan China and Kapitan Keling (with no in- sult intended by this use of a historical term).

Umno has boasted and warned

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 5 that it can rule on its own. (The party actually can’t – not if it doesn’t want to destabilize the entire society and economy.) Its BN partners evidently believe so. Hence, they allow themselves to be flattered or ordered, praised or scolded by Umno, depending on how they fit in with Umno’s plans and whether they can control their communities.

After the Hindraf rally, for in- stance, MIC’s S. K. Devamany made an ‘oh-so-mild’ criticism of year, the Bar Council, Bersih and hardy it is to move so against what BN policies towards the Indian Hindraf rallies outflanked the will surely blossom as the community. For his pain he had Umno General Assembly. ‘Hindraf 31’. to meet with BN National Whip Najib Tun Razak, after which Confronting marchers who Abdullah, ever lofty in his rheto- Devamany expressed his ‘regret’ wouldn’t stand down, and facing ric, must know, if his intelligence that he said anything at all, and demands that wouldn’t go away, gatherers have told him anything that was only for an utterance in all the keris-kissing, monkey-bash- useful, that the goodwill that was Parliament. ing and boastful blustering, so his in 2003–04 is largely gone. arrogantly vociferous last year, Can anyone remember the last came to little more than a whim- Bersih’s majority Malay time an Umno representative, hav- per. protestors demonstrated that the ing made inflammatory and in- Reformasi-kindled hopes of reform sensitive statements, in or out of Many of our ‘national leaders’ and expectations of ‘progress for Parliament, was sent to meet with self-righteously tell ‘the West’ to all’ have been dashed. the President of a ‘non-Malay- understand the roots of grievances based-party’ and afterwards re- against Western powers. But our Hindraf’s Indian supporters quired to express his or her regret? ‘statesmen wannabes’ are them- showed that non-Malay resent- selves incapable of learning about ment has been revived by Umno’s By now, the leaders of the MCA, the roots of domestic grievances. elitist, narrow-minded and ag- Gerakan and MIC - to take only gressive reassertion of ‘restructur- the major non-Malay-based par- Instead of engaging with the In- ing’. ties - are too cowed, too compro- dian community beyond Samy mised, or too calculating of per- Vellu’s charmed MIC circle, the And lawyers would sooner walk sonal costs and benefits to ‘stand government has charged 31 their talk than fall for more invita- up to’ Umno. Hindraf marchers with ‘at- tions to ‘work with me’, ‘work to tempted murder’ for an alleged change from within’. All right, there is Dr Toh Kin attack on a policeman during the Woon, but his brave and honest rally. Perhaps one isn’t hallucinating to voice is the exception that proves detect a whiff of Reformasi in the the rule. It may be soothing for Abdullah air. To recover its spirit, and Badawi – but it is blind – to dis- achieve something with it, we Reformasi against miss the deep seated grievances must first realise this: If we are for the Machine of so many sections of society as judicial reform, if we are for electoral ‘lies, baseless allegations’. It may reform, and if we are for social jus- But … outside BN, Toh Kin be thrilling to turn up the repres- tice, then we must all be Bar Coun- Woon’s voice is not alone. This sion – but time will show how fool- cil, Bersih and Hindraf. q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 6 COVER STORY The Government must be prepared to listen

All the rakyat wants is a fair and incorruptible government by Tunku Yusuf Jewa

hope the public protests II by NGOs and Opposi- III tion political parties that shook the city or Kuala Lumpur on Saturday 10 Novem- ber 2007 will serve as a lesson and eye-opener for the BN government to realise that all is not well in this country.

The rakyat have good reasons to be unhappy. They have the right as citizens to voice out their grouses and grievances if Malay- sia still claims to be a practising democracy. The government must be prepared to listen instead of brushing them aside as a nuisance and as trouble-makers. gatherings at Putra Jaya by mem- Telling the people to shut up can bers of the Bar Council should be be dangerous as sooner or later the Look what happened to Burma seen as a clear message and wake- bottled-up feelings will erupt into when the military regime tried to up call to the government. The the open. Street demonstrations strangle its own people. They lost government must be aware that it are good examples of instances their voice and were beaten into cannot simply slam the door in when the Government fails to un- submission, which eventually led their faces, and seek the easy way derstand the people’s problems. to unhealthy outbursts. out by turning a deaf ear. In fact, peaceful gatherings should be allowed by the authorities. Bottled up grievances The government prefers to give its own spin and the media print The NGOs and Opposition par- Our government is now faced anything that is pleasing to the ties may have genuine reasons for with an unfamiliar situation, and ears of the government. Nowa- wanting to air their grievances. resorting to force (as the police days, the public are smart enough After all they also represent a have done) to quell a peaceful rally to distinguish right from wrong large segment of the population. is not the best solution. and they will not swallow any Is it that wrong if the supporters garbage that the BN government wish to march peacefully to the The recent demonstration at Batu is trying to force down their King’s palace to hand over their Buruk, Trengganu and later the throats. petition? And that too was

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 7 blocked by the police! Some believe that the police have become the tools of their political masters. SpeakSpeakSpeak All the protestors wanted was a plea for “fair and clean elections”, Speak, your lips are free. the NGOs and Opposition were Speak, it is your own tongue. demanding changes in the elec- Speak, it is your own body. toral system. They felt that the Speak, your life is still yours. Election Commission was biased and leaning more towards the ruling party. The government was See how in the blacksmith’s shop adamant and has always adopted The flame burns wild, the attitude that “father knows the iron glows red; best”. This reminds me of the anal- ogy of a strict father who tries to The locks open their jaws, silence his wailing son without And every chain begins to break. finding out the cause. Speak, this brief hour is long enough Many will find it hard to believe that the police never used force on Before the death of body and tongue: the demonstrators. I happened to Speak, ‘cause the truth is not dead yet, be watching the telecast at home Speak, speak, and was surprised to see that the whatever you must speak. police actually used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. I saw three policemen Faiz Ahmad Faiz with wooden staffs in their hands going after one demonstrator. For writing poetry that always antagonises the ruling elite and They tore off his yellow jacket from challenges colonial and feudal values, Faiz had to go to jail repeat- behind and finally dragged him edly during both colonial and postcolonial times in Pakistan. This away. Can the police say that they poem of his (translated into English) seems relevant to us even did not use force but used a “soft today, wherever we live. approach”?

Police brutality is more like it! Siva Subramaniam from demonstration was not part of our support the ruling party. They Suhakam who claimed to have culture. Both never explained why know what to look for and they witnessed the goings-on claimed the people had to “let out their believe if you support a “monkey” that the police did not use force. steam”. Well, don’t bother. The you get “monkey tricks”. All the Perhaps when it happened, he government is not sympathetic and rakyat want is a fair and incorrupt- was looking the other way. has no interest in listening. ible government. I pray that Al- lah will guide our leaders who A crack in society I hope the government will come can set a course that takes us to its senses before they plunge along the right path. We are disappointed with the state- into a deep mess particularly ments made by the PM and his when the General Election is just I believe there is a crack in our so- deputy that appeared in the NST around the corner and the voters ciety and if not remedied the gap on 12 November. The PM con- have the power to decide who can could get wider and mayhem demned the demonstrators for try- win or lose. Gone are the days could follow if the government is ing to drag the King into politics voters don’t bother about the not quick enough to fix it sensibly and the Deputy PM said that the choice of candidates but simply and rationally. q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 8 COVER STORY Is Malaysia going down the Mandalay Road? Malaysian voters, civil society groups and opposition parties are waiting to see how the Barisan Nasional responds to the clamour for free and fair elections and democratic rights by Angeline Loh

he peaceful demonstra- looming on the horizon. government’s ministers and high- TT tion by the Bersih coali- ranking civil servants have re- TTT tion demanding fair and The administration increasingly peatedly ended up gathering dust free elections, a section of fails to convince the electorate that in official filing cabinets and li- which was violently dispersed at it can guarantee clean and fair brary archives. Masjid Jamek with police water elections. It is losing credibility cannon and tear-gas, is an event with every protest it attempts to The arrests of several of Bersih’s that will go down in history. squelch since the fuel price hike pro-democracy protesters is vivid protest, which was blacked out in confirmation of the ruling party’s This is the day the ruling Barisan all the mainstream media last anti-democratic stance and it is Nasional showed its true colours year. becoming increasingly difficult to to the world. hide this from the world. Protests are becoming increas- This is the day when Malaysia ingly common and will continue The release of a couple of hun- officially proclaimed to the world as long as the government persists dred detained protesters after their that the government was against in turning a deaf ear to the elec- statements had been allegedly democracy, justice, human rights torates’ problems. Virtually no ac- taken suggests that the govern- and peace. countability exists in all three di- ment freed them only because it mensions of the democratic frame- was wary of the global press, who This 10 November declaration work of government. Separation had homed in on the incident and against the people will remain in of powers has become obsolete broadcasted it worldwide. the minds of this generation and and the merging of the executive enter the archives of big news pro- with the legislature and the judi- A source said police had set up viders around the world, whatever ciary creates a political structure road blocks far and wide on 10 Nov measures the ruling party may very akin to autocracy. in states as far south as Johor to take to change the fact of its ag- stop and turn back anyone dressed gression against democracy, on Deputy premier Najib Razak’s in yellow! The police had issued this red-letter day. impassioned and stern speech in warnings in their attempt to dis- which he said that protesting courage people within and outside Information Minister Zainuddin publicly in the streets is not the Kuala Lumpur from joining the Maidin’s scathing and obnoxious Malaysian way appears as a protest at least a week before the statements when interviewed by veiled threat to the people, who event took place. The police deemed Al Jazeera only proves that the BN have lost hope in ‘going through this to be an illegal assembly and regime has sunk into irrational the proper channels’. Appeals warned that those participating in paranoia with a general election and memoranda presented to this it would be penalised.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 9 Obviously, this did not wash with unteer corps) in an ad hoc man- solve the persistent problem of either the protesters or the public ner. This amateur, undisciplined lack of democracy. The govern- who were all too familiar with the force, in time, became an embar- ment has chosen to be undemo- authority’s tactics. The charge of rassment to the Home Affairs cratic in answer to the demand for illegal assembly against the exer- Ministry and the Immigration au- democracy and justice. cise of one’s human right to free- thorities, as it had no real basis dom of expression and freedom to for its existence and was uncon- On the hold a political opinion is a nau- trolled by proper legislation. Rela Mandalay Road? seatingly familiar refrain from the took to behaving abusively, crimi- lips of the powers-that-be. The nally and brutally towards mi- In view of this progressively wor- public turned up in their thou- grants, refugees and ultimately rying trend towards militarisation sands to lend support to Bersih. towards Malaysian citizens as and the growing intolerance for well. the exercise of human and demo- The ferocity of the FRU and Rela cratic rights, the question whether may have dispersed some of the There was a small backlash from Malaysia is on the way to becom- protesters - for the moment. Yet, citizens who complained and in- ing “another Myanmar” in Asean the atmosphere still feels electric, stituted legal action for violations is inevitable. as opposition parties vow not to of their privacy, criminal damage give up until ballots are cast. This to property and commission of Moreover, Malaysia has very re- is believable, as the opposition has robbery during alleged searches cently exhibited a ‘friendliness’ always been the under-dog of for undocumented migrant work- towards the military junta by Malaysian politics. ers in private homes and factory making trade and investment premises. The media couldn’t deals with that government, even The clampdown on bloggers is help giving Rela bad press as it after the brutal regime’s crack- still simmering in our memory; it was dutybound to report the inci- down on Buddhist monks and ci- contradicts the government’s dents. vilians protesting against the in- claim that it upholds the right to creasing economic hardship in free expression. It is an attempt to Despite this, the Deputy premier, their country. UN envoy Ibrahim inculcate the habit of self-censor- Najib Tun Razak, who is Minis- Gambari’s visit seems to have ship among bloggers so that they ter of Defence neglected to inter- sparked a trace of defiance in the conform with the façade of exer- vene or condemn the behaviour of Malaysian government’s attitude, cising their right to free expres- Rela or of the Ministry of Home despite Foreign Minister Syed sion. It is just one step before the Affairs in allowing such hood- Hamid Albar’s barely convincing crude measure of shutting down lums on the loose. He seems to nods to the UN envoy’s statement internet communications alto- have endorsed the empowerment that Asean had failed to nudge gether - as was done by the Bur- of Rela by allowing it to grow in Burma towards democracy. mese regime so recently. number, silently approving their request to carry firearms and Zainuddin Maidin’s denial that Increasing granting incentives to Rela mem- Malaysia was behaving like militarisation? bers. The Home Affairs Ministry Burma wears thin and is certainly has also applied to the govern- unconvincing. Over the past three years, ment to upgrade Rela to a depart- Currently, it is a waiting game for Malaysians have seen a build up ment. the Malaysian electorate, civil so- of militarisation in the country. ciety groups and opposition par- The first excuse was the presence It looks as though Malaysia has a ties to see how the Barisan of undocumented and alleged ‘il- shortage of proper armed security Nasional responds to the clamour legal migrants’ whose numbers forces and needs yet another infor free and fair elections and were speedily rising apparently ternal army, apart from the reserve democratic rights. uncontrolled. units of the armed forces and sub- divisions of the police force. It Will this be a turning point for They were the ideal excuse to ac- seems the only panacea the gov- Malaysia, or are we going down tivate and beef up Rela (the vol- ernment can come up with to re- the Mandalay Road? q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 10 COVER STORY

An open letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi UnmuzzleUnmuzzle ourour mediamedia A fiction writer writes in support of journalists after the Bersih rally Dear Prime Minister Abdullah,

26 September 2007 saw 2,000 the ground. I saw an old woman Mouth pieces lawyers on a “Walk for Justice” to in a wheelchair halted by a barri- of the State defend the good name and pro- cade of troops, wielding a deafen- test the sliding standards of their ing siren at her ears. I saw a child Instead, journalism in Malaysia profession. “When lawyers clinging to his mother’s shoulders seems to be ruled by a Code of march,” said Ambiga Sreene- being crushed back, and back. He Fear and Favour. Here, our vasan, President of the Bar Coun- looked terrified, and rightly so. But mainstream journalists and edi- cil, “something must be wrong.” he was there, like his parents, to tors are directly or indirectly on stand up for his own future. the State’s payroll, and therefore On Saturday, 10 November 2007, accountable to the State. Those some 40,000 people from all walks This was at Jalan Pasar, not Masjid who aren’t are kept on a tight of life and all ages walked through Jamek, where, in spite of what IGP leash of precarious licences and rain-drenched Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Musa Hassan described legislation designed to pit self- skirting roadblocks, locked LRT as police “restraint” (Sunday Star, censorship against financial stations, FRU batons, tear gas and 11 Nov 2007), unarmed marchers, ruin. Which the bosses will water cannons, as well as weeks including journalists, were prioritise is a no-brainer. of misinformation and propa- beaten, teargassed and bom- ganda through the mainstream barded by chemical-laced water It seems to me our media profes- media and hacked alternative cannons. At Jalan Pasar, we faced sionals do their best to navigate media. They marched to show two rows of riot police, smashing these treacherous waters, getting their disappointment in the cur- batons against their shields. I saw by in terms of professional pride rent electoral system and their and photographed people drop- through little acts of bravery, defi- hopes for reform. ping to the ground around me. ance and subterfuge. The travesty of it is that, in a true democracy, Malaysian citizens travelled for This should be the journalist’s they shouldn’t have to. hours through the night from all privilege, to be allowed to witness over the country to play cat-and- and report the uncensored fruits Our journalists and editors mouse in Kuala Lumpur with an of that act of witness. But in this shouldn’t have to find themselves intimidating array of security country, the journalists and their in the pitiful position of being forces, whose role was clearly not editors are not afforded even this, cowed mouthpieces of the State, to secure our safety. or any other kind of professional obediently failing to report once a privilege, or protection, in order news blackout is ordered, or “re- Beaten with batons to carry out their jobs according porting” factual inaccuracies of and shields to the Journalists’ Code of Ethics. an astounding magnitude. That is, among other things, to I saw men armed only with pursue factual accuracy and re- Like most of your state control- shouted slogans beaten with ba- port objectively, without fear or led media, Prime Minister tons and shields and thrown to favour. Abdullah, the Sunday Star re-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 11 ported only the IGP’s version of formation at Central Market. sung in a soothing paternal the events of Sat, 10 Nov. Jour- Logic tells us that the traffic jams voice, about how taking democ- nalism 101 requires a range of were caused by numerous police racy to the streets leads to a loss eyewitnesses to describe an roadblocks and other hindrances of self-respect and violence, event objectively yet only your to public transport as much as by which is not our way. This song Ministers were allowed airtime; our march, which was mar- is in stark contrast to the ones only aggrieved shopkeepers shalled and orderly. TraxxFM’s hip and joking DJs were interviewed and photos of usually play. traffic jams published, to sup- We were constantly told to keep port our Deputy PM’s lament to the pavements, not to throw Independence that the march only served to rubbish or disrupt public prop- achieved without disrupt traffic, create loss of erty, and even not to trample on street struggle? business and “mar the general plants along our way. Many perception others have of our people stuck in jams wound This psychological embedding society”. down their windows as we seems odd, Prime Minister, in the passed, smiling and shaking year we celebrate our 50 years of The police were depicted as being our hands. Others looked an- Independence, which was won “forced” to use their batons, boots, noyed, of course. precisely by our forefathers taking shields, helmets, trucks, water their struggle for freedom, equal- cannons and helicopters against I’m sitting at my local late night ity and justice to the streets, as unarmed men, women and chil- kopi tiam as I write this. It’s filled well as the to media and the dis- dren (New Sunday Times, Novem- with college students chatting and cussion table. They did so peace- ber 11, 2007). watching football to go with their fully then, as we did last Satur- teh tarik and cigarettes. I can see day. Only 4,000 - how successful your media ma- not 40,000? chinery is, Prime Minister, from Prime Minister Abdullah, one of what they say. They use the word the reasons we marchers, men, This reconstruction of reality is “riots” to talk about the march, women, children, and even inca- one that I, and 40,000 other which even a police spokesman pacitated old folks, braved con- marchers, do not recognise. In described as, for the most part, frontation in the streets of Kuala spite of what we saw and experi- peaceful (RTM2 news, 10 Novem- Lumpur on 10 Nov was to call for enced, we are told that we were ber 2007). “equal access to the media” as only 4,000 in number and that 245 part of Bersih’s push for electoral of us were detained, as opposed This is no surprise given the reforms, including the use of in- to the 24 I later saw released at propaganda clips that have been delible ink, clean electoral rolls IPK (Police Contingent Head- running as part of news bulletins and the abolition of untraceable quarters), Kuala Lumpur. It was on RTM1 and 2 for the past few postal votes. later reported in the NST (12 No- months, inter-cutting flag-burn- vember 2007) that the majority of ing with demonstrators getting I didn’t wear yellow for the march detentions were pre-emptive, tak- their heads bashed in. These, as because, even though I’m a sym- ing place outside Kuala Lumpur any ad man will confirm, effec- pathiser with the struggle for elec- the day before. The reasons for tively equate demonstrations of toral reform, I am also a witness arrest included being in posses- any sort with escalating acts of to both sides of the story. But I sion of yellow T-shirts and ban- violence on both sides. “Ini bukan wore my yellow ribbon of “press danas. budaya kita (This is not our cul- freedom”, proudly, even though ture),” are the stern words of warn- I’m not a journalist. I’m still wear- Yes, there were massive traffic ing. ing it now, with the poignant re- jams in KL that day, and yes, I saw alisation that I can only write this shopkeepers hurriedly pull down On TraxxFM, I’ve heard an odd letter, without fear or favour, pre- their shutters - but only when the song about democracy being cisely because I’m not a main- FRU and police amassed in battle played frequently, a lullaby stream Malaysian journalist. Of

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 12 course, whether any of your edi- whether in their living rooms or Pakistan or Burma, as your Infor- tors will publish it or not is en- in Parliament. mation Minister Zainuddin tirely a different matter. Maidin blustered on Al Jazeera Challenges and debates also con- (10 November 2007), accusing That little scrap of ribbon, like the stantly take place in the media, them of presenting a contrary seemingly frail ribbon of march- whose fundamental role is to pro- view to what had appeared on our ers patiently weaving their way vide factual information and ob- Malaysian news, and of only talk- from all over the city to the Yang jective viewpoints by journalists ing to the opposition, not Govern- Di Pertuan Agong’s palace last and editors, as well as to allow ment representatives—even as Saturday, is symbolic of some- equal access to publication and they were interviewing him. thing far larger and far more im- broadcast by proponents from ei- portant than our aching legs or ther side of any argument. This is a case of the pot calling the bruises or our shivers caused by kettle black, since almost no op- sitting uncomplainingly in the Only in this way can we, ordinary position figures are allowed to rain while the leaders delivered citizens, partake in democracy. speak in our mainstream media, our memorandum to the King. Only then can we weigh up dif- although their images are used in fering statements and opinions conjunction with images of street It symbolises what you have en- against accountable facts. We violence, for example, to influence couraged us repeatedly to cel- may be allowed to vote, yes, but viewers’ opinions about them. ebrate and embrace: our “Merdeka how can we choose effectively Spirit” of independence that without freedom of media access “Malaysia… is a democratic coun- causes the rakyat to come out, in and information? try,” Zainuddin fumed. But based spite of fear and intimidation, to on your State’s handling of the show their grave concern when Tool of the State to rakyat’s peaceful march last Sat- the state of things seems very hoodwink, brainwash urday, Prime Minister, and your wrong indeed. and intimidate own media coverage prior to and about the actual event, it’s hard to Despite ongoing attempts at his- When this integral pillar of any entirely agree. torical revisionism, this is decid- democratic system is obstructed edly a part of our Malaysian cul- and belittled, as it is in Malaysia, Unfortunately for Malaysia, this ture. (Please refer to Fahmi Reza’s we cannot claim to live in a de- is the perception that will be fur- http://10tahun.blogspot.com/ for re- mocracy. Our mainstream media ther broadcast internationally by productions of reportage from our then becomes merely a tool of the journalists and editors who are own newspapers, The Straits State, used to hoodwink, brain- fortunately less muzzled than Times, 1947: “Mass Meeting Votes wash and intimidate the people it their mainstream Malaysian col- Against Elections”; and The Ma- should rightly be serving. Instead, leagues. laya Tribune, 1946: “Malays and we, the people, are spoon-fed, led Rulers Demonstrate Against Un- and expected to go quietly like Therefore, Prime Minister ion Plans”.) sheep to any foregone conclusion. Abdullah, I sincerely urge you and your government, as our With all due respect, Prime Min- If we beg to differ, offer alternative democratically elected leaders, to ister, your admonition on the eve information and viewpoints, or “walk the talk” and unmuzzle of the march: “Saya pantang even protest, we are called beruk. I our journalists, editors and broad- dicabar,” (Utusan Malaysia, 9 No- rather think it preferable to be a casters. I entreat you to fully and vember 2007) is rather an odd monkey — curious, inventive and fairly endorse and practice de- thing for the leader of a demo- mischievous — than a sheep trot- mocracy in our country. That is, cratic nation to say, given that the ting meekly to its pen, or the democracy for everyone, not just basic rule of democracy is the right slaughterhouse, nose pointed to a powerful few. of all citizens to challenge, and to the ground. defend against challenge. Every- Beth Yahp one is entitled to this right, Prime Minister, we are indeed not 12 November 2007

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 13 Postscript: in response to comments posted on a blog:

Thanks for your thoughts and responses. Yes, please Razak’s continuing to insist that “street demonstra- do disseminate this piece widely - I’ve mostly had a tions are not part of Malaysian culture” (The Star, 12 wall of silence from the mainstream press that I sent Nov): please see Fahmi Reza’s fine posts on http:// my letter to, and one reply saying: “Your articulate 10tahun.blogspot.com/2007/11/demonstrasi- open letter was a pleasure to read. However, for the bukan-amalan-demokrasi.html which reproduce reasons you describe so well, we cannot risk pub- pages from our own newspapers, reporting on Ma- lishing this. Thanks for speaking up for Malaysian laysia’s struggle for independence in the late 1940s. journalists.” These news reports show us in black-and-white our Yes, it seems to me important for us to speak up forefathers’ (and mothers’) struggle in the streets now, everyone of us with eyes and a conscience. I against an oppressive regime. Definitely, and heart- would include journalists in this category - whether eningly, a part of Malaysian culture! officially gagged or not. They are the front-line de- fenders of our freedom to think and express our In those days, however, the police took steps to en- thoughts and experiences to the wider community. sure that demonstrations of the rakyat’s concern were When journalists have lost their courage to speak safe for everyone, helping with traffic control rather up, when they are forced to accept the status quo than hindering the people’s progress at every step without any questions, things are very serious for of the way. the rest of us indeed. Perhaps, in Monty Python mode, what our current As Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor newspapers should be running as headlines is: reminded journalists, “On this earth, we can do “Dulu British, Kini Umno”? whatever we like, but you must remember that when you die, you have to answer to someone. So what- Petaling Jaya, ever you write, especially the press, write responsi- 14 November 2007 bly... ( I’m not asking you to write truthfully, but write responsibly...” (Malaysiakini, 4 Oct 2007) Beth Yahp’s prize-winning novel, The Croco- Apart from the fact that this violates the journalists’ dile Fury, has been translated and published Code of Ethics, which is akin to the Hippocratic Oath in several languages. She wrote the libretto for doctors, what he doesn’t elaborate on is who for Liza Lim’s contemporary opera Moon journalists are supposed to be responsible to: those Spirit Feasting, which premiered at the 2000 holding the strings of power? Or the rakyat? Adelaide International Festival of the Arts, with productions also in Melbourne, Berlin, It’s so very important to go on the record now, be- Zurich and Tokyo. It won the Australian cause things seem to be reaching Monty APRA Best Classical Composition Award Pythonesque proportions in terms of the cartoon in 2002. Beth’s short fiction, essays and ar- reality we are expected to swallow, and the strin- ticles have appeared in numerous publica- gent limitations enforced on what we are allowed to tions in Australia, South-east Asia and Eu- see, say, hear, read, think and do - and what we are rope. Her latest fictional work, about sexual allowed to “believe” is real... I keep expecting a gi- double standards in Malaysia, appears in ant cartoon boot to fall out of the sky and crush me HEAT 14 (Giramondo Press, Sydney, Spring at any moment, accompanied by tinny circus mu- 2007). Beth is currently Fiction Editor for sic. Off the Edge, a Malaysian business/ lifestyle/ culture magazine. A note on historical revisionism and DPM Najib

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 14 It is because the Barisan government does not want the people of Malaysia to witness how upset and unhappy many Malaysians are - that is the sole reason that they had brought in their mighty strength represented by the police and the FRU with the sole pur- pose of disrupting the gathering. In this way they had hoped that Malaysians would not get to witness the truth that exposed their lies and distortions.

What took place today was a peaceful, democratic and legiti- A record of Aliran'sAliran'sAliran's stand on current affairs. mate exercise undertaken by concerned Malaysians to seek a rem- The people have such a number of people. edy for our tainted, lopsided elec- prevailed tions. Whatever may be said in Well Zam, what have you to say defence of the Election Commis- Well, it looks that the information now? These are ordinary people sion or the manner in which elec- Minister will have to eat his own who don’t need to be enticed with tions take place in our country, the words. He will have to believe pocket money, transport and nasi truth is that there has never been what he sees. His eyes are not play- bongkus. When you genuinely equal opportunity to fight clean ing tricks. It is indeed true that walk for justice, you are driven by and fair in the general elections. It concerned Malaysians did turn noble ideals and propelled by sin- has been always tilted in favour up in their thousands to demand cerity. It is this commitment to the of the Barisan Nasional, which clean and fair elections. values that we hold dearly that abuses state facilities and state has brought out people in solidar- coffers to entice the electorate - and They were not intimidated by the ity to raise an issue and to state a that must be seen by any impar- heavy presence of the police and point. tial observer as clearly constitut- the FRU; they were not discour- ing corruption. aged by the water cannons or the What has Nazri to say about this riot police with their shields and mammoth crowd who braved the President batons. These are brave rain and faced the risks involved P. Ramakrishnan Malaysians who have had and displayed an indomitable 10 November 2007 enough of the arrogance of the spirit to seek justice and right the powers-that-be. They are here to wrong? He had haughtily dis- Be rational; demonstrate to the democratic missed the crowd of 2,000-odd be sensible world that there are Malaysians lawyers who also had marched in who are prepared to stand up and an attempt to stop the rot in the Aliran is concerned about the ar- march for justice. judiciary as being in the minority. rests of leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) - P In his arrogance, the Minister of Well, Nazri if you had dared to Uthayakumar, P Waythamoorthy Information sneered, “Do you be- persuade the police to allow the and V Ganapathy Rao – ahead of lieve thousands of people will be proposed march to proceed un- a planned gathering on Sunday, coming for the rally? Don’t be so hindered, then you would have 25 November at the British em- silly as to be taken in by them,” he witnessed a crowd that would bassy. said, adding that even the Umno have been bigger than the Kesas annual meeting could not gather Highway gathering. Many Malaysians are likely to

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 15 view the police action as being Embassy to hand in a petition ary for selfish ends. politically motivated. addressed to the Queen bearing 100,000 signatures. The people This Royal Commission must not The restraining order from a mag- who are proposing to assemble show any mercy to these sinister istrate’s court obtained on a Fri- are not rabble-rousers. On the con- characters. They must be pin- day is unprecedented and does trary, they appear to be pointed and removed from their not give the affected party time to marginalised people who have positions of privilege and ex- challenge it or set it aside. It is ob- lost faith in the political process. posed for what they are: unethi- vious that these actions are aimed cal and unbecoming individuals at blocking Sunday’s assembly. The BN government should re- who have disgraced and deni- spect the democratic rights to free- grated the judiciary without any It is also ironical that the people dom of assembly and of expres- conscience. put in charge of law and order sion. It must not suppress these should be creating chaos and rights through the use of oppres- To cleanse the judiciary it is of vi- making the lives of Malaysians sive, undemocratic and violent tal importance that respected and miserable. This is what the police tactics. upright individuals of impeccable are doing in KL and the sur- character should be appointed as rounding districts with their road Aliran Executive Committee members of this Commission. Un- blocks and blockades. 23 November 2007 der no circumstances should judges who have been tainted and Through their actions, many per- Royal Commission: stigmatised by the erosion of the ceive the police as being partisan Appoint upright judiciary through their unbecom- and playing a political role to pro- individuals ing conduct be considered for ap- tect the interests of the Barisan pointment. Nasional. They are bent on deny- Aliran welcomes the govern- ing any opportunity that could re- ment’s decision to appoint a This is why Aliran supports and veal to Malaysians that the Royal Commission of Inquiry fol- endorses the list of judges high- number of those with grievances lowing the disturbing disclosures lighted by Hakam in their media is far larger than what we have in the Lingam tape. What statement on 21 November 2007 been led to believe. Malaysians witnessed through as undeserving for appointment the tape revealed the rot in the ju- as Commissioners. We appeal to The police should have given the diciary, which many Malaysians the government to seriously heed organisers the permit they had had suspected all along. Their sus- this request so that the Royal Com- requested and then played a low- picions have now been removed mission of Inquiry would have the key role in helping to control traf- and we are now convinced that undivided support of the nation. fic and maintain law and order. the rot has pervaded the judiciary through the manipulation of un- Hakam has disqualified the fol- The Big 10/11 demonstration, in ethical judges to do the bidding of lowing individuals: spite of the mammoth crowd in- the authorities. volved, was an example of an or- • Any Chief Justice who served derly, peaceful gathering that was The rot started in 1988, when then after the sacking of Tun Salleh carried out responsibly. After the premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad Abas, starting from Tun Abdul petition was handed over to the took on the judiciary and made Hamid onwards; palace, the organisers’ team even mincemeat of it. Judges who had • Retired judges (or any judge cleared the debris and made sure taken the oath of office vowing to still in service) who had served that the roads were free from any uphold justice and the Malaysian Tun Eusoff Chin, Tun rubbish. Constitution and who occupied Mohamed Dzaiddin and Tun important positions in the judici- Ahmad Fairuz; This Sunday’s gathering is not a ary betrayed that oath and coop- • Any person closely connected demonstration but a peaceful erated with the executive to emas- with the government and/or gathering in front of the British culate the once respected judici- who served the Mahathir ad-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 16 ministration and/or who The new executive committee served (or still serves) the Badawi administration. This At the Aliran AGM earlier today, P Ramakrishnan was re-elected as would include former Attor- president of the social reform group. Also elected were Dr Francis Loh ney Generals; and/or as honorary secretary, Dr Mustafa Kamal Anuar as assistant secre- • Any person who might be per- tary, and Anil Netto as honorary treasurer. ceived to have grievances against the government and/ Committee members or the judicial administration Dr Prema Devaraj in the period from 1988. This Gan Kong Hwee would include Tun Salleh Dr Andrew Aeria Abbas and any of the members Dr Khoo Boo Teik of the Judiciary penalised in Dr Subramaniam Pillay the 1988 attack on the Judici- Ong Eu Soon ary. Andrew Wong Angeline Loh In Aliran’s view, this is a fair stand Raphael Surin to take so that the findings of the Zaharom Nain Commission will have the cred- Sarajun Hoda Abd Hassan ibility and enjoy the confidence of the people at large. R Sivarajah was elected as honorary auditor.

P Ramakrishnan P Ramakrishnan President President 24 November 2007 25 November 2007

Aliran AGM deplores high-handed police action at Hindraf assembly street battle.” Video footage by the station shows the appalling methods employed by the police in dealing with the crowd. The authorities have in effect criminalised the freedom to assemble peacefully - a right guaranteed by the Constitu- tion.

We are worried that this incident, coming just 15 days af- liran, at its 31st annual general meeting held in Penang ter the Bersih assembly to de- AAA today, has expressed its horror at the heavy-handed way mand electoral reforms, the police responded to the Hindu Rights Action Force shows that the authorities are (Hindraf) assembly in Kuala Lumpur this morning. displaying absolute disregard for constitutional guarantees. According to an Al Jazeera correspondent who witnessed events, Then, as now, the police used “police fired water cannons and dozens of rounds of tear gas water cannons and tear gas into the faces of the protesters, turning the demonstration into a against a peaceful crowd. q

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Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 18 COVER STORY Why the Hindraf approach is misguided

Many of the economic problems facing Indian Malaysians are also experienced by workers of all races in Malaysia – even the Malays. So the struggle must be reoriented to make it more multi-racial by Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj

any friends and contacts have been asking and other authorities as “gangsters” and the MM what our stand should be on the Hindraf harsh treatment of these youth when caught by MMM campaign. police; First of all, it is undeniable that Indians Malaysians face racial discrimination. These are just some aspects of the reality of Indian Malaysians. Indians are made to feel that they are Such discrimination can be seen in the: second-class citizens. After 50 years of Merdeka, they • difficulty in getting government jobs; • lack of special programmes for Indian students from poor backgrounds; • poor state of many Tamil Primary Schools; • absence of laws to protect the estate community when they are evicted in the name of development; the same goes for the urban pioneers; • insensitive handling of Hindu temples which are demolished to make way for “development”; • extremely insensitive handling of cases of Indian individuals caught in “inter-faith situations”, for example Moorthy and Subashini; • negative profiling of Indian youth by the police

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 19 are beginning to resent it more and more. spread use of contract workers, and the easy avail- ability of migrant workers all weaken the bar- Ethnic-based strategy flawed gaining position of Malaysian labour; • labour laws are being tightened and being made Ethnic-based mobilisation is relatively easy to do. more pro-management; Malaysian society has been tutored in racial poli- • low-cost adequate housing is difficult to find. tics by the BN parties (and by some opposition par- • prices of goods are rising faster than wages... Pet- ties) for the past five decades. The vast majority of rol, toll and now flour... Malaysians think in ethnic terms. • basic services – health care, education, roads, water - which used to be heavily subsidised are Ethnic-based mobilisation of Indians, however, will now becoming increasingly expensive; not be able to overcome the racial discrimination that they face. Malays awakening

At this point, Hindraf is asking for the: The problems listed above are also experienced by • cessation of the Bumiputra policy; workers of all races in Malaysia – even the Malays, • institution of affirmative policies for Indian who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of the Malaysian; Bumiputra policies. Only about 20 per cent of Malay • monetary compensation from the British govern- workers have jobs in government. The remainder ment for “leaving us in this mess”! have to work in the private sector where they too experience economic discrimination as workers in These are emotive issues, and it is obvious that many a capitalist economy. Malay workers are not ex- Indian Malaysians have responded to them. But is empted from the problems of low wages, job insecu- it even remotely possible that they can be resolved rity, and the rising costs of basic services. by ethnic-based mobilisation of the Indians who make up only seven per cent of the population? It appears that that some sections of working class Malays are beginning to question the Bumiputera We should not forget that, apart from racial discrimi- policy, which has benefited the Umno-putras and nation, the majority of Indians face economic dis- their cronies far, far more than the average Malay crimination because they are workers in a system worker. that favours businessmen and capitalists. About 70 per cent of Indian Malaysian are workers. Consider the following: • the Mat Rempit phenomena. Isn’t this, in part, The problems they face as workers include: an expression of the frustration and resentment • low wages. In many factories the basic pay is of ordinary Malay youth who are having diffi- RM18 per day, which works out to RM468 per culties finding and holding jobs because of the month; low-wage and migrant labour policies of the BN • the lack of job security. Outsourcing, the wide- government;

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 20 • more than 50 per cent of the 50,000-strong Bersih believe that they are inadvertently playing into the demonstration on 10 November 2007 was made hands of the “enemy”. of Malay youth who were not from Pas or Keadilan. They turned up because they are fed- Why? Who are the major beneficiaries of the up with the government, which is only helping a Bumiputera policy? Surely people like Najib, small section of the Malay elite. Hishamuddin, Khairy and other top Umno leaders • Anwar Ibrahim has been openly calling for the must be very uncomfortable with the growing per- ending of the Bumiputera policy, which he claims ception among the ordinary Malays that the only helps the rich Umno politicians. He wants Bumiputera policy has been abused to make a small a new policy – the Agenda Baru (New Agenda) - group of Malays filthy rich – all in the name of up- that would be based on economic need and not lifting all Malays. These Umno leaders are also wor- on race. All poor Malaysians should get govern- ried about the coming elections for the people are ment help. frustrated with price hikes and corruption. • Pas spearheaded the Protes Coalition, which opposed the hikes in petrol and diesel prices. They Ethnic mobilisation on the part of Hindraf would are also active in the Coalitions Against Health provide these Umno politicians with the perfect Care and Water Privatisation. Anwar is an as- opportunity to resurrect the “Ketuanan Melayu” tute politician, and Pas does have close contact (Malay supremacy) issue. They could use Hindraf’s with the Malay community. Their articulation of demand for the abolition of the NEP to show how such issues must mean that, in their assessment, “lebih” the Indians have become and to illustrate ordinary Malays are resentful of government the importance of rally around Umno for race and policies that favour the rich. country!

Playing into They could also usee some of the gangster groups “the enemy’s” hands associated with Umno to provoke a racial incident that would come in very useful for the BN in the The political choice facing Malaysian Indians is sim- election campaign period. Which would bring us ple: Do we mobilise ourselves as Indians to fight the back to the tired old BN argument that the people Bumiputera policy and ask for affirmative action would have to vote for the BN to avoid another May for Indians? Or do we work towards a working-class 13! coalition that fights for a better deal for all ordinary Malaysians irrespective of race? Re-orienting the struggle

In other words, do we use ethnic based mobilisa- This does not mean that we should sit quietly when tion or class based mobilisation to fight the present Indians are evicted or when houses and temples are state of ethnic discrimination against Indians? torn down. Not at all. We have to stand with people facing eviction and bullying by developers or by the Obviously, thousands of Indians have jumped onto government in many estates and urban pioneer the Hindraf bandwagon of ethnic mobilisation. But kampungs. But we should never generalise this into the support of large numbers does not necessarily an ethnic issue for all the reasons listed above. mean that that campaign is in the long-term interest of the Indians in Malaysia. Nor does it mean that it This local struggles must continue whenever any is likely to succeed! community is faced with bullying by developers or by government. But national-level mobilisation We salute all those who have thrown off their apa- should be undertaken by all Malaysians (from all thy to stand up for their rights despite the threats races) and not by the Indians only. being made by the BN government in the media. But action for action’s sake is never enough. Action must We hope these brief explanations make sense to you. be guided by the correct analysis, and this is where Do not retire from the struggle. Just reorient it to make we differ with Hindraf. Though Hindraf leaders it multi-racial and fight for justice for all the ordi- have made sacrifices and have shown courage, we nary people of Malaysia. q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 21 COVER STORY A rising crescendo of protest The fate of the country lies in the hands of Malaysian citizenry itself, its political will and courage to change the course of history. by Angeline Loh

bout 40,000-50,000 went the police will try to weed out the even trying to defend themselves. AA out to protest on 10 No- ‘ring leaders’. Yet in all the main- AAA vember, about 20,000- stream media reports, however Those who went out into the 30,000 went out to pro- biased, there is noticeably a com- streets to openly express their frus- test on 25 November 2007, mak- mon denominator- it is the police tration with the breakdown of law ing this a total of approximately who started firing tear gas and and order, the denial of constitu- 60,000-80,000 Malaysians who used water cannon to spray the tional and human rights, the in- have taken to the streets in peace- unarmed crowd with chemical- creasing deterioration and distor- ful and non-violent protests, not laced water. tion of the electoral system, and counting the smaller protests the rising costs of living in the against fuel price hikes, toll rates, The police alleged that they used absence of comparative increases and the deterioration of the judi- minimum force against protesters, in income levels, were told they ciary, in the recent past. but using machines like water were being ‘un-Malaysian’. cannons and tear gas is not mini- Reports of arrests vary, as hun- mum force against a crowd of Double standards dreds are netted by police, the peaceful protesters. It could be and threats larger portion of whom are re- construed as an unjustified leased after some hours of deten- amount of force against people Why is open expression ‘un- tion. What goes on during those who were in no way being violent Malaysian’ when keris-waving is hours of detention, only those who in defending themselves. Televi- allowed and racially antagonis- have been in can tell. No doubt, sion footage showed some not tic remarks and speeches permit-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 22 ted to be voiced at ruling party tive views? be sustained by empty promises AGMs? It appears that the govern- and words or glossy pictures. ment favours unjust and undemo- Most of all, remember those who People cannot live on dreams: cratic practices and seeks to sup- have been imprisoned under the dreams do not fill stomachs or press the truth of growing dissat- ISA, for no known justifiable rea- maintain good health. isfaction with the ruling Badawi son that either the public or the administration. detainees themselves can fathom. The BN has looked too much to These are some of the most seri- the external and internal mon- Although the recent street demon- ous travesties of justice and viola- eyed community, forgetting the strations focused on different is- tions of human rights committed. majority of the populace outside sues, the common denominator Most are prisoners of conscience, that elite class. Communal and was the way in which the police not criminals. religious politics may be progres- dealt with the situation as well as sively difficult to sustain. Racial the reaction of the mainstream To detain without trial or charge and religious arguments may be- media and the government. In people who are merely asking for come less convincing than they both incidences, the fundamental justice and their fundamental hu- were 50 years ago. Current causes right of free expression and assem- man rights and freedoms is to cre- of discontent cut across the board, bly were denied, the police acted ate a large number of prisoners of as ‘bumiputera’ and ‘non- in the same brutal manner, the conscience. bumiputera’ suffer the same ef- mainstream media acted in the fects of human rights violations. same obsequious manner duti- There is no question of commu- fully playing up to the authorities nal politics in relation to the un- The diminution of good govern- and the government statements derlying issues sparking both ance driven by sound values is not were totally predictable despite these and other public protests. a new phenomenon. The tides of the attempt to create a variation The corruption of an electoral sys- history threaten to repeat them- in tactics by publicising state- tem to devoid it of democracy, the selves. It happened to the Roman ments by certain so-called ‘NGOs’ increasing poverty and hardship Empire, the French monarchy, urging Hindraf to call off the pro- due to price hikes in fuel, basic even to Napoleon Bonaparte and test. necessities and transport costs, Alexander the Great. These heroes the increasingly frequent disre- who once ruled the world and cre- The government’s latest move spect of religious belief and prac- ated history are now no more. threatening the use of the Internal tices, the prevalent curbs on the Security Act 1960 against protest right to free expression and assem- Whether the BN persists in main- organisers is no surprise at all. bly, and the overall denial of legal taining a hard-line stance, trust- The ISA has always been the gov- and social justice equally affect all ing in public relations exercises ernment’s panacea for all dissent- citizens regardless of race, creed, and the skill of its spin-doctors, ing opinion and all opposition it political opinion, gender or eco- or whether Malaysian citizenry ul- finds uncomfortable. What’s nomic status. timately decide to keep the ‘devil- new? Usage of the ISA has virtu- they-know’ for the sake of famili- ally become a habit of the ruling A tense silence arity and out of subconscious fear BN all these past decades. Remem- depends on if Malaysians are pre- ber, the case of Raja Petra and Coupled with heavy and high- pared to say, ‘enough is enough’. other dissenting bloggers? Re- handed police tactics that only member the adherents of Al antagonise and incite aggression, Will the rising crescendo of pro- Arqam and the ‘Sky Kingdom’? there will predictably be no peace tests ultimately turn into a whim- Remember the number of times but a tense silence in the country. per as has happened so frequently Opposition leaders have been before? The fate of the country lies locked up under the ISA, Official The Barisan Nasional shows no in the hands of Malaysian Secrets Act, Emergency Ordi- wisdom in persisting to turn a citizenry itself, its political will nance and the Sedition Act merely deaf ear to the emerging symptoms and courage to change the course for being whistle-blowers and of dissatisfaction. The delusion of of history. No one and nothing advocating dissenting or alterna- prosperity and harmony cannot else. q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 23 HUMAN RIGHTS Commemorating the 20th anniversary of Operasi Lalang A people’s hearing publicly identifies those who were guilty of transgressions of human rights and acquits those who had been detained by Julian C H Lee

n 27 October 2007, some OO 200 people packed into OOO a small hall at the Selangor Chinese As- sembly Hall to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Operasi Lalang. Operasi Lalang is regarded by many in Malaysia as the worst and most self-serving use by the Malaysian government of the Internal Security Act.

Operasi Lalang

In late October 1987, the Barisan Nasional government, headed head by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, directed police to de- pose of Operasi Lalang was the tain 107 individuals across Ma- containment of ethnic tensions laysia on the ostensible grounds between the Chinese and Malay that they were a threat to national segments of the Malaysian popu- security by escalating ethnic ten- lation. These tensions had arisen sions. These individuals were when the government tried to ap- mainly members of opposition point senior officials who were political parties and non-partisan unqualified in Mandarin into activists, but also included a con- Chinese-language primary vert from Islam to Christianity. schools. Chinese language Commentators and scholars schools were a point of contention widely regard Operasi Lalang as between the Chinese community a naked demonstration of the self- per se and the Malaysian govern- serving use of the state infrastruc- ment. The Umno-dominated ture by the Barisan Nasional and Barisan Nasional regarded Chi- UMNO. nese language schools as harm- ful to national unity on the The official and ostensible pur- grounds that the language of in-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 24 ing, the number of people who received long-term detention orders, and some of these were detained for as long as two years.

Testimonials of ex-detainees

Following this and the introduc- tory address by Suaram executive director Yap Swee Seng, three ex- detainees described their experiences during Operasi Lalang. These were Khalid Abdul Samad, Mohd Yusof Husin and Kua Kia Soong. This was followed by pre- struction was not the official na- the friends and families of the de- recorded testimonials from other tional language, Malay. tained to Operasi Lalang. ex-detainees such as Irene Xavier and Sim Boh Yu, as well as from Rising tension,s which took the This commemoration took the family members of people who form of vigorous protests from the form of a trial or “people’s hear- were arrested. Malaysian Chinese Association, ing” at which the accused was the the Democratic Action Party, ISA. Thus, this commemoration Common to all these testimonials Gerakan and Chinese sought to ensure that flagrant were descriptions of deprivations eductionists, as well as counter abuses of power during Operasi suffered and psychological games protests by divisions within Lalang and the sufferings of those played by officers. Detainees were Umno, were eventually stamped involved were not forgotten. Fur- interrogated excessively and ag- out when the Mahathir adminis- thermore, it sought to attribute gressively. Basics such as bed- tration ordered the detention of guilt for the wrongdoings to those ding and blankets were withheld 107 individuals under the ISA. that civil society regards as the real and for women, sanitary products These individuals – most of whom culprits, not those who were offi- were intentionally in inadequate had played no role in the Chinese cially vilified. supply. Furthermore, basic life school affair but were otherwise rhythms were interrupted by on- critical of the government – had Proceedings begin going interruptions to sleep and to endure abuses to both their lib- the perpetual illumination of the erty and their person, including Because more people than ex- detainees’ cells. physical torture. pected attended the commemoration, proceedings were delayed. Arguments Commemorating When proceedings got underway, from lawyers Operasi Lalang however, the emcee Zaitun ‘Toni’ Kasim, asked the audience to Two lawyers who were active in Twenty years to the day after stand if there was a name attached assisting Operasi Lalang detain- Operasi Lalang began, no one re- to the chair on which they sat: 107 ees – Sivarasa Rasiah and Ngeow sponsible for the abuses that oc- stood up, and each of those stand- Yin Ngee – and one “amicus cu- curred or the arrests that were ing represented an Operasi riae” – Yeo Yang Poh, former made in bad faith has been Lalang detainee. Progressively, president of the Malaysian Bar – brought to account either legally people took their seats again gave their perspectives on Operasi or electorally. The commemora- when they saw the names on their Lalang and the ISA generally. tion was organised by the seats displayed on the projector Malaysian human rights group, as having been released within 60 Suaram, which had its beginnings days. By the end of this exercise, Continued on page 29 in the response of civil society and some 44 people were left stand-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 25 NON-VIOLENT RESISTENCE Gandhi and the spiritual war between Good and Evil

There is a battle within every individual, manifesting itself in the perpetual hankering after material wealth on the one hand and the yearning for spiritual fulfilment on the other. by Mahadev Shankar

to deal meaningfully with today’s challenges. What the Mahatma did, we too should be able to do.

The core prayer of the Hindus is the Gayatri which roughly translated comes to this: Lord let me meditate on that light within me which is but an indivisible part of your cosmic light which is brighter than a thousand suns.

This must have been a daily routine for Gandhiji both at dawn and Lead, kindly Light, amid th’ encircling gloom, lead Thou me on! dusk. And this act by itself is the The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on! source of a strength whose conti- Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see nuity transcends the human The distant scene; one step enough for me. body. his first verse from Car- minds think that light comes from The Divine TT dinal Newman’s hymn some external source in a linear empowers us TTT was Mahatma Gandhi’s route to lead them in a straight line favourite. towards the ultimate destination. Gandhiji was pretty eclectic when But even that must surely be it came to religion. He accepted all Since 95 per cent of the Universe wrong. A candle that is lit evenly religions as routes to the same consists of dark matter, the nature sheds its beams all around it. destination. Whatever other reli- of light has always mystified me. gions conceive God to be, the The astronomers say many of the I have often wondered how the Hindu concept of the Almighty is stars we see had already died Mahatma must have viewed the an all enveloping Light, which we light years ago. After their light source of the light that Cardinal mortals are simply not equipped comes into our eyes, does that Newman contemplated. The an- to absorb in His entirety. And so quantum of light seen by us die swer to that question could well our Divinity is all inclusive re- also? Our empirical experience give each and every one of us here gardless of race or ethnicity. God tells us that cannot be. Western the means to empower ourselves is for everybody.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 26 Once we have established our link tation in local government as yet not to the results thereof. The with the Divinity by meditating on another thinly disguised exten- moral validity which he was able his Light, the next step is to work sion of the imperial policy of di- thus to bestow on his followers by out how that light can empower vide and rule. branding them satyagrahis (truth’s us. Gandhiji’s Guru – Ralph martyrs) was crucial to the pres- Waldo Trine – explained it thus. The great powers had divided up ervation of their good conscience Take the chair on which you now the Ottoman Empire to the cha- and for the provision of an inex- sit. Would you dare disagree with grin of the Islamic community haustible stamina to see things me that it began as an idea in a world wide, and Gandhi made through despite short term re- human being’s head? So also the common cause with the Khilafat verses. In the event, it took another clothes you now wear, or the car movement in India to restore the 27 years for India to achieve Inde- in which you arrived for this lec- Ottoman Caliphate whom it re- pendence and one more year for ture. Every material thing which garded as its spiritual leader. It Gandhi’s life to be ended by a fa- surrounds our daily lives from was a futile attempt on Gandhi’s natic Hindu assassin’s bullets. your pesky hand phones to the hy- part to initiate some Hindu-Mus- drogen bomb started there as an lim unity. A spiritual war idea in a person’s head. This, added to the massacre of Which brings me to the second But how did that idea get there? Jalianwalla Bagh and the martyr- aspect of his philosophy. The very next word that I am now dom of Bhagat Singh in contradic- Gandhiji felt that there was a uni- going to utter, must also come from tion of Gandhi’s adherence to versal obligation to take part in the somewhere. Am I getting it across Ahimsa, left him in the deepest spiritual war going on between to you that we are surrounded depression. the forces of good and evil so that with Power with a capital P? the forces of good must eventually It was in this dark mood that he triumph. This was the spiritual We may not be able to see it. But turned to the Nagpur congress in war forever going on within every we can surely feel it, and if we are December 1920, and inspired by individual, manifesting itself in in tune with the Infinite, we can Lead Kindly Light, told his audi- the perpetual hankering after ma- use that power as the motivator ence, “I do not ask to see the dis- terial wealth on the one hand and for our daily thoughts and ac- tant scene; one step enough for the yearning for spiritual tions. So the Hindus say Tat Twam me.” And he carried his message fulfillment on the other. For Asi. Thou art that. through. Gandhiji this individual’s war had a cosmic significance because The exposition of what that divine The war for Independence had to it was an integral part of the manifestation brings forth in all be fought “without attachment to greater war between God and Sa- its myriad forms and substance is the fruits of action” - by which tan. what the Bhagavad Gita is all Gandhi meant fighting without about. And the Gita was Gandhi’s desire or anger, acting without For Gandhi, the means did not bible. concern for self, and in a spirit of justify the ends. If the means em- love and sacrifice. Indeed, he was ployed were questionable the ends Don’t worry able to get it across that freedom- achieved would be corrupted. So about the results fighters should not worry too the victory was contained in the much about the consequences of struggle, and the means became Gandhi was in the pits in 1920. their righteous acts but rather an end in itself. Every one step Despite the tremendous sacrifice leave the results in the laps of the rightly taken in pursuit of a just of Indian lives in the First World Gods. This was the trigger which end was an achievement by itself. War, he was no nearer the reali- motivated the decisive support of sation of Swaraj or Independence. the Indian masses for the non-co- It is against this backdrop that all Instead, the British Raj was offer- operation movement. of us in this hall today have to ing “ersatz” in the shape of the measure the contributions Gan- Rowlatt Acts for partial represen- So to work they had the right - but dhi made to the world. His mortal

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 27 remains were cremated in Rajghat wrong? especially when some Judges on 31 January 1948. The grief- seem to have been contaminated stricken Nehru moaned that the When Science is galloping along with the same syndrome? light had gone out the lives of all world-wide to produce nuclear those around him. bombs in such number that we “Be ye ever so high, the law is have now reached the stage where above you,” was ever the hallmark History, however, has proven that we can totally annihilate the of every true democracy. Rule of the eclipse was temporary. world many times over, would it Law in other words - and not Rule Gandhiji’s light has come back not be right to ask if Science is by Law. I have often wondered again and again relentlessly and without Humanity? why our Ministers don’t realise undimmed to lead the way to the that the law is there also for their right path. As I examine today’s world protection, and if they act within through each spectrum of Gan- it society must respect and protect How can he inspire us in our daily dhi’s Seven Deadly Sins, the them. lives? By kind courtesy of the fam- monopoly of power that national ily of H.H. Bhatt we have been able governments have concentrated If they put themselves above the to exhibit a number of photo- in their clutches stands in deso- law, why don’t they see that they graphs of various events in his life. late contrast with their legitimacy have put their legitimacy at risk One in particular struck me with and their moral authority. especially when it is so easy nowa- great force. days to accuse them of having a Why the immunity personal interest in the decisions When Mahatma Gandhi arrived for Ministers? they make. at the Round Table Conference on 12 September 1931, he was bare- Getting to grips with this ideologi- The views I have expressed here headed, in open slippers, and clad cal void is the first step to initiat- tonight are my own and I take per- in a cotton hand woven dhoti ing a turnaround. sonal responsibility for them. while the Englishmen around him were swathed to the eyeballs With my lawyer’s hat on, let me But as an adherent to the with winter woolies, hats and say this. Gandhian precepts, my approach raincoats. How on earth did he not is that of Abraham Lincoln after feel the cold? Our Constitution contains an ar- Gettysburg- Charity for all and ticle that the prerogative powers malice towards none. Seven Deadly Sins: of our Rulers are sacrosanct. That Its relevance law was amended so that our When a child cries, a mother gives Sovereigns can be sued in the Con- it milk. Surely, it is good policy As for the relevance of his Seven stitutional Court. always to win over the Deadly Sins in this murky world discontents in our community by we now live in, permit me to ask I find it very hard to reconcile showing that the government also some questions against the back- myself to the numerous statutes cares and shares. drop of the banners which we which now provide that “the de- have displayed around this hall. cision of the Minister shall not be Charities and NGOs questioned in a Court of Law”. The can only do Is that sadistic murderer of Canny ISA is only one of them. You can Ong an isolated example or is his find similar provisions in the In- so much and no more. Govern- modus operandi becoming a pat- dustrial Relations Act and, of late, ment, however, has immense re- tern? From the day I first met even in the Private Health Care sources which can provide imme- Razak Baginda, I felt he was des- Act, which came into force this diate relief. tined for great things. What were year. the labyrinthine influences which Going to the aid of the needy can have landed him in the dock in Has the immunity - or the impu- produces immediate results. Fail- Shah Alam? Where did he go nity - thus conferred led us astray, ure to do so can be perilously

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 28 counter-productive. Is there a les- cess or failure in whatever office we hold, will be measured by the son for us to learn from the fact answers to four questions: that so many of the victims of Hur- ricane Katerina were left with the First: Were we truly men of courage...? feeling that they had been dis- criminated against by Bush’s fail- Second: Were we truly men of judgment...? ure to provide timely assistance just because they were born Third: Were we truly men of integrity...? black?! Finally: Were we truly men of dedication?” As Jack Kennedy said: “to those to whom much is given, much is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi undoubtedly was. required. And when at some future date the High Court of His- Why can’t we? q tory sits in judgment on each of us, recording whether in our brief Dato Mahadev Shankar is chairman of span of service we fulfilled our re- the Gandhi Memorial Trust. sponsibilities to the State, our suc-

Continued from page 25 ment. In this vein, Yeo noted that dent at the commemoration was in addition to those physically an abandonment of faith in the Sivarasa described a number of detained under the ISA, “democ- structures of the Malaysian state the judgments surrounding the racy and liberty are also impris- which ought to have been respon- use of the ISA and pointed out that oned”. sible for the administration of jus- one judgement in the case of tice and the protection of the Theresa Lim Chin Chin v Inspector Taking Justice citizenry from abuses of power. In- General of Police, had an especially stead, these structures were seen negative impact on restraining When asked to decide the guilt or to facilitate the opposite. executive abuses of power. In this innocence of the ISA, the audience case it was found that the subjec- was unanimous in finding the Twenty years after Operasi Lalang, tive satisfaction of the Home Min- ISA guilty of grave injustices. Con- this commemoration and people’s ister that an individual was a sequently, a list of demands of the hearing publicly identified those threat to national security was government was drawn up. who were guilty of transgressions enough to make the detention le- of human rights and acquitted gal. The courts, therefore, did not • Abolish the ISA those who had been officially need to objectively evaluate any • Free all current ISA detainees blamed. q evidence to decide whether the de- or try them in court tention had grounds or not. • Compensate ISA detainees Julian C. H. Lee is a lec- • Close the Kamunting Deten- turer in International Stud- Among Ngeow’s comments was tion Camp ies at Monash University, his observation of members of the • Issue an apology to detainees Sunway (Kuala Lumpur). government: “There is something • Free the media He is an anthropologist wrong in these people that they • Establish a truth and reconcili- whose research areas in- think they can get away with these ation commission abuses of power.” Operasi Lalang clude Malaysian electoral politics as well as gender and the continued existence of the These, it is worth noting, were de- and sexuality. ISA exemplify the larger unac- mands, not calls for government countability of those in govern- action or requests. What was evi-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 29 RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY Levels of faith: Stone, water and air Beliefs, ideals and practices must reflect through life; otherwise, incongruencies show up by K Haridas

eading Brigid Marlin’s book, “From East RR to West”, I came across Cerno Bokar, the RRR West African Sufi mystic, who when asked about the different kinds of faith did not enumerate the different world religions or traditions. Instead, he stressed that faith was what was inside individuals. The depth of faith depended on the spiritual level reached, whatever the name of the religion or tradition subscribed to.

The sufi mystic described the lowest level of inner faith as the level of the ‘stone’. The next level was ‘water’ and the highest level ‘air’. ‘Stone faith’ represented those who preferred the letter of the law rather than the spirit. Faith at this level, he described as being hard and precise. Those at this level think in terms of boundaries; of ‘us’ and ‘them’. At times those at this level prescribe armed warfare if this was necessary to gain respect and assurance of their position.

Faith at the middle level - that of ‘water’ - belongs to at this level stand against war, live in peace with those who worked and faced up to the trials of the their fellow human beings, nature and animals. first level, one fashioned by uncompromising rigid rules. They have triumphed over their faults and The highest level of faith he described as the level of have set out on the way which leads to truth. The ‘air’. This is pure and rises above matter. Those who faith of ‘water’ gives life, it is flexible, it can solidify reach this level adore God in truth in the light with- like ice to move nearer to the people at the lowest out colours. At this highest level both the lower lev- level or it can rise like vapour towards those at the els of faith disappear to make place for Divine Truth, highest level. It is the level at which beliefs, ideals which flourishes in the fields of Love and Truth and values integrate into life’s experiences. Those rooted in consciousness.

“The wise man can understand the fool but the fool can never understand the wise man”

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 30 The sufi mystic’s metaphor best than yours and we have a special our, class, ethnicity and religions describes the journey of faith. Yes, place with God.” often described as inter-religious we start with our places of wor- and inter-civilisational dialogues. ship, holy books, rituals and Those at the level of ‘water’ while teachings. These represent impor- appreciating theology, dogma It is through ‘dialogue’ that we tant beginnings. Yet, like secular and ritual internalise their can learn from one another’s ex- knowledge there must be progress learnings and integrate these in perience and viewpoints. Shar- from the basics to a deeper under- their lives. They are able to explore ing is critical to understanding. standing. experiences of faith, share stories Values and beliefs provide funda- of change, reconciliation, restitu- mental and foundational princi- The tragedy tion and love that provide mean- ples. We nevertheless only de- ing to their lives and engagement. velop commitment to these prin- The tragedy, nevertheless, seems ciples by spending time in si- to be that many get stuck at the Those at the level of air see hu- lence, reflection and meditation. level of ‘stone’ faith. Beginning manity as one and live lives of Through restitution, realisation with right principles is critical for humility, giving and sharing, tak- and application we then nurture the right practices to be in place. ing people where they are and lift- our lives and relationships with Character and conduct represent ing them to a higher level of spir- the ‘other’ and move higher in our important beginnings. Beliefs, ide- itual experience whatever their re- level of faith. als and practices must reflect ligious background. through life; otherwise, incon- Change is constant but growth is gruencies show up. We reach the highest levels an option. The inner ultimately through developing an enlarged informs the outer. The challenge All of us move in the limited or consciousness backed by growth arises when external reality and expansive circle of our own in thinking and moral under- the state of society provides the thoughts and beliefs. The nar- standing. How we view the basis for acceptable conduct and rower the radius the more con- ‘other’ is often a litmus test of behaviour. “Everyone does it” vinced we are that there are no where we are in terms of our level then becomes a norm that is diffi- further limits, no wider circles. The of faith. Without a spiritual view cult to challenge. When the outer lesser cannot contain the greater, of humankind it is difficult to de- informs the inner, then we sacri- as the person of ‘stone’ faith has velop a deeper sense of compas- fice clarity and accept lifestyles no means of apprehending the sion and hope. How do we explore and trends that compound further faith at the level of ‘air’. Such un- issues relating to forgiveness with- the confusion evident in society derstanding and knowledge out widening our circle of love? today. comes only by growth. Growth is an option Ultimately, personal realisations Those at the level of ‘air’ under- and growth are intimately linked. stand those at the level of ‘stone’ Yet, we live in a world where peo- Many are searching for clarity in from where they have emerged. In ple are at different levels both as a materialistic world confused by the larger experience, all lesser to their understanding and expe- permissiveness, blatant consum- experiences are contained and rience of faith. These different lev- erism, unbridled consumption preserved. Or as the saying goes, els are evident amongst believers and casino-market economics on “The wise man can understand of all religions and traditions. one side while poverty, violence the fool but the fool can never un- They also have to dialogue; the in- and hate stare us on the other. We derstand the wise man”. tra-religious dialogue - so that be- can make a difference - and col- lievers of the same religion lectively, if enough undertake this Those at the level of ‘stone’ fo- through shared experiences can commitment; then a critical mass cuses on beliefs, theology and reach out regularly to expand the could provide the tipping point for dogma. These can be expressed in radius of their circle of love and new possibilities. We have never- a manner that conveys religious understanding. Then, there is the theless to start with ourselves and superiority: “My brand is better dialogue across boundaries of col- what better time than now. q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 31 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM Treated as deviant even before court hearing JAIPP raids Rufaqa Hari Raya gathering, treats those present as criminals by Detainee

would like to report on Suddenly, at about 10.15pm, the istic state-sanctioned official Is- II the violations of human gathering was interrupted by lam and the sufistic Islam of III rights perpetrated by of- around six or seven male and two Darul Arqam (possibly continued ficials from the Jabatan female JAIPP enforcement officers, by some employees of Rufaqa’ on Agama Islam Pulau Pinang accompanied from behind by sev- an individual basis), adherents of (JAIPP) (Penang Islamic Religious eral policemen. The JAIPP spokes- the latter deserve to be treated as Department). man and religious enforcement human beings who have rights officer (PPA), Aqim, announced that cannot be trampled upon. I On the night of 1 November 2007, that those who were at the gather- wish to report on the following at a house in Taman Desa Ara in ing had violated sections of Is- possible violations of human Bayan Lepas, Penang, a Hari lamic enactments which had pur- rights that possibly occurred dur- Raya gathering-cum-dinner at- portedly gazetted Rufaqa’ as an ing the operation. tended by staff, employees and illegal organisation. guests of Rufaqa Corporation After the body search and confis- Penang was in progress. JAIPP officials then conducted an cation of personal belongings, 51 intense search of the bodies and individuals were ordered to report Present at the gathering was belongings of those present to the Bayan Lepas police station Khadijah Aam, wife of Ashaari (around 50 altogether, excluding to sign surety letters to grant them Muhammad. Khadijah was children). Confiscated were per- bail on a personal basis. They thanking Rufaqa’ Penang for in- sonal belongings which allegedly were not given clear instructions viting her to the function, coupling proved the gatherers’ intention to whether they could leave their her words of gratitude with spir- adhere to the teachings of Rufaqa’ children (under the liable age for itual remembrances (tazkirah) on (which is nonsensical since prosecution) behind or not. the subject of ‘life after death’ at Rufaqa’ is a commercial company, the precise time when the raid not a religious organisation) Apparently, some said that chil- started and/or to revive Darul Arqam. dren could be left behind, some Among things confiscated were others said that children had to Now, Rufaqa’ is a private limited photos of Ashaari, big and small, be brought along. As a result, some company owned by Ashaari even those kept in the purses of brought small kids along. Under- Muhammad, former leader of the those present. standably, the crowded condi- banned Darul Arqam movement. tions of the vicinity in which the The firm employs mostly former Human rights abuses alleged offenders were hounded Darul Arqam members to manage into caused extreme discomfort for its economic projects all over the Notwithstanding the theological them and led them to shed tears. country. The Penang branch has disputations which have so long This sight did not arouse sympa- existed since 2001. driven a wedge between the legal- thy from the JAIPP officials or the

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 32 police. offenders as offenders whose the discomfort that had to be un- rights were of trivial concern to dergone by the gatherers. None of One of the gatherers took the ini- them. Throughout the operation, the JAIPP officials did. tiative to call a friend to come to they showed the impression that the police station and transport they wanted to get everything set- (The following section was writ- the children back to the place of tled quickly, obviously as they ten on 8 December 2007) the gathering at Sg Ara, where wanted to go home to the comfort some adults (not the original gath- of their wives and kids, ignoring At the mercy of JAIPP erers) had been stationed to take altogether that the gatherers had care of the children. No sympa- similar wants as well. We were made to understand, on thetic offer came from the JAIIP the night of our arrest on 1 No- and the police to transport the Throughout the operation vember 2007 until the wee hours children, despite it being their (10.00pm – 3.00am), the gatherers of 2 November that we were to re- mistake in giving unclear instruc- were not given any food. The meal port to JAIPP anytime between tions. The process of signing let- at our function had not yet begun 9.00am and 5.00pm on 5 Novem- ters of guarantee and releasing the at 10.00pm. Some of them had ber to record our statements (51 gatherers on bail ended at 3.00am. fasted during the day (part of the statements overall). Some, includ- post-Ramadan six-day optional ing me, chose to come early. At The JAIPP officials had prohib- fasting), meaning that they had around 9.20am, those of us ited the gatherers from going to only little food after Maghrib present were instructed to gather the police station in their own (dusk) as the big dinner was com- in the JAIPP meeting room to be cars; instead, they had to board ing at the end of the function. At briefed by a JAIPP official. JAIPP vehicles, driven by JAIPP of- the police station, they were given ficials. Some officials guaranteed only small bottles of mineral wa- He claimed that instructions had that the gatherers would be trans- ter to quench their thirst; even been given to all of us to arrive at ported back to Sg Ara (where their these had to be shared among the JAIPP at 9.00am sharp. I checked respective cars had been parked) gatherers. Although the gatherers with my friends who had arrived; once the bail process was com- had hinted about their hunger almost all had understood JAIPP’s pleted. This promise was flouted. and thirst throughout the proce- past instructions as meaning that dure, both the police and JAIPP we were given room to report at Thus, at 3.00am, some of them officials were oblivious to their JAIPP anytime between 9.00am with their children away at Sg Ara, concern. and 5.00pm, not necessarily at were left to their own devices as 9.00am. But now JAIPP officials to how to get from Bayan Lepas As a member of the Muslim com- were arrogantly denying their police station back to Sg Ara. The munity, I am ashamed of how mistake, intentional or not, and police showed apathy to the gath- JAIPP religious officials (all sup- ordering us to call all our remain- erers’ plight once the official proc- posedly ustaz and ustazah) treated ing friends to come to JAIPP ess was over. The gatherers had their co-religionists with impu- promptly. to call some friends at 3.00am to nity. Whatever the offences the pick them up at Bayan Lepas. gatherers might have committed, We were horrified to read a report they should have been treated as in Harian Metro that morning that Some gatherers reported that innocent until proven guilty, and we were going to be hauled to the when faced with the letters of even then, they should have been sharia court that very day. JAIPP surety, they were urged (intimi- given all rights due to them under was obviously concealing from us dated?) to sign them even before both the law and human con- vital information which affected they had read the conditions cerns. On the whole, the JAIPP of- our own lives and movements, but stipulated in the letters (Words ficials’ behaviour throughout the had divulged that same informa- such as “Sign je lah cepat, ramai operation smacked of the behav- tion to the media. orang lagi tu” - “Just sign quickly; iour of licensed henchmen. The there are many others waiting). conduct of the police was slightly JAIPP officials never informed us JAIPP officials treated the alleged better; some of them apologised for that prosecution would immedi-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 33 ately follow the interviews at interviews had ended. After Zohor phers and journalists at the en- JAIPP. We came to JAIPP antici- at JAIPP, we were not allowed to trance. This time, we were given pating that we would be released leave the building until a char- packed lunches. Proceedings once our respective interviews tered bus arrived to transport us started at 3.30pm. were over and summoned to the to the sharia court. sharia court at a later date. JAIPP JAIPP’s prosecuting officer, officials seemed to enjoy the fact By the time we were ordered to Khairul Azman Azizan, called that we were at their mercy. board the bus, we realised that out our names and read out the some interviewees had been re- sections under which we were to The interviews varied in length leased by JAIPP for reasons un- be charged. and nature from person to person. known to us. From what we knew, My whole life story was related to they had certain official or unoffi- Upon mention of our names, we the JAIPP investigating officer in cial connections to the state. moved from the spectators’ seats a two- and a half-hour interview. to face the judge, Mohd. Ridwan At times, I felt my arguments had One Mrs F was the wife of an Ghazali, at the front. None of us defeated his, but this was of no Umno strongman who, prior to the pleaded guilty, and only one was consequence as he would record gathering on the night of 1 No- represented by a lawyer. All had only statements which suited vember had warned her that raids appealed to the court for a grant JAIPP’s intent of filing allegations on Rufaqa’ functions in Penang of bail lower than the amount de- against me. Arguments which were about to be launched. manded by the prosecutor. Most had him on the defensive were left of us had large families, certainly as unrecorded exchanges of opin- Another Mrs R, who was freed by modern standards. In leaving ions, which the officer ostensibly with her husband Mr J, was on our children behind in the morn- appreciated. JAIPP’s payroll as a Kelas Agama ing, we did not expect the day’s dan Fardu Ain (Kafa) teacher in proceedings to drag on until the Some other interviewees were Balik Pulau. evening. Other reasons cited in- shown a list of their previous SMS cluded past services to the coun- messages which were allegedly From the gatherers of 1 Novem- try in the capacity of a civil serv- evidence of past mischievous ber, one Mrs Z, who came with her ant with an unblemished record. communication among plotters of three children, had mysteriously a ‘Darul Arqam revival’. Our pri- escaped action from JAIPP offi- All reasons cited seemed to have vate lives had obviously been in- cials, although she had come had little effect; the judge did re- truded by a collusion between along to the Bayan Lepas police duce the amount of bail, but only state institutions (JAIPP, police station upon arrest. Her IC was a little. The court proceedings special branch) and private tel- not confiscated that night by ended at around 5.00pm, when ecommunications companies JAIPP officials. She did not even the court office accepting pay- (Celcom, Maxis, DiGi), who might have to turn up for the interview- ments for bail was near its ex- or might not have been coerced. ing session at JAIPP on Monday. tended closing time. Only six (in- She turned out to be a teacher at a cluding four in a family) managed My interviewer took away my religious school whose staff were to post bail in time. original surety letter issued on the on JAIPP payroll. She appeared to night of 1 November 2007, prom- have known some of the JAIPP Even then, according to witnesses, ising that he would photocopy raiders of 1 November 2007. the counting of the cash money one for my retention. He broke his was done slowly, perhaps inten- promise. The letter had stated the Were there double standards op- tionally, in order to deny the ma- sections of Penang’s Syariah erating in the procedures of the jority of us from gathering money Criminal Enactments (1996) un- Islamic bureaucracy at state level and guarantors for the bailing der which I was to be charged. in Malaysia? process.

Double standards We arrived at the Penang sharia Apparently, JAIPP was intent that court at about 2.45pm, to be the majority of us got thrown into By around 1.00pm, most of the greeted by a throng of photogra- jail, even for a day. Altogether, 36

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 34 of us (20 men, 16 women) who did shielded one who was answering also got ourselves into trouble not post bail in time were hauled nature’s call or bathing. The envi- with the law. Conditions in the into a chartered bus headed for ronment was dark and eerie – it prison were not conducive to Penang jail. was near the cell which used to making them better citizens if ever be the place for hanging. There they were released. Thrown in jail was no arrow to show us the di- rection of Mecca; for our prayers, The inmates told us not to trust We arrived at the Penang jail at we had to ask for this from the prison guards, who had actually twilight – Maghrib time. Proce- prison guards. We relied on the treated us better than they treated dures upon entering the jail as a calls for prayers from the nearby hard crime offenders. They had new inmate were so lengthy that surau (prayer house) to tell us the overheard the prison guards’ con- we were compelled to perform prayer times. Big rats, perhaps as versations about how we, as a Maghrib together with Isyak large as kittens, passed openly in group with supposedly many pro- prayers during Isyak time (using front of our cell during the night. fessionals, were in a position to an allowance whereby prayers’ Everything was hygienically un- divulge the true nature of the de- times can be combined in emer- fit for the performance of Islamic humanising conditions of the gency circumstances) at the lock- worship rituals, but we had to prison cells. This would expose up near the recording department bear with such deplorable condi- their abuse of powers within of the Penang jail. tions. Ironically, it was the Islamic prison walls. authorities who put us there. We were given prison food in spe- Were they concerned that we had At 3.30pm, one Malay and three cial prison trays for dinner before not been able to execute our Is- Chinese inmates, back from the being hauled deeper into the jail, lamic rituals properly since they court, entered our cell, making it the men separated from the began their crackdown on 1 No- altogether 13 of us in the now women, to our destined lock-ups vember 2007? crammed cell. Toh (not his real designed for remand prisoners. At name) disclosed to us the shock- the men’s section, two youths be- Shocking ingly true picture of the goings- low 20 years of age were separated goings-on in jail on in the cells. In Toh’s own from us. The remaining 18 of us words, they were treated like ani- occupied two lock-ups, each hold- Throughout the next day, 6 No- mals, without human rights. Un- ing nine of us. We had on us only vember, we joined in the daily like our cell, most cells were filthy. what we were wearing and blan- prison routine, which included a For their bath, they were allowed kets given by the prison authori- medical check-up (with our wrists only four small bucketfuls of wa- ties. We were not allowed to bring handcuffed) at the prison hospi- ter. They were given rough, sub- into the cells our money, telecom- tal, meals and occasional reports standard blankets, unlike ours. munications devices and reading to the prison master outside our material. cell. Prison guards rode roughshod over them at will, to the extent of The cell was about three metres It was a revelation to us when we using physical intimidation. In by three metres; one can imagine got to mingle with other inmates. my opinion, there was innate rac- such a space being occupied by 9 Most were Malays, many were ism as well, as most prison guards healthy adults, who had to share held for drug-related offences, were Malay. If that was how they one open lavatory (without walls), some had been held in remand for treated non- Malay prisoners, a bucket of water and a pipe. many, many years and suffered how could non-Malays ever re- seemingly unending postpone- spect the Malays’ religion and Bathing and ablution had to be ments of court hearings. They race? done within the limited space just could not see any prospect of re- enough for one to squat in the lease in the near future even We found these non-Malay in- manner of defecating. As we were though they had not been con- mates to be surprisingly tolerant. not used to cleaning ourselves victed in a court of law. They won- There was no hassle in their ac- openly in the bare, two of us dered how ‘decent’ people like us ceding to our request to make a

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 35 little room for our Asar prayers. and mentioned in front of the lamic court. judge. My trust in Malaysia’s reli- Trust in religious gious bureaucracy and the admin- In plaintive mood, I wonder to bureaucracy shattered istration of sharia justice in Ma- myself, “Is this Islamic justice?” laysia has truly been shattered. For years, I have researched and At around 4.30 pm, news arrived written about Islam in Malaysia, to us that we had been bailed. We Whither Islam sometimes in glowing terms, at thanked our fellow cell mates for Hadhari? other times critically. I never im- the brief acquaintance, left the agined that one day, I would be at cells and commenced procedures After signing the papers, it was the receiving end of the state Is- to leave the jail. Outside, JAIPP still not over. We were transported lamic authorities’ heavy- had prepared a bus to transport to the Balik Pulau Police Station handedness, and to boot, in such us to the Balik Pulau sharia court, for interrogation by Special a degrading manner. My human- where our bail had been posted. Branch officers. My interrogation ity was consistently violated took more than two hours. The throughout JAIPP’s treatment of The movement there was not as Special Branch kept on apologis- me and my friends, who had in- smooth as it should have been. ing to us for the raid, which was nocently agreed to attend a com- Our bus encountered technical at the instructions of JAIPP. The pany dinner on the night of 1 No- problems and stood stationary at Special Branch merely assisted vember 2007. We have been the roadside at Sungai Nibong. JAIPP, which had a shortage of treated as deviants even before our Two police trucks had to be called personnel. cases are heard in a court of law. to continue our journey. By the time we reached Balik Pulau, it By midnight, most of us were even- I have lost faith in Islamic institu- was already nearly 8.00pm. We tually released. The Balik Pulau tions in Malaysia, particularly in performed our prayers at the police did prepare some packed those which are supposed to ad- sharia court’s surau and signed dinner, but those of us who fin- minister justice and solve soci- our bail papers. I was astounded ished our sessions late did not get ety’s problems in a loving and to find out that I had to sign three our rations. I left the station with caring way. If these are the types sheets (one for each accusation) my wife in a friend’s car to get our of institutions that are to be cre- when in the court the previous car which was at the parking lot ated by Islam Hadhari, I sincerely day, only two accusations were facing the Penang state legislative wish that we all do away with Is- read out against me. assembly, a stone’s throw from lam Hadhari. Such an Islam JAIPP. Hadhari is not only unIslamic, but What kind of ploy is this? But we it is also oppressive. Such an Is- were all fatigued; if I was adamant I remember the parking attendant lam Hadhari cannot be Islam, be- about not signing them, it would asking on the morning of 5 No- cause Islam dispenses justice to only delay procedures for all of us. vember, whether we were going all, regardless of ethnicity and re- Out of sympathy for my friends, I to park there for long. We confi- ligion. reluctantly signed all three sheets. dently answered, “No.” How I enquired about the discrepancy, wrong we were. It proved to be the If even we Muslims have to un- and the court officer-in-charge longest two days of my life, with a dergo such despicable treatment simply assured me that the mat- lot of drama. How relieved I at the hands of the coercive ap- ter would be looked into. But of would be if I suddenly woke up to paratus of an Islamic state, what course it was never brought up to find out that it was all a nightmare. hope do non-Muslims have of me later, indicating that the mat- But it was not to be. After all these being dealt with justly by the ter had been put to rest. years of serving the country in a state? q public institution, this is what I Circumstances had forced me to received in return from the state: deny myself my own human the denial of my basic human The author is an academic rights. On 6 December 2007, I am rights, manipulation of my igno- in a public university in to be tried for an offence for which rance of the law, humiliation, and MalaysiaMalaysiaMalaysia the prosecutor had not even filed now possible conviction in an Is-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 36 BANGSA MALAYSIA Continued from page 40 community. grievance and chemically laced These two emotive issues starkly water was used to disperse the expose our failed attempt in cre- But the sad fact is that the ordi- crowd that also had women and ating a Malaysian nation that re- nary citizens don’t benefit from children in their midst. flects our unity in diversity, our the rhetoric of these politicians. tolerance for dissenting views, our Can you understand why 1,555 They will not allow unity to be compassion for the poor and the national schools in the rural ar- forged on common grounds. This underprivileged irrespective of eas are without toilet facilities and will be seen as a threat to their our ethnicity. 794 schools are without electric- power base. ity? How come 39 per cent of the We have failed to create a society national schools are without toi- Cause for worry that is firmly anchored in the let facilities and 29 per cent with- commonality of universal values. out electricity? Bersih called for a huge gathering It is a shame that even today we to march to the palace grounds to are so polarised and blinkered in These are poor, deserving Malays demand free and fair elections. It our views. The way things are and why are they being treated in was meant as a peaceful demo- heading, it is getting from bad to such a cruel way? It is not that we cratic exercise to demand our le- worse. don’t have money. After Tan Siew gitimate rights. But the police gave Sin, every Finance Minister has warnings that this gathering did Unfortunately, it is getting from been a Malay and an Umno mem- not have a permit and that people bad to worse through the apathy ber. Every Education Minister has should not turn up or else they of the majority of Malaysians been a Malay and an Umno mem- would be arrested. who, though they may want a bet- ber. Why haven’t they served their ter society for all of us, dare not community when they hold the But how is it that when thousands make a public stand on issues that purse strings and the political of vociferous and spirited matter. It is this apathy that has power to dispense justice? Malaysians turn up to demon- emboldened the extreme elements strate against the United States of amongst us to push for an agenda It may be a ploy to keep them poor America or against Israel the po- that will have serious conse- to serve their interests. It can al- lice don’t threaten them? How is quences for the majority of us who ways be justified that these poor it that it is all right to demonstrate are accommodating, well-mean- rural Malays are in this unfortu- and march without a police per- ing, tolerant, peace-loving and nate situation because of others mit when the anger is directed friendly Malaysians. and therefore the ruling party against someone else? must be supported. This is how You may recall that a survey con- hatred is fed so that we cannot People are being manipulated so ducted last year clearly confirmed come together as one people and that they don’t have a chance to that more than 70 per cent of Mus- one nation. come together on their own in lims are clearly opposed to Ma- friendship, in the spirit of good- laysia becoming a theocratic Is- But when people come together will and understanding as one lamic state along the lines of Iran on common issues that unite them people, one nation. even though they may perceive irrespective of their ethnicity, that Malaysia to be an Islamic coun- gathering is dispersed in the most Well-meaning Malaysians have try. And yet, it is the vocal minor- brutal manner. You remember the cause to be worried. They have ity - the exponents of an Islamic Bloody Sunday last year when reason to worry where we are country - who hold sway. Unless Malaysians demonstrated as one heading as a nation. Our unity is the sober and sensible majority people to condemn the hike in so fragile that we wonder why af- from the Muslim and non-Muslim petrol price? Truncheons were ter 50 years of nationhood we divide speak up and state their used to beat up peaceful people have failed to forge a nation that preference openly, we stand to lose who had gathered to show their transcends race and religion. out by default.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 37 It is tragic that we cannot even Do you want to Enough is enough! form an Inter-Faith Council to keep give them another our harmony and preserve our 50 years to make This government is not capable of peace. It reveals a lot as to how you miserable? seriously inculcating universal serious and disturbing this situa- values that will create a sense of tion has become. Even a closed- It is obvious that you cannot leave belonging and togetherness door forum to discuss our rights this important topic of unity to be among the various communities. under the Federal Constitution achieved by this government. We We cannot allow this to go on. It’s was forced to be called-off by an have to forge this unity by ourselves time to say. “Enough is enough!” unruly mob that threatened to and get rid of the obstacles and The majority of people who are barge into the conference hall last impediments that hinder unity. rational, well-meaning and year. deeply concerned about our well- What hinders this unity, you may being as a nation must stand up We are no longer able to discuss ask? To put it simply and bluntly, for what is right and good for the certain issues rationally and it is the huge mandate given to the nation. openly. To make matters worse government. That mandate over 50 certain issues are even placed be- years has not seriously addressed Hopefully the impending general yond the realm of discussion. the question of our unity as a na- election will motivate the ordinary How do we find common tion. On the contrary, that huge people to vote responsibly so that grounds for compromise when we majority has eroded our rights and the BN will not be given another are not allowed to sit down and stripped us of our legitimate iden- huge mandate that has made them discuss issues frankly? tity as ordinary citizens of Malay- arrogant, unaccountable and un- sia with equal rights. That huge democratic. Why is it that people get so emo- majority has kept us apart. tive over race and religion but re- The sooner we make that stand main untouched by issues such That huge majority has not made the better our chances. as poverty, privatisation of pub- them a caring government that lic utilities, FTA negotiations, the addresses the needs of the people. You will be promised all kinds of ISA and other ongoing forms of Housing for the marginalised and things in their impressive flyers; repression in this country? displaced workers continues to be their manifesto will have glowing a serious problem. The entry of objectives to seduce you. 50 years of misery private interests into the health care and water sectors will have Ignore all that and remember only But this sad situation continues far-reaching effects for the poor. this. It is a saying from Eric Hoffer: to raise a multitude of questions We squander millions of ringgit for all of us – what is the way for- through abuse and corruption “No matter how noble the objec- ward in a multi-ethnic, multi-reli- without a care in the world. tives of a government, if it blurs gious country? Is there hope for decency and kindness, cheapens one people, one nation? Under this government, the barri- human life and breeds ill will and ers of race, religion and culture suspicion – it is an evil govern- We have given the BN government that often divide the nation into ment”. 50 years to rule the country and various groups will be perpetu- —— Eric Hoffer, forge a nation from our diversity. ated for eternity. This government The Passionate State of Mind 1954 They have failed us miserably. If will not get rid of the identifica- over half a century, they cannot tion of race in all the official forms bring about a nation that is firmly in the public and private sectors. rooted in our spirituality and shar- The element of race has become Rama delivered this above ing a common destiny in the name an institutionalised form of rac- address at a recent Malam of our humanity, should you ism being practised in some of the Bangsa Malaysia celebra- place your trust and fate in this social institutions such as education in Penang. government? tion and the media.

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TOTAL Enclosed : Money Order / Postal Order / Cheque for RM (No. ) payable to ‘Aliran’. Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 39 BANGSA MALAYSIA One people, one nation – Is it possible? Malaysians must vote responsibly to deny the BN another huge mandate that has made them arrogant, unaccountable and undemocratic. by P Ramakrishnan

Let me begin by asking you a squandered. We want people who through denial that deprives the question:question:question: will stand up for truth and jus- deserving from the poorer seg- tice. ments of our society. They dis- Do you think that it is possible to criminate along racial and reli- have one people, one nation? If I When we have people with these gious lines. They reward one don’t hear a resounding “Yes” attributes, then we can have one group and deprive some other then you are going to give Nazri people, one nation. When people group. By selective policies and an excuse to say that it is only a have a healthy respect for univer- unfair implementations, they perception and not a reality. He sal values and virtues such as jus- have kept us divided for their own says a lot of foolish things. We tice, truth, freedom, accountabil- survival. don’t want him to trivialise an ity, abhorrence for corruption and important issue such as this. arrogance, then we transcend our And sadly, too, it is the politicians religious and racial barriers and who fan the flames of polarisation Of course, it is possible to have one come together in unity as one peo- for their own political ends. They people, one nation. By one people ple. want to be seen as champions of we don’t mean that everyone their community and, for that, they thinks alike. That is dangerous. This is what we should strive for: have to constantly portray certain When all men and women think an ideal that will make us a better issues as being under threat and alike, they are not thinking at all. people and a better nation. project themselves as the ones That’s something the BN govern- standing up for those rights. It is ment would want but that is some- Politicians these short-term and shortsighted thing we don’t want. keep us apart policies that have become a serious hindrance to our unity. We want thinking people. We Why is it that after 50 years of na- want caring people. We want peo- tionhood, we are not one people, They will proclaim that others are ple who can feel for another hu- one nation? Well, we have the out to grab their economic share man being. We want people with politicians to thank for that. They of the cake. They will kiss the keris compassion. We want people who made sure that there would not while some mad guy demands to can be outraged when an injus- be a united Malaysian nation know when the keris is going to tice is committed against another sharing a common destiny. be used. He won’t be reprimanded person. We want people who will for the racial slurs hurled but he be revolted when corruption takes By deliberate design they keep us will stand out as the hero of his place. We want people who will apart, segregated through policies be angry when our money is that cause anger and enmity, Continued on page 37

Aliran Monthly : Vol.27(9) Page 40