COVER STORY

t Aliran's 1996 An- l nual General Meet­ ing, members unani­ mously agreed that this issue 1 of A/iran Monthly should fo­ cus on the recently aborted Second Asia Pacific Confer­ ence on East Timor (APCET II) in Kuala Lumpur.

As one of the sponsors of this conference, Aliran was shocked that a legally-consti­ tuted conference could be so violently disrupted. Four of our members were among those arrested and detained.

In this issue, we carry a first­ person account of the melee aL the meeting and of the de­ plorable conditions at the po­ lice lock-ups. Also included are articles on the fiasco, which attracted international media attenLion.

Many reactions were received The conference disrupted ... from around the world, which publish in our next issue ~orne of the reactions from indh du­ were totally ignored by the lo­ a1s and groups within Asia reflecting the concern o~- ordinary cal media. Of these, we will Asians for a peaceful resolution of the East Timor :ssue. :J

Aliran Monthly 1996: /6(9) Page 2 UI•SF:TTING COVERAGE 7

CONFERF.:'o~CE L"i CH .\OS 10

EAST TIMOR : The hidden ~ tory 16

HU~lASITY BE\0.._0 BORDERS

WINOS OF CHANGE 40

19

LETTERS 27 62. lsi t·loor. Wlsma Saw Khaw Uan. Pnlp... a "tid. I 031MI CURRE!IOT COSCER'IS 30

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Aliran 1s a Malaysian non-governmental organisation lbted on the ro~tcr of the Economic and Social Council of the UoiLed Nations. Guided b} umversal 'piritual values. Aliran strives for genuine unity by promoting Publi'lhed by Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN) social ju!>ticc and hulll31l digmt}- Membership is open to 12. Jalan PlUila.i Azh Ibrahim, aU Malays1all!> above 21 I r you are interc,tcd in joining ll900 Pulau Pin~ng, Malaysia CPoswl Address : P 0 Rn~ I049, AJiran, plca~c contact the l-Ion Secretury at the addr.:ss ltllUO Pulau Plnan~e, Malaysia.) shown m this page. Tel / f'u '64M • 6415785

A/iran Monllll) /9%: /6(9) Pu~:~ J ICOVER STORY

Eye-witnesses said police did not arrive until 45 minutes later. Meanwhile. the mob calling it,clf IBIG BLUNDER I the Malay~ian People's Action Front attacked and abused those Crackdown on APCET II shatters attending the conference. When the polict: finally came. they ar­ Malaysia's international image rested or deported over 100 vic­ tims of the \ iolence - organisers. participants. and media person­ nel. All the thugs were released except for seven - and these too The violent disruption of a peaceful international con­ were freed hour; later. ference in Kuala Lumpur has revealed the dark reaHty of Malaysian democracy. The authorities' crackdown What warped notion of justice on the meeting was also a massive PR blunder, writes is this? By detaining the victims ANIL NETTO. With one blow, Malaysia's Image as one of violence and by freeing all of Asia's most progressive nations was shattered. the culprits the same day, the Malaysian a uthorities exposed themselves to severe criticism. Many fell that the ruffians v.ho wreaked havoc at the hotel had the tacit blessings of some in power. As it turned out. the thugs were mainly youth mem­ bers from the ruling Bansan Nasional coalition. BARISAN LEADERS CALL FOR ACTION

The violent mob cenainly had clear order-, from the leader of UMNO's )OUth wing. Zahid Hamidi. Zahid was with Prime Thugs disrupt APCET II Is tlus tilt' Mnlu)'.fiml way? Minister Dr Mabathir Mohamad on a trip to Africa whe n the f the shock from the dis­ tered through of disturbing trouble broke out. lt is disturbing g ruption of a peaceful in­ events at APCET II. News bul­ thal Zahid, who aspires to high ternational meeting in letins around the world tlashed office. could be so intolerant of Kuala Lumpur could be measured the shocking news : hundreds of dissenting views that he could on the Richter scale, it would prob­ thugs linked to the ruling coali­ order a mob to stop a peaceful ably rank a violent 8.0. tion had smashed their way into meeting. a peaceful legall y-constituted It was a Saturday evening on 9 meeting in the Malaysian capi­ Contrary to what Zahid may November 1996 when news !ll- tal. claim, not all Barban leaders

A/iran Mumhly /996: /6(9) Pa~e 4 s hare his views - though of rightly condemn the violent mob REAL DEMOCRACY course MCA leader Ling Liong action? Instead, be bungled the Sik and MTC president leader APCET ll, sponsored by several first real test of his leadership Samy Yellu supported the mob­ local non-governmental organ- mettle. action. (What else could these . isations (NGOs), was perfectly CHOICES two say since some of their party legal. The authorities had not youths were part of the mob?). banned it. Though the govern­ Anwar may argue that, despite be­ ment had strongly advised the ing the UMNO deputy bea~ he Despite the evidence of so many organisers against holding the was not aware of Zahid's instruc­ eye-witnesses, Zahid had the gall meeting, Deputy Prime Minister tions to the youth wing. He may to deny that the mob was violent. Anwar Ibrahim conceded that try to distance himself from re­ Even Zahid's deputy, Hisha­ they need not apply for a permit sponsibility for the unfair arrest'i - muddin Hussein, called for the "if they were holding it behind which, some believe, were ordered police to act against Youth mem­ closed-doors." (New Straits by the Home Ministry that bers if they had flouted the law. Times, 8 November). Confined to Mahathir heads. But the fact re­ Napsiah Omar, the deputy invited delegates only, the meet­ mains that with the prime minis­ UMNO women's wing head, ing was indeed held behind ter away, Anwar was the de facto said that a demonstration should closed-doors - that is, until the head of the government when the be peaceful. She added that Barisan Nasional-linked thugs trouble erupted. By not calling for "there should be no double stan­ trespassed into the hotel and the immediate relea'>C of the vic­ dards in applying the Jaw against broke down the doors of the con­ tims, Anwar disappointed many them." ference room. thinking Malaysians.

The women's wing of Gerakan, Obviously, some quarters don't Just like Anwar and his fellow another Barisan party, also came und~rstand the real meaning of student activists in the 1970s who up with a principled stand. It's democracy. Democracy doesn't were detained without triaL those deputy chairperson. Rhi na Bhar, just mean majority rule. If that at APCET 11 were mainly young ticked off Zahid. In a press state­ was the real meaning of democ­ people concerned about injustice. ment she said that Zahid "should racy, then Germany under Hitler, They must have felt Jet down by be well aware that the Barisan who was properly elected, would Anwar's silence following the Nasional Government works have qualified as a democracy. violent disruption - especially within the rule of Law and not after all his talk about the impor­ the rule of force." No, democracy is more than that. tance of a civilisalional dialogue Freedom of expression and free­ and of "Asian values." He may The organisers of the demonstra­ dom of thought are fundamental sympathise with the participants tors, she adde~ owe the public to democracy. So too is the right privately. But that didn't help an apology. The wing, she said, to meet and gather peacefully. those arrested one bit. "hopes that appropriate action These are rights due to all citi­ will be taken against the demon­ zens - not privileges to be be­ Anwar may argue his hands were strators." Bhar also called for an stowed by a benevolent govern­ tied; he didn't have a choice. But inquiry into "why it took the po­ ment. the truth is everyone has a choice: lice 45 minutes to arrive at the to stand for justice and freedom scene.... " But these basic tenets of democ­ or otherwise. racy were trampled upon on that COUNTER·PRODUCTIVE? Obviously, these sober Barisan infamous Saturday. Of what use leaders realise that the shameful is all the lofty talk of an Asian Some observers felt that holding disruption of APCET n was a Renaissance, when its chief pro- the meeting in Kuala Lumpur ~ational disgrac_e_. ______P_ o_n_enl, Anwar, did not ou_t-_ w_o_ul_d_rlamage Malaysia's close

A/iran Monthly 1996: 16(9) Page 5 r

ties with Indonesia. Such a can do? single blow. meeting, they say, would be con­ strued as interfering with lf the meeting had gone ahead, it Jronically, by clamping down on Indonesia· s internal affairs. Oth­ would not have affected the conference, the ~1alaysian ers felt that, given the sensitivi­ Malaysia's close ties with Indo­ government unwittingly trig­ ties of governments within nesia. The views of APCET II gered huge world-wide publicity ASEAN, hosting APCET II in delegates would have been their - more than what the organisers KL was strategically a bad deci­ own. Their views would not have could have dreamt of - for the sion. The tension such a meet­ reflected the Malaysian East Timor cause. ing would produce, they argued, government's official stand. would distract from the East The effects of this fiasco will be Timor issue. As Malaysia is a sovereign na­ felt for a long, long time. tion, Indonesia should under­ Malaysia's image as one of These arguments miss the point. stand that our citizens have ev­ Asia's most progressive nations About 200,000 people have died ery right to express their views. was shauered overnight. Our in our backyard since 1975. Do If Indonesia were to pressure us leaders may say they couldn't we, as Malaysians, remain si­ - now, that would amount to in­ care less what others think. But lent? Should we discuss and hold terference in Malaysia's internal the fact is not many will take rallies in Kuala Lumpur to call affairs. Malaysia seriously the next lime for justice in only Bosnia, Pal­ we champion the cause of justice PR BLUNDER estine and Checbnya? Of course globally - especially when we not. If we were to remain silent So why did the authorities take don't practise what we preach. on Rast T1mor, wouldn't we he such stem action against the par­ condemned for practising selec­ ticipants? Even banning the The final embarrassment came tive justice? meeting, though this would have fivc days after the arrests in a wel­ been undemocratic, would have come display ofjudicial indepen­ We should have the right - no, passed unnoticed around the dence. In quashing a remand ex­ we have the moral responsibil­ world. Perhaps the authorities tension granted by mag1strate ity - to highlight the East Timor wanted to please Tndonesia. Per­ Irene Liew, Higb Court Judge K issueinKualaLumpur. We have haps they wanted to promote C Vohrah ordered the police to the responsibility to explore "ASEAN solidarity" by crushing release the last 10 detainees. ways to peacefully end this trag­ all discussion of issues that might edy. This was what the irk .our neighbour. Justice Vohrah not¢ that the au­ organisers and delegates at the thorities had not stated why they conference sought to do. But the whole affair was badly had detained the ten. The police, handled. lt was a catastrophic PR he said, had failed to enclose the As an analogy, let's say we have blunder. 1f the government bad police report on the case. Neither next-door neighbours whom we wanted to limit publicity on the had lhey produced a proper inves­ are friendly with. One day, a conference, it failed dismally. By tigation diary before the magis­ third party tells us that the arresting all the delegates, includ­ trate as required under the law neighbours are abusing their ing bishops, human rights cam­ "other than three sheets of papers child. Do we tell the third party paigners, reporters and other for­ purported to be the diary." (New to mind his or her own business? eign delegates, the authorities Straits Times, 15 November). Do we crush all discussion of the guaranteed an international out­ subject because the neighbours cry. All the good work Malay­ "Were they arrested for being a are our close friends? Or sia had done to promote justice member of the demonstration or shouldn't we, at least, sit down in Palestine, Bosnia, Checbnya (for) being in the meeting?" and talk about it to see what we and Somalia came undone in one asked 1ustice Vohrah. He added

Aliran Monthly 1996: 16(9) !'age 6 that there was nothing to show that the meeting or the demon­ stration was banned. "The ground putforward by the police is totally irrelev.ant to ... the Po­ lice Act. It is only relevant if the demonstrators were charged."

1 1 The ten were later freed to ju­ bilant cries of "Bebas" (Free­ dom) from relatives and well­ wishers.

Aliran now wonders whether the crackdown on APCET U is a sign of things to come. Having curbed almost all other forms of dissent, the government could well be targeting the NGO movement, one of the few remaining bas­ tions of organised independent thinking.

But the authorities must realise here are times when public attention and with as that independent thinking is vi­ g the way the little media coverage as pos­ tal for any democracy to work. country's main­ sible) would have been in They should recognise that stream media cover an inci­ line with the government's NGOs- however unsavoury they dent assumes just as much desire. may appear to the government - significance as the incident have a role to play in society. itself. This is a pressing con­ As it turned out, however. Indeed, these groups contribute cern particularly in a society APCET II, was highlighted alternative ideas and solutions to that is purportedly trying to on the front pages of major various pressing social and po­ litical issues. Their presence pro­ create a civil and caring so­ newspapers around the motes healthy debate and the ciety. world - and, to a limited de­ growth of a civil society. gree, on the front pages of The aborted APCET D is a certain local dailies and over We have been bemoaning the case in point. APCET D did the prime time news bulle­ lack of creative and critical not, of course, get the Ma­ tins of local television sta­ thinking among Malaysians for laysian government's bless­ tions - al1 thanks to the some time. It would be su­ ing as Kuala Lumpur is ..sen­ storming of Hotel Asia, premely ironical if the authori­ sitive., to the feelings of its where the meeting wa-; held, ties were to now crush the NGO ASEAN neighbour-state, In­ by a large mob of disturbed movement, which promotes such thinking. We hope good sense donesia. Thus, making the youth. will prevail so that Malaysia's conference almost a non­ credibility will not be tarnished event (i.e. without much For the uninitiated. the group for good. 0

Alircu1 .Munthly 1996: 16(9) Pux~ 7 and legitimate status in soci­ ety.

This is why it is relativel) heartening to see discussioru evolving in the mainstream media particularly after Kadir Jasin, the boss of the established New Straits Times (NST), made pointed remarks about the APCET II and other relevant issues in his Sunday column, "Other concerned was the multi­ participants (including local Thots," entitled "APCET ethnic "Malaysian Action and foreign journalists), they riot: An insult to civil soci­ Front", comprising some did not however give enough ety" (17 Nov. 1996). 600 people from the youth space, if any, for the families wings of the major compo­ and supporters of those de­ This provoked a rejoinder. nent parties of the ruling tained to express their feelings. entitled ''Apakah muslilzar Barisan Nasional. They Instead, the government was Kadir" (What is Kadir·s hid­ threw tantrums after vio­ given ample opportunity to den motive/agenda?). the lently barging into the hotel. slam the meeting's organisers. very next day from the boss They strongly believe that thus putting the victims- and of the equally established the conference had to be not the villians who disrupted Utusan Malaysia. Johan stopped to preserve the meeting - in a very bad Jaafar, in his own newspaper. Malaysia's special relations light, at least at the national Attacking Kadir and even and soJjdarity with Indone­ level. questioning his real motive sia. 1t is indeed ironical that for having critici~ed the a peaceful, civilized interna­ We must recognise that the youthful mob for their pub­ tional meeting had to end Malaysian mainstream media lic misdemeanour and conse­ abruptly and prematurely have a crucial role to play in quently smearing the with a bang, in more ways situations such as this one, es­ country's international im­ than one - something even pecially when the people's age. Johan said Kadir had the conference organisers confidence 1 n the slighted the feelings of our did not anticipate. government's expressed com­ neighbour. Indonesia. Johan mitment to democracy is be­ certainly has the right to ex­ DEMOCRATIC SPACE ing shaken. It is also crucial press his opinion, no matter While many national news­ because the media can help how jaundiced his view was. papers and the eleclronic provide democratic space media did inform the Malay­ where debate, discussion and Apart from this polemic. sians about the police deten­ dissent are not only encour- other pages of the New aged ~mt also given their due Straits Times in recent weeks tions of the organisers and 1

Alira11 Mollfhly /996: / 6(9} Puge 8 carried well-thought out tain government leaders and Third World interests. It has pieces written by people their supporters, in their effort highlighted, at the inter­ such as Amir Muhammad to solicit public support and national level, the injus­ and ..Tok Tanjung" about sympathy. In other words, if tice in apartheid South the disturbing incident and you're not with "us", you're Africa, war-weary the East Timor issue. with "them'' - the country's Bosnia, sanction-hit Iraq, image-tarnishers, trouble­ and bloodied Palestine. In the case of the Utusan makers. etc. But why does our govern­ Malaysia, a few others such ment consider Malaysian as Zainudin Maidin (ZAM) At best, this imprudent citizens' concern for the (''BBRM patriotisme categorisation is merely a inhabitants of East Timor ASEAN'), Marzuki Yusoff shorthand way of attempting and for the people of ("APCET II: Tindakan to explain a complex situation Burma under the undemo­ tepat"), and Syed Husin or issue. As the current Presi­ cratic SLORC regime as Ali, ("Syed Husin ulas dent of the United Nations mere meddling with other APCET If') touched on the General Assembly, Razali people's internal affairs? burning issue. But these ar­ Ismail, who recently repri­ Is the government. in ticles were few and far be­ manded international main­ other words, practising tween. stream electronic media for double standards? What their obsession with ratings is the essential principle Ordinary readers of the and financial gains, and forthe that governs the relation­ mainstream print media consequent low quality media ship between ASEAN ought to be given equal op­ coverage, glib explanations for members: is it a case of portunity to express their complex issues can be danger­ you scratch my back and feelings on issues relating ous. I'll scratch yours? to APCET II and to other vital matters of public inter­ Labelling also diverts public These questions and other est. Such a public debate attention from the real issue, important issues of na­ not only has its educational the underlying causes of a cer­ tional and international value, but also would go a tain incident. The local main­ significance need to be long way towards strength­ stream media should try notto tackled calmly and intel­ ening democracy in our be­ fall into such an ideological ligently by concerned loved society. and political trap, especially Malaysians. But there is, when there are people who still of course, a prerequisite LAIIEU.IM look up to the media as the to this: Fruitful discus­ In addition, impassioned watchdog of the people. sions can only be and rational discussion can achieved after all relevant help reduce the favourite Incidents such as APCET IT facts and figures are made use of labelling, a political certainly raise crucial ques- available to interested technique that is often em­ tionsinthepublic'smind.Ma- citizens of a civil society ployed or resorted to by laysia has championed the through the mass many people, including cer- cause of justice, peace and media.D

Aliran Manrhly / 996: 16(9) Page 9 FIRST PERSON ACCOUNT ICONFERENCE IN CHAOS I Btiristm IIUib mala up peactijul meeting

the Malaysian government, Ramos Horta, the recent winner of the Nobel Peace Prize who is a con­ troversial figure for the lndone­ siam;, decided not to attend but sent a message to our Prime Minister ... 45...... , .. ifOten terrO.died Ute .... be­ seeking a meeting with him. fore pQike. arriWd. Bat the utptmare ltad Only ..ay IIEGAT'S WARNING juitiJ.eaaD;; Polke.matedthe local cWeptes aacllienkid thai IBte eftl'ei'OWded cells. The conference had already at­ tracted some attenlion a few days Oae oltbeae .,..._... VJCnM, relates how a peaceful before it was to be held. On Mon­ ...... _.. •• tetaifylagordealfor u.e cleleptes. day. five days before the meeting was to start Deputy Home Affairs Minister Megat Junid called rep­ resentatives of the organising com­ hen political parlies in of the aggressors or the victims. mitteefor a meeting. Sivarasa. Fan power go on a rampage Yew Teng and Dr. Sanusi met to break-up a meeting The events on 9 November raise MegatJunid who appealed ro them they do not agree with, they un­ these questions and more. A group not to have the meeting. dermine civil order and threaten of eight Malaysian NGQs (includ­ mob rule. When international ing ALIRAN) arranged a two-day Megat Junid in fact admitted at this guests come to Malaysia for a conference at a hotel in Kuala meeting that the conference was peaceful meeting to look for Lumpur over the Deepavali week­ within the bounds of the law but peaceful solutions to troubles in end. It was a pri vatc rneeling, be­ voiced concern that ir could affect the region, but get booted out hind closed doors and not open to relations betweenMalay::.ia and In­ through a riot instigated by row­ the public. The conference donesia. OminousJy. he threatened dies who are part of the ruling coa­ organisers had no banners and did that if the organisers went ahead lition, they wiU wonder whether not arrange any public rallies. The with the meeting. he would do the rule oflaw exists in Malaysia. theme of the meeting was "In what he could to stop it. Little did search of peace in East Timor". the organisers kno\\ ar that time When the police arrest onJy a what he had meant. handful of the hundreds of rioters Foreign delegates were invited and and release them within hours, but some 40, including bishops from Mega! then went to the nationaJ detain the participants of the Japan, the Philippines and Austra­ media announcing that the confer­ peaceful meeting for up to five lia, flew to Malaysia for the con­ ence had been banned by the Cabi­ days, all Malaysians are left won­ ference. To avoid any public net. To the Press. the Deput)- Min­ dering if the police are on the side showdown or embarrassment for ister neglected to sa~ that the meet-

Aliran Momhly 1996: 16(9) Page JO ling was not illegal. Our perspica- the Philippines began an introduc­ stomping and pushing past partici-1 1 cious national dailies also did not tory address to outline progress pants in the way. think to ask whether the Cabinet todate following the first Asia-Pa­ had the authority to ban a private cific Conference on East Timor The rioters waved banners that meeting. Thus. the lie in the na­ (APCET), held in the Philippines ironically had captions like We tional press in the days up to the in 1994. wam peace, Don't instigate from conference that the meeting was Malaysia and also We treasure BARISAN IIOB BARGES IN illegal. good relations with Indonesia. A It was then, about fifteen minutes few of the women participants The conference was to be held in after the conference had started, were punched and pushed to the Asia Hotel in the heart of Kuala that shouts were first heard. Ini­ ground. It wac; an ugly and fearful Lumpur. The organiser bad tially, the shouting wac; from the scene. Not surprisingly, some of booked a conference room on the street below. Within about five the female participants were in fourth floor - which took the pro­ minmes, the rioters who had come tears out of fright. ceedings very much away from to demonstrate against and break­ MOB CAUSED FEAR the public. up the conference were up on the fourth floor of the hotel. The organisers of the conference On Friday. 8 November, while the fearing for the safety of the foreign organisers were busy getting the The organisers immediately shut delegates, had moved all of them hall ready, some of the foreign the doors to the hall. The rioters, to the front of the hall in front of participants started arriving and who numbered an estimated six the dais and surrounded them in a checking into the hotel. Foreign hundred, shouted outside the doors human chain comprising mainly participants came from many of the conference calling for the Malaysian participants. Some for­ countries, including Singapore, meeting to stop at once. A few eign delegates volunteered to be Thailand, Indonesia, the Philip­ from the organisers' security team part of the chain. The security Learn pines, Japan, Korea, Australia and tried to keep themselves in front of the organisers had tried to keep Portugal. There was even a mem­ of the doors to deny the rioters the rioters out of the hall, by stand­ ber of the African National Con­ entry. ing in front and behind the doors. gress (ANC) who flew in from But once the rioters charged into South Africa. These few were soon pushed the hall, the outnumbered away. and the mob started pulling organisers gave up any further re­ A PRIVATE CONFERENCE and pushing at the doors. Although sistance. On Saturday morning (9 Novem­ the doors to the hall and the parti­ ber), the conference began at 9.30 tions looked rather flimsy, they ln all there were just over 100 par­ am. The organisers had arranged held out for about ten minutes. ticipants at the conference hall. their own security consisting of Eventually, the rioters managed to About 200 rioters charged in. about eight individuals to make kick open one of the partitions and Soon, they had circled the partici­ sure that outsiders did not attend barged into the conference hall. pantS, jumping onto the main con­ the meeting. The aim was quite ference table at the back of which clearly to keep the meeting a pri­ Most of the rioters were proudly the participants were huddled and vate one. wearing the uniform of the Youth also pushing against the human movements of UMNO, the MCA chain formed in front of the for­ The conference started with and the MIC: white short-sleeve eign delegates. prayers seeking the blessings of shirts and dark trousers. Many the Almighty for the meeting and were wearing badges showing From the top of the table behind praying for peace in East Timor. they were from UMNO Youth. the delegates, the organisers of the The first prayer was by a Muslim They charged straight to the front riot, using loud-hailers, claimed followed by another prayer by a of the hall, banging on tables. they represented the Malaysian bishop. Then a participant from throwing aside chairs, shouting, Action Front. They said they were

Aliran Monthly 1996: 16(9) Pag~ II there because they did not agree of clearance from the police. meeting itself. Together with the to the meeting, that they refused police were immigration officials to allow foreigners to use Malay­ With UMNO Youth coordinating who demanded the passports of the sia as a base for their activities, this riot together with MCA and foreign delegates. Those who did that they did not want to spoil the MIC Youth over the previous not have their passports \Vi th them good relations with Indonesia, and days, it stretches credulity to think were escorted to their rooms to get that they wanted the conference to that the police, in particular the their documents and were then be stopped and all foreign partici­ well-informed Special Branch, did brought back to the hall. The im­ pants to get out While this was not know that a riot was being migration officials spent the next going on, the other rioters were planned to stop a peaceful meet­ hour or so inspecting each pass­ chanting and gesticulating threat­ ing. Either the police were so badly port. eningly. The foreign delegates sat informed about the plans of the passively on the floor unsure what Barisan Youth wings, or they While the immigration officials to expect while the organisers chose to wait before coming in. were carrying out their task, OCPD maintained their chain around Zainal shouted to the press to leave their foreign guests. Later in the day, when the meet­ the haJJ. There was some confu­ ing organisers asked the police sion, however. on this. When some For about fifteen minutes, there why they had been late in arriv­ of the media people like Roger was an impasse as the riot leaders ing, they used the favourite excuse Mitton of Asiaweek wanted to shouted their demands, kept the in Kuala Lumpur: traffic. it seems, leave. the constable in front of the conference participants sur­ held them up. KL' s congested traf­ lift refused to let him go. Another rounded and demanded they fic did not delay the rioters from journalist with a local paper who leave. Then, the rioters announced getting to the conference almost had been involved with organising that if the participants did not right from the start Bnt the police. the meeting was also prevented leave, they would carry them off who are supposed to be able to from leaving. Meanwhile, other one by one. At this point, the meet­ control traffic, were apparently press people like Catherine ing organisers asked those who held up by traffic. McGrath of the Australia Broad- looked like the leaders to clear the casting Company managed to get way so that the participants could OCPD Zainal came in and asked into the hall later but were subse- get out of the hall. After about ten the demonstrators, in front of all quently refused exit. minutes, a path of sorts was to see, what the commotion was opened to the back of the hail. The about. The leaders of the rioters All other participams were pre­ participants then rose and started said they bad come to halt a meet­ vented by the police from leaving. to move out of the hall. It was as ing that had been banned. But Those who wanted to go to the they reached the lifts that the po­ when it was made clear to the bathroom were escorted by police lice came in. OCPD that this was a pri vale meet­ officials to prevent them from ing and that the demonstrators had sneaking out. lt is curious that the police got to barged in, be asked the rioters to the hall about forty-five minutes leave. Most then left, with only Once the police had gone through after the demonstrators did. Cer­ about ten or so staying back in the the passports, the} announced that tainly if the meeting was illegal, hall to see what happened next. the foreign participanlS would all the police who knew that the meet­ be taken to the immigration office FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS ing was going ahead would have in Damansara. ll was b) then clear DEPORTED been there right at the start to stop that they would be deponed. ~o the conference from proceeding. The police then asked the foreign reason was given as to wb) the It is bard to believe that UMNO participants to separate from the foreign delegates were being taken Youth and the other wings of the local ones. Quite obviously the away. Barisan could plan a large dem­ police had come to stop not just onstration and not get some form the demonstration but also the It took the police about an hour ro

A/iran Momhly 1996: 16(9) Page 12 get the forei.!,rn delegates out. Al­ to see what would happen to the not obeying his orders and thus he though guilty of no wrong-doing, conference, these seven were was arresting everybody. Hardly a the 36 foreign participants were warned by the police that if they minute bad passed from the time escorted by the police into FRU stayed they would be arrested. the OCPD ordered the participants trucks. The crowdthat had gath­ to disperse to his order that all be ered outside the hotel naturally After several warnings, the police arrested. None of the conference thought these foreigners were arrested the seven representatives participants was given the oppor­ some sort of criminals. The of the rioters. It was only these tunity to leave. There was no warn­ UMNO Youth people outside the seven of the total six hundred or ing from the police that those who hotel loudly taunted the foreign so demonstrators who were ar­ did not disperse would be arrested. delegates who had to wait in the rested - even though all of them And at no time before the order to FRU truck for almost an hour be­ bad participated in a violent dem­ disperse was anyone allowed to fore being whisked away. It was onstration, breaking into a private leave the hall. This writer, a par­ by then already noon. The meeting and threatening to evict ticipant of the conference who was organisers of the conference tried the participants. And those seven in the hall throughout, is a witness to send food and drinks to the for­ detainees among the rioters were to this. eigners who were waiting in the all released the same day. FRU ALL READY FRU truck, but this was denied by FOR ARREST the police. Soon after the Barisan Youth del­ egates were taken out of the haU, The participants could say little The foreigners were detained at some of the conference organisers else. The police got everyone to the Immigration Centre. Most received updates through their mo­ leave in pairs. We were ushered out were put on flights over the next bile phones of news about the of the hall by the police within a two days and thus deported. Six demonstrations aired on TV and couple of minutes. As we walked Indonesians and an East Ti morese radio. The organisers called all the down the steps to the ground floor. who were living in exile were sent participants to form a semi-circle we found the entire route - from against their will to Jakarta as re­ in the hall so that they could be the hall to the stairs. down the quested by the Indonesian govern­ updated. As they settled into their stairs, through the lobby of the ment. On arrival in Indonesia, they chairs. one of the conference hotel, and into the police trucks - wen:: all taken in fur 4uestioning. organisers began, "OK, we have had been lined with FRU person­ At the time of writing, it appears some updates from outside .... " At nel. Obviously, the FRU were al­ they have been released following this point, OCPD Zainal inter­ ready there lining the path, wait­ pressure from the Australian em­ rupted and said the conference ap­ ing for the arrest order. bassy for them to be allowed to peared to have resumed. It was a return to Australia where most of threat to national security, be The male detainees were separated them live. claimed, and therefore he ordered from the female detainees before everyone to disperse. they entered their respective police MALAYSIAN DELEGATES trucks. Initially, all the detainees, ARRESTED A few participants then got up 39 men and 19 women, were For the Malaysians in the hall at from their chairs. One of the driven to the pol ice station oppo­ the hotel, it was a long wait to organisers asked the OCPD if they site Stadium Merdeka. realise their fate. As noon ap­ could have two minutes to proached, they were allowed to organise themselves. Another The police did not distinguish be­ have lunch. organiser said from the back that tween participants and conference there was a Jot of equipment to sort observers, arresting and detaining After lunch, the police asked the out. all. Among the detainees were five seven or so leaders of the rioters reporters (two from the local me­ who remained in the hall to get Immediately, OCPD Zainal dia, an Asiaweek correspondent, a out. When they said they wanted shouted that the participants were journalist fTom the Bangkok Na-

A/iran Monthly /996: 16(9) Page 13 tion paper, and an Australia Jock-up at Wangsa Maju. The men For the night, the police gave us Broadcasting Corporation corre­ were initially put into a caged area some blankets to use. These were spondent). Academics and other at the centre of the lock-up. From du!ity and some appeared to have individuals (not members of any there they processed us. We were mites in them. The drug detainees NGOs) attending becau~e they called up, one by one, and asked told us that the blankets had not were interested to know more to leave all our things with the po­ been washed for a long time and about East Timor were also picked lice officer. We had to take off our warned us not to use them. Indeed up. Students who were friends of shoes, beltc;, watches, pens, etc. All l.be dust from the blanket caused some organisers but not them­ we were allowed to have on was some to have asthma. One of the selves members of any our basic clothes and spectacles. detainees had to be rushed to the organisation and who had come to Nobody was allowed to have any hospital that night because of an volunteer their help to look after reading or writing material. asthma attack and another the next the foreign delegates were also night. OVER.CROWDED CELLS detained. The leaders of Parti Rakyat Malaysia, Dr. Sanusi and Each was then shown his cell. In the women's lock-up, one de­ Dr. Syed Husin Ali, and their sons These were 10 feet by 10 feet wilh tainee had a splitting head-ache but were also hauled in. a small squatting toilet and wash was not al lowed a Panadol even area of one and a half foot square though a fellow detainee told l.be When we arrived at the police sta­ in a corner. Lighting was poor, constable on duty that she had tion, it was drizzling. We were corning from a light outside the some in her hand-bag which bad kept in the police truck for about ceiL In my cell, there were already been taken away. half an hour. Most of us expected four other detainees, suspected to have our particulars noted and drug addicts. Another seven from The next day. when we woke up it released on bail. Some of us were the conference were put into the was time to learn how to wash up celebrating Deepavali and most of cell; in all eleven to share that in a Malaysian police cell! The us expected to be home later that space. water had not yet been turned on night. It was to be a dark celebra­ for the taps in each cell. The po­ tion of the festival of lights. There was no water running lice, however, got a hose fixed up through the tap or the toilet. It was from outside and Ibis was passed NO RIGHT later discovered that the tap for the from cell to cell. TO PHONE CALL centre had been turned off. That Some had called relatives and night, when anyone used the toj­ We took turns to squat under the friends through mobile phones be­ let, it stank because nothing could hose and wash to minimLe water fore they got into the lock-up. But be washed down. being splashed all over the cell. For once iri the lock-up, the police those who wanted to clean up, took away the mobile phones and We were kept behind these bars in there was no place for modesty. no one was allowed to make any conditions similar to the cages in Anyone who wanted to have any­ further calls. Thus, many did not which people keep dogs.Tbe cell thing like a proper wash had to take have the opportunity to inform had a concrete floor and each of off his clothes in front of all the their families that they were be­ us had to flnd our little space. The other detainees and get under the ing detained. Nobody saw a law­ drug detainees were quite helpful bose. Most had no soap to wash yer till the next day. The right to a and because there was not enough with, but we were fortunate that in lawyer and a phone call belongs space everybody moved around our cell someone had receh ed a only in Hollywood movies. we during the night so that each per­ bag of toiletries from hi' wife and, were told. son would at least would have a thus we had a bar of soap ro pass couple of hours to stretch out on around. The police marched us into the the floor. Those not stretching out lock-up. The women detainees hudd1ed against the wall or the Bath time was the be'l rime to ease I were driven to another police bars. oneself and wa-;h down lhe toile~

Alira11 Momhly 1996: 16(9) Page 14 ------with the running water. But for ments. We had been instructed by what to expect. (On 23 November, those who found it difficult to def- the lawyers in our midst that what bail for the ex-detainees was ex­ ecate next to others. there was no we said in these statements could tended by three weeks - Editor) choice but to constipate oneself. be used in court against us and so we were not obliged to say any­ The meeting itself, by all accounts, After washing, all of us in our cell, thing. Thus, most of us told the was legal. We wonder how we can including the drug detainees, had police we had no statement to be charged for not dispersing upon to share a common thin towel that make. pol ice orders when we were not was two feet by one. But after the FREEDOM! given the opportunity to do so. We first person had used it, the towel wonder if this was deliberate. that was already drenched. We were That night, after twenty-eight we were not given the opportunity luckier than the ladies. however, hours of detention, all the 19 to disperse because part of the over­ for whom the police officials had women and 7 of the men were re­ all plan was that we were to bear­ ..forgotten" to provide towels. leased on police bail. Over the next rested - as some kind of lesson to three days. the police released 22 the organisers and other NGOs. IIAGISTIIATE BROUGHT IN more detainees but on Wednesday Nothing much happened the first the police took the remaining I0 Did the police come in after the ri­ morning. It was only after noon detainees to the magistrate's court oters so that they would have an that we heard that the women had to seek an order to remand them excuse to disperse the meeting been brought back to the same po- for another week. The magistrate which in itself was lawful? H the lice station. We then heard that allowed the police to keep these police came purely because of the some lawyers were present in the I 0 detainees for three days. commotion caused by the. rioters, police station seeking to represent why was it that they were accom­ us. We were then brought out in The lawyers immediately filed a panied by immigration officials? batches of twenty to talk to the revision (i.e. appeal) with the High lawyers, who informed us that a Court on this order. This wa~ heard We wonder why all the conference magistrate was coming in and that the next day by Justice Vobrah participants were arrested and held, the police were seeking a remand who noted that the police did not some for five days, though none order of seven days. For some of say why the 10 were being de­ had committed any violent act us who thought that with the law­ tained or what the charge against when only a few of the rioters were yers in we would soon be out, this them was. Vohrah said there was arrested - all of whom were re­ was a disappointment. nothing to show that the meeting leased within hours. was banned and that the police had ln the late afternoon, the magis­ not produced an investigation di­ Some political leaders came out in trate went through the detainees ary which is necessary if a remand the press to say they supported the in batches of four and allowed the order is to be extended. He thus actions of the rioters who were ac­ police to remand most of us for over-turned the magistrate's deci­ knowledged to be part of the Youth up to four days, instructing that sion and ordered all the detainees wings of the Barisan parties. The those who had been interviewed to be released immediately. The logic was that the meeting was sup­ by the pol icc should be releac;ed last detainees were thus released posed to be banned therefore what­ before the four days. A few of the on Thursday after five days in de- ever was done to stop it was legal. older ones and some of the student tention. This makes us wonderifforfuture detainees were given two-day re­ meetings, NGOs have to check mand orders. ASET·UP? with UMNO Youth if they allow The police bail requires most of the our meetings. Are the meetings that It was only after the magistrate had detainees to report to the police can be held in Malaysia only the gone through each of us - twenty­ station on 23 November. We may meetings that the politicians in four hours after our arrests - that then be charged. or our bail ex­ power approve? the police began to take our state- tended. Currently, wedonotknow Continued on Page 31

Allran Monthly 1996: 16(9) Page 15 and respect for the Timorese right to self-detennination bave EAST TIMOR been ignored. Indonesia's con­ tinued occupation of East Timor bas been made possible by the support - in aid. annaments and diplomatic cover - of Western powers. Indonesia closed off East Timor to outsiders and a curtain of silence came down over the atrocities committed there. By 1991, few people knew - or cared - about East Tunor...... ~ - - On November 12, 1991.1ndone­ sian troops fired into a peaceful silent war has been independence and declared war on demonstration at the Santa Cruz g fought for 20 years in Fretilin. In the brief civil war that cemetery in the East Timorese our own backyard. followed Fretilin gained control of capital of Dill. The killings took causing immense suffering to most of East Timor. Fearing an in­ the lives of 271 people, includ­ one of Asia's smaller nations. vasion, Fretilin declared indepen­ ing a Malaysian student, Kamal We have ignored it- because dence unilaterally in November. Bamadhaj. This massacre wa~ we are denied information 1975. filmed by a British journalist and about it. In this short article we aired around the wor1d. Sud­ outline the hidden story of East This result infuriated the lndone- denly East Timor was news. Timor. sian government. 1be United States and Australia, who had just been Since the ma~sacre. it has been For 400 years East Timor wa~ thrown out of Vietnam by the com­ impossible for Indonesia to hide a colony of Portugal- the most munists, were equally reluctant to the fact that integration has remote. the most rebellious and accept an independent East Timor. failed. There has been wide­ the most neglected of its colo­ One day after US President Ford spreadresistance to East Timor's nies. Only in 1974. when and Secretary ofState Kissinger left annexation. Inside Indonesia. young officers in the Portu­ Jakarta at the end of a state visit. trade unions. pro democracy guese army overthrew the Indonesia invaded East Timor. The groups. students and religious Salazar dictatorship in Portu­ Portuguese administration, which leaders have linked their own gal, were political groups in had no anny, withdrew to the is­ struggle with the sbUggle of the East Timor allowed to form land of Atauro. Ea~t Timorese. Human rights and work towards indepen­ groups in Thailand. the Philip­ dence. The Indonesian invasion bas been pines and Malaysia have taken repeatedly condemned in the up the Timorese issue. But Two main groups emerged - United Nations General Assem­ ASEAN governments, in defer­ Fretilin, which was more left­ bly. where most third world na­ ence to the Indonesian Govern­ wing. and UDT. which tions (with the exception of the ment, have continued a policy of favoured a loose association ASEAN states) lined up on the silence. In Malaysia. the press with Portugal. With Indonesian side of East Timor against Indo­ and television have specific in­ assistance, UDT quit a coali­ nesia and the West. ResoJution11 structions to black out news on tion of all parties preparing for calling for Indonesian withdrawal East Timor. 0

A/iron Month!) 1996: 16(9) Pagtt 16 nuia and Timonse Chrl8- tians, b«bd up by the Catlw­ lic Charch.

FIICI: East Timor is about the right of Timorese to live in hu­ man dignity and choose their yth: Timorese are were bombed. forcing the popu­ own future; it is not a religious g Indonesia111 and lation to flee to resettlement issue. When Indonesia in­ Timor is a historic zones, where thousands more vaded, the majority of ptiTt oftlu llldonnilm nation. died of famine. Indonesia's own Timorese were animists. The census figures show that 200.000 occupation has driven more Fact: The Maubere people of people, or a third of the 1975 than 90% into the Catholic East Timor are not Indone­ population. died under Indone­ Church, the only independent sians - in race, culture and sian military occupation. organisation in East Timor the language they are a distinct Indonesian military bas been people. 400 years of Portu­ Myth: lllllonesio has brought unable to close. No Muslim can guese rule made them a sepa­ dnelopment and won the sup­ condone the torture and rape of rate entity from Dutch-ruled port of the population. Resis­ civilians and the denial of jus­ Indonesia. As a result. Indo­ ttmce has died out except for a tice and decency which sol­ nesia has no historical or na­ tiny band of desperados in the diers inflict on the local popu­ tional right to East Timor. jungk. lation. They occupied a country pre­ paring for independence by Fact: Timorese resistance has Myth: The West is just using brute force, supported by survived the longest and most the Timor issue to embarrass Western powers for their brutal repression seen in post­ ASEAN and interfere in its in­ own strategic and economic colonial Asia. In the past de­ tenud affairs. gains. cade, opposition has shifted from Fretilin guerillas in the Fact: Western "intervention'' M,t/1: Wlaile it is true 1111111] mountain& to a broad-based in the East Timor issue bas Tilnorese luwe t&d, most died network of peaccflil activists in been largely in support of In­ in tlw cirilWIII'. the main towns. Its leaders are donesian occupation. Cold war young Timorese. educated in warriors in the White House Fact: The civil war lasted Indonesian schools, beneficia­ encouraged the invasion in three weeks and the total ca­ ries of Indonesian "develop­ 1975; arms used to kill sualties estimated by the Inter­ ment", particular targets of Timorese are provided by the nationaJ Red Cross were be­ military surveillance and con­ US, Britain and Canada. Aus­ tween 2,000 - 3,000. The In­ trol. But at every opportunity tralia has signed a deal to split donesian invasion unleashed a they demonstrate, unfurl ban­ Timorese oil with Jakana. The brutal military campaign ners, send petitions abroad; Western media ignored Timor against an unanned population many are arrested, tortured, or until 1991. Protest about hu­ which killed 60.000 East "disappeared" and still they man rights abuses by Western Timorese in the first year. demand their independence. NGOs is fairly recent and is However, it failed to control fueled by guilt about their own the rugged. inland areas. From Myth: This is a religio•s governments' complicity in 1977 to 1979 inJand villages slnlggk between lsltmrk Indo- these abuses. 0

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Aliran Monthly /996 16(9) Pag~ /8 1 few third world countries about Malaysians lo&,aing their forests. Then again, given the way some I employers are already exploiting foreign workers here, why bother to go abroad to do it.

I *Asian consensus: Traditionally, it means going with the majority view which, unfortunately, tends I to be held by those with power and money. Come to think of it, the meaning hasn't changed much. An example: the organiz- . ers of the second Asia Pacific Even more foggy a concept tllan I Conference on East Timor went I V2020 for most of us. But even against consensus by holding * Vision 2020: Liberally if we don't really understand their conference. Thus, the mob mouthed ever so often especially what it's all about, we are still I attack by members of UMNO by politicians and go:ernrne~t I very proud of it. Almost as proud You~, ~h e MCA and the M IC servants under the notton that tt as we are of the Petronas Twin was JUSUfied and so was the po­ will please the Prime Minister. Towers although we can't under- Lice action. Probable that half the time, three- ! stand why anyone would want to quarters of them haven't the fog- build anything so massive on an * Civil society: Anwar Ibrahim's giest idea what it means. Come area notorious for sink-boles. Or hobby horse. The unfortunate to thiJllc of it, what does it really I the fact that the building sits I ~in~ is that he can't seem to rein mean anyway? smack in one of the most con- tn h1s horses. gested areas of KL. * Car-pooling: Often mourhed I half-heartedly in the context of * Malay unity: Synonymous with KL's infamous traffic jams. Most I UMNO. of the time, those advocating it I Our former colonial masters must haven't the least intention of do- * Chinese unity: What? be rolling (in laughter) in their ing it themselves and, deep in I graves. their hearts, they know that those I * Globalisation: Used to be to whom they preach aren't known as a multinational/ Up totheseventies,conservalion­ likely to do it either. As of now, transnational investments. Critics ists of old buildings - read colo­ the idea is unofficially wri.tten off I at home used to launch protests nial-style buildings - would be as one of those non-starter poli- and demonstrations about Malay- cri Licised as neo-colonialists. cies although hundreds of thou- sian workers being exploited by Buildings of the colonial era were sands of ringgit have been spem I these transnational companies. I perceived as glorification of our advertising it. Would this mean that Malaysian colonial past and the pro-conser- companies investing in countries vation group were projected as * L~T: The face-saver to car- I abroad are now "exploiting" the I pro-West, culturally dispossessed pooling. nationals of those countries? and even unpatriotic. It was a Seems to be the case given the great political platform for i ssue- ~ L Multimedia Super Corridor: protests mounted by more than a 1 bankrupt politicians. Now, barely

A/iran Monthly 1996: 16(9) PDI/1! 19 20 years later, Malaysians of all the construction industry is in terview with photographs in a lo­ stripes and colours are rushing to exploiting the situation. cal newspaper is accurate - com­ splurge their money on colonial­ prised mainly white men and a style buildings. white woman. In fact, full-page advertisements welcoming home The very people, namely politi- The njght after RM240 million the royal sailor appeared in sev­ cians, who had been so vehement worth of fireworks lit up the eral newspapers, expreso;edl} against preserving the real nighttime sky of Kuala Lumpur, from the Selangor Governmcm things, arc now among those a heavy downpour inundated and the state's rakyat. But the most infatuated with all things low-lying parts of KL and PJ. The welcome looked suspiciously like colonial. They are going for co­ city lights had, overnight, turned a case of a top politician trying to lonial-style homes. offices, ho­ into the cily of floods. Both these polish the royal apple. tels, shopping complexes. There contrasting incidents are some­ are even clothes labels ostensi­ how typical of lhe contradictions The prince spoke exuberantly of bly themed on the colonial era. that have accompanied the break- his journey around the ~ orld, neck pace of development in the something which he had report- And lately, whole development country. edly dreamt of for a long time. schemes have been planned He spoke exuberantly of the around such themes. ln Forinstance,AlbcrtoFujimoriar- rough seas, beautiful coru.Lltnc. Rompin, Pahang. a scheme rived in Malaysia and declared exotic foods and breathtaking calling itself Sommerset is be- that he had found the model of scenery. And he intends to write ing touted as the Sanctuary of development. (Of course, Wisma I a book about all this. We don't British Malaya! And in Port Putra made sure that he was wish to come across a~ sour Dickson, something called Ad- shown only the decent parts of grapes but the Raja Muda's jun­ miral Marina Club conjures KL). Fujimori did not get to see ketaround the worldsoumb more images of the days when the the price of development, namely like an indulgence b} a gentleman Portuguese sailed in in their floods, polluted rivers, landslides of leisure than any man \ s nature huge junks. Of course, the fact and collapsed buildings. And if I sort of adventure. His boat \~a..,, that they came to conquer and he had come a few months ear- after all, a lu xury yacht and the} subjucate is not mentioned. lier, he might even have expcri- took 621 days to circum\'ent the enced another Malaysian phe- globe. The political leadership likes to nomena- a nationwide blackou~ r.l======" complain that Malaysians lack a -THAT'S POL'ITICS I sense of history. Actually we don't; it's just that most of us ~ Pahang is taking the high mom! have a confused sense of history. The Raja Muda of Selangor re­ ground on unseeml~ entenain­ And romantising our colonial turned from almost two years at ment. Karaoke clubs. pub ... and past is not going to help us ac­ sea and was greeted as a .. mod­ the discotheque!, in "\lal..t~ -domi­ quire a more balanced view of ern Panglima Awang". the leg­ nated areas wW be closed do\\ n history. And to think that at one endary Malay member of the next year. Accordin.; to the time, we even had a policy of Magellan crew. The analogy Deputy Menteri Besar. ~tala) Buy British Last! was, of course, strictly that of the youths were the bigge~t p:nrons Menteri Besar of Selangor, a of such oullcts and altlwugb he At worst, such trends demon- "relative" of sorts to the crown admitted that no study had been strate the way our politicians ma­ prince. The MB may not be far done, he was com meed thai :-.uch l aipulate our consciousness and, from wrong since the Raja places contributed to ~ocial prob­ t, it shows how ingenious Muda's crew- if an extensive in- lems. -----

A/ira11 Momllly 1996: 16(9) Page 20 r------Now, this is very interesting! Arc cians, for activities which they Most of the tough questions come they going to fence up the non- are so often self-righteously I from across the Opposition Malay areas where these activi- proclaim to be immoral. The bench. Thus, if one closed one's ties will presumably be sited? Or mansion is on a hill and is re- ears to the Opposition bench, one will an electronic alarm go off portedly equipped with all the might get the idea that Malaysia when Malays venture near such luxuries of a naughty weekend, is the land of milk and honey. places? Will the police and vigi- including bedrooms with mir- I !antes from anti-establishment rors a ll around, a massive Most MPs think they have a)- bodies be deployed to ensure that jacuzzi and a high fence. ready done their duty dealing Malays stay away from lhese with clogged drains, lost pass- places? ports, endorsing scholarship ap- ELAXING IN I plications, attending weddings ARLIAMENT ! If this was insufficient to tickle I and funerals and other taxing our sensibilities, a few days things. Thus, Parliament is a time later, a Pahang Exco member Should our MPs be compelled to sit back and relax. announced that the state was I to attend every sitting of Par- I planning to ban Muslim girls liament? This was a passing is- Poor Samy Vellu, he was once a from working as Guest Rela- I sue recently when the Opposi- 1 shining star, a pet of the PM, and tions Officers (GROs). Appar- tion leader pointed out that a hero among the Indian Malay­ ently, a random survey (read as MCA President Ling Liong Sik sians. But no more. Somehow, the several casual visits to night- I was one of the more nOLorious I fact that he is no Longer the PM's clubs) by the state government absentees in Parliament. pet seems to have made him showed that 90 per cent of I somewhat dispensable, less im- GROs were Malay women But seriously, is it fair to expect portant, and fair game for most aged between 15 and 20. All our MPs to sit through every sit- parties. this is well and good except I ting? Parliament is so devoid of I that one cannot help but think issues. Even those regulars like This has been most glaring in the that had these sort of state- the BBC Chairman Rubanie way newspapers have reported ments come from KelanLan, the Ahmad is fu ll of rhetoric. The the suit that he brought against media would have made a ter- only times when be says some- magazine editor P Veerasamy. rible hue and cry about rei i- thing interesting is when be em- I Veerasamy's allegations surround gious extremism. BN polili- barrassestheothercamp,aswhen Samy Vellu's penchant for vio­ cians would have condemned he questioned the wisdom of lence, his alleged corruption and the state government for hark- I YTL using Khazanah funds (a I howtheMlCleaderbad-rnouthed ing back to the dark ages. It deal since aborted) to invest in his political rivals. would have been accused of Hong Kong. going against the interest of I In their own sad and perverted private enterprise and of sub- Parliament only comes to live way, the Malaysian media is a verting the rights of women. when Karpal Singh turns up and barometer of who is in or out of I But as they say, that's politics! even he is not always there. The the real corridors of power. Any- government backbenchers sit one who still figured in lhe halls Incidentally, since Pahang is on there in a dull stupor, as though I of power would be treated with a closing binge, they might as they are watching Channel I of greater reticence, perhaps even well close down a luxury man­ RTM. Occasionally they lob a censorship. Unfortunately, some sion on Tioman which is said few soft questions which, some 1 politicians are blind to signals. to be a favourite haunt ofVIPs say, makes them look worse than in Lhe state. including politi- ifthey hadkept_th_e_ir_m_o_u_ths_ shu__t_. ------b_:r NNP- I ....._ __ ------

A/iran Mamlrly /996: 16(9) Pagt! 21 JUSTICE

when they had done nothing ille­ gal? Wouldn't it have been more logical to disperse the mob and allow the peaceful conference to continue?

Tt would seem to many think­ ing Malaysians that the demon­ strators had the backing of the authorities to disrupt the confer­ ence. The authorities. it '' ould appear, merely -wanted an ex­ cuse to stop the conference to placate Indonesia. The government's high-handedne.,., in this case contradicts their principled stand in supporting the struggle for justlce in Bosnia, Palestine, Ku-wait. and ru thr lfll'k-Uf): lnnOCt'llll'ictillll ofAPCET Lllll a policl' truck. apartheid South Africa. liran condemns the au­ the hotel and disrupted the peace- thorities· high-handed ful conference must take full Ironically. in stopping the confer­ llactions in detaining blame for the melee. A public ence. the authorities have mad­ about 60 organisers. participants gathering is required by law to vertently put the conteren\..e and and media personnel and m de­ have a police permit without theEastTimorissueunderthefull porLing foreign participants of which it becomes an illegal as- blaze of international media pub­ the Asia Pacific Conference on sembly under Malaysian Jaw. We I Jicity. The publicity given to the East Timor IT in Kuala Lumpur. want to know if the demonstra- aborted conference ts ii \er: poor tors had received a pol ice permit advertisement for Mal

A/iran Mo11thly 1996: 16(9) Page 22 AN APPEAL -lust RM 10 ·That•s all we ask of you

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Help us to obtain a permanent home. Support our work and donate generously. If you value our role and feel that our work should go on effectivel_v and efficiently - help us.

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A/iran Monthly /996: 16(9} Paf(.~ 23 in a number of places. Of course, sections of the western media HUMANITY have seized the opportunity to exaggerate certain aspects of the BEYOND BORDERS episode and depict Malaysia in a really negative light.

They would not have had an ex­ cuse to denigrate us if the Barisan youths were restrained and dis­ ciplined on 9 November 1996. They could have alwa) s ex­ pressed in a dignified 01anner their opposition to the holding of a conference on F.ast TiDlor in Kuala Lumpur which. in their view, would be inimical to the fraternal ties between Malay ... Ja and Indonesia. They did nothaYe to resort to strong-arm tactic .... If they were annoyed with the defi­ ant stance of the NGO organiser... who decided to go ahead" 1th the conference in spite of the advice of the Cabinet to call offlhe meet­ ing. they could have criticised them in the media and even mounted a peaceful protest. There was no need to disrupt a legal, 'behind closed doors' meeting. Delt!:atti lluddlt· as APCET II is disrrupred. f someone had an hid­ UNRULY YOUTH The disgraceful conduct of the g den agenda to tarnish youths is totally uncharncteri~tic the image of the Malay­ The unruly, irresponsible of Malaysian political cuhurc. sian government through the behaviour of these youlhs has Malaysians, by and large. do not Asia Pacific Conference on East been highlighted in a whole easily seek recourse to coen:1ve I Timor (APCET-ll) he must be range of newspapers. radio news methods in order to express their quite pleased with himself now. bulletins and television political feelings. This is \\ hy a He would not have counted on programmes in different coun­ dangerous aberration of this sort receiving such generous support tries. Details of how they had al­ should be checked iDlmediately for his mission from a totally legedly hurled abuses at the par­ before it becomes a norm. There unexpected source: a rowdy, ticipants of APCET-IL smashed is no better way of nipping it in rumbustious group from the the doors of a hotel conference the bud than by en~uring that each youth wings of certain compo­ room, toppled tables and even and every culprit is punished se­ nent parties of the ruling Barisan used physical force against a verely in accordance with the Nasional. couple of women, have appeared law.

A/iran Monrlrf} 1996: 1619) Page 24 GOVERNMENT recognise Indonesian suzerainty trampled upon over a period of I The government itself could over East Timor. For many gov­ time, when political suppression have, perhaps, handled the situ­ ernmenL<~ andNGOs in the South, is so widespread that human dig­ ation d ifferent1 y. Since the the struggle of the people of East nity ha<> lost its meaning, human organisers were not prepared to Timor to assert their indepen­ beings, wherever they are, and heed its advice, the government dence or at least to acquire whoever they are, have a duty to could have banned the confer­ greater autonomy is, in the ulti­ demand justice from those in ence citing the paramount impor mate analysis, a genuine quest for power. For under such circum­ tance of preserving harmonious self-determination. stances justice knows no borders inter-state relations as the prin­ and compassion knows no HUMANITY cipa1 reason. No hotel in the boundaries. As one of the most country would dare to allow it!, It is part I y because of the magni­ principled political figures of our premises to be used for the pur­ tude of the tragedy of East Timor time, Nelson Mandela, put it re­ pose of a banned meeting. It is and the unmnching struggle of its cently, " Our common humanity quite conceivable that a nlliDber people that East Timor has re­ transcends the oceans and all na­ of local participants would not mained one of the most impor­ tional boundaries. Jt binds us to­ have attended such a get-together tant human rights issues in the gether in a common cause against just as foreign participants would world today. Its significance ex­ tyranny, to act together in defence have understood better why they tends far beyond the boundaries of our very humanity. Let it never were being sent back to their of the Indonesian state just as the be asked of any one of us what countries. One wonders, there­ gross human rights violations did we do when we knew that fore, why the government did not that are taking place in Chechnya another was oppressed?'' resort to such a move? Because are of grave concern to human NEIGHBOUR ii would have been within the beings everywhere. Like Jakarta, ambit of the law, it would not Moscow has also often argued There are those who argue that have provoked the same adverse that Chechnya is an internal mat­ while it is true that one should reaction at home and abroad. ter and no one should 'interfere· reach out to the oppressed across Unlike breaking up a lawfully though expression of concern the oceans, it is a little different constituted meeting, it would not through a meeting can never be when it comes to human rights have been perceived as an act of construed as interference in the violations in one's thuggery. domestic affairs of another coun­ neighbourhood. In fact, it is an try. We have forgotten that it was old adage in international rela­ SELF·DETERIIINATION not so long ago that Belgrade tions that one can be virtuous This does not mean however that branded any condemnation of its when the culprit is a thousand NGOs should not discuss East massacre of civilians in any part miles away but one will have to Timor on Malaysian soil. ThIn­ of the former Yugoslavia as in­ be cautious when the culprit is donesian invasion of East Timor terference in its domestic affairs. your next door neighbour more in 1975 and its subsequent an­ To this day. Tel Aviv dismisses so when it is a huge and influen­ nexation which accord ing to any criticism by international tial neighbour. But caution United Nations sources have re­ human rights groups of its sys­ should not mean setting aside sulted in the death of 200,000 tematic torture of Palestinians in every moral principle and every people in a population of Israeli jails as meddling in 'mat­ ethical value so that one's 600,000, would be, by any reck­ ters of domestic jurisdiction.' neighbour however wrong it may oning, one of the most horren­ be will not be offended in any dous human rights violations in When violence is committed way. To sacrifice mora] prin­ recent history. It is significant against entire communities, ciples totally in inter-state rela­ that to this day the UN does not when fundamental rights are tions is to invite the powerful to

Altrelll Montill) 1996· 16(9) Page 25 intimidatctheweak. This is why STRATEGY in every ASEAN state and even in it is important for ASEAN states Having shown why a meeting on other Asian countries should per­ to ensure that issues of right and East Timor in Malaysia or else­ suade as many groups and indi­ wrong are not sidelined to such whereinASEANha'> both moral viduals as possible to endorse a an extent that ' the ASEAN way' legitimacy and political rel­ common statement on East Timor becomes the cynical glorifica­ evance. let us now find out embodying ideas on freedom and tion of politics without prin­ whether APCET-11 was the right self-determination which would ciples. strategy in advancing the cause then be presented to each ASEAN SOCIETY of the people of East Timor. Af­ government and to the ASEAN ter APCET-l in Manila in 1994 Secretariat in Jakarta. A statement In any case, the question of which irritated and angered the of that sort supported by hundreds. whether East Timor should be Indonesian government so much perhaps thousands, of groups and discussed in another ASEAN that in the end the public focus individuals would be seen as the country is, properly speaking. was on the Philippine collective voice of the citizen~ of not even a matter of inter-state government's attempt to placate ASEAN and Asia. It would of relations. It is groups outside its neighbour and on the bilateral course be widely publicised government that have tried to ties between the two countries we through the media. To develop a hold meetings on East Timor. In came to the conclusion that any network and to conduct a campaign other words, it is civil society, meeting on East Timor in the along these lines, there would be not the state, that has been ac­ ASEAN region would not serve no need to organise a conference. tive on this issue. This distinc­ the cause itself. Instead of explor­ tion between society and state is ing new ideas on how NGOs can Though our alternative strategy something that ASEAN leaders persuade the Indonesian govern­ was outlined in c;omc detatl to cer­ must learn to appreciate if ment to respond positively to at tain members of the main .Malay­ ASEAN countries arc to mature least some of the demands of the sian organising group. they did not and develop into democratic East Timorese on autonomy and appear to be interested at all. They politics. Only a highly authori­ governance, a conference, we were not even prepared to consider tarian state would insist that each were convinced, would be dis­ it. This was the reason why Lrurned and every group and individual tracted by the question of the host down their invitation to deliver the in society thinks and acts in ex­ country's ability to resist pres­ keynote address at APCET-Il. actly the same manner as the sure from Jakarta and other such state. In a truly democratic soci­ issues. This is why in early 1995 ln spite of the attitude of the ety. NGOs, for instance, would we advised a repre!.entative from organisers, JUST sent a represen­ have the space and scope to the principal organising commit­ tative to the conference because of adopt positions, to articulate tee in Manila against holding a our support for the ~truggle of the ideas and to organise initiatives conference on East Timor in Ma­ people of East Timor. Our repre­ which may or may not reflect laysia. We conveyed t·he same sentative. Sanen Marshall. \\'Cb also government thinking as long as message to a leading member of arrested together '' ith the other their pronouncements and ac­ the Malaysian group that was en­ conference participant!'> and tions are not antithetical to the trusted with the task of organisers.He never had the chance nation's constitution. Surely organising APCET-II in June to explain to APCET-ll our alter­ organising a conference on East 1996. native strategy. Neither did be ba\·e Timor is in no way a transgres­ a chance to fmd out why the prin­ sion of the Malaysian Constitu­ We suggested an alternative strat­ cipal organi~n. were so' ery keen tion, especially when the Consti­ egy which we thought had a better on holding the conference regard­ tution itself upholds the freedom chance of buttressing the struggle less of the costs and the conse­ of assembly. of the people ofEast Timor. NGOs quences. 0

Aliran Monthly /996; 16(9) Page 26 .------environment along an extended wa­ terfront, such as is found at the L E Sydney Harbour or even at Singapore's Oarke Quay. Pedestrian access to the waterfront would be limited to a small stretch of the re­ maining Esplanade, and perhaps through future privutised develop­ ment on Penang Port Commission land.

Second, the coastal road around We welcome letters from readers. These may be edited for purposes of spoce and clarity. The views may not be those of AURAN MONTHLY. Pseudonyms ore Tanjung would irreversibly alter the accepted but all letters should include the writer's nome and address. Letters historical character of the northern should preferably be typewritten with double spacing; If handwritten they should and eastern waterfronts of be legible. Letters should be addressed to the Editor, ALIRAN MONTHLY. Georgetown, and wipe out old clan villages and displace a large popu­ island should most logically pass lation. True, the squalid Weld Quay through Jalan Lim Chwee Leong waterfront needs to be cleaned up (Prangin Road) and Transfer Road, and rehabilitated. but a coastal road and from there along Jalan Sultan would be a harsh and barbarou!> so­ Ahmad Shah and Gurney Drive to lution. With regard to the recent announce­ Tanjung Tokong. If properly de­ ment about building a coastal road signed and implemented in such a Judging from our recent experience to link the upcoming Jelutong Ex­ way as to eliminate bottle-necks of "acceptable" piling standards for pressway to Tanjung Tokong, the around the Komtar area, this wi II of­ the city, we have little confidence Penang State Government should fer the shortest and fastest route from that Fort Cornwallis and other his­ have second thoughts about the pro­ Jelutong to Tanjung Tokong. torical buildings will not be damaged posed second coastal road along the by the underground tunnelling. northern coast of Georgetown. This A coastal road that skirts along Weld is a major planning issue which re­ Quay, dives underground beneath Third, to improve the quality of life quires a thorough public review. the Padang Kota and re-emerges at in the city centre of Georgetown, the other end of the Esplanade, both for the people of Penang and As the Jelutong coa~ tal expressway would rhen be much more costly and for the future of the tourism indus­ will bring more cars into the Komtar quile supernuous. Tunnelling so try, the State Government should area. something has to be done to close to the sea would be either ex­ plan now for a pedestrian-friendly disperse the traflic from there. How­ tremely eltpensive or extremely dan­ city and sustainable urban transport. ever. building a coastal road from gerous. The trend or bringing more and more the Esplanade to Tanjuog Tokong cars into the historical inner city is not the best solution. Historical Georgetown, as its local should be reversed, not encouraged. name ''Tanjung" reflects, is built on Rather than setting its mind on a a cape. Before our progressive The urge to farm out contracts to northern coastal road, Penang Penang state government decides to build roads anywhere and every­ should consider all options- includ­ alter the delicate urban geography by where in Malaysia may be a craze of ing demand management, public wrapping a fat band of asphalt the 1980s and l990s. but we should transport and traffic calming. Envi­ around historical Tanjung, we hope learn from the examples of other cit­ ronmental and social impact stud­ it will sit back and assess the impli­ ies. Endless road-building in the ies should be carried out and there­ cations. United States has led to the decline ports made accessible to the public. and impoverishment of city centres First, the proposed coastal road whereas in Europe and Japan, where The link-up from the Jelutong Ex­ would greatly curtail future oppor­ public transport is widely used, the pressway to the northern part of the tunities for creating a tligh quality old city centres have retained their l - --·--- - Alircm Momh/y 1996: 16{9) Pagl' 27 beauty and vitaliry without losing Church in Shah Alam needed them 46 who have returned to UMNO I their economic dynanism. most? Baru have justified their doing so be­ cause Dr Mahathir is supposed to What we need for the ciry centre of r thought justice and human rights have ' softened'. Those who follow Georgetown is more traffic caJming are aJl the same in this world. Aren't them in the coming weeks or months and pedestrian amenities. A large they? will use the same justification... number of people live and work in the inner city. Surely, Jt is not too LKG Further on, I argued: 'The problem much to expect breathable air and Penang Lies with those who fool tbetru>elve~ streets that are safe for us and our trying also to fool others.·· children to walk on. Over the next few pages T painted Pan of the obsolete think.ing is that five probable scenarios of whar could quality of life is measured by the Some people are disappointed and happen to Semangat 46 vis-a-vi~ quality of roads, and the more roads confused over the dissolution of UMNO. Alas, ·scenario One' has the better. We hope that Malaysia· s Parti Melayu Semangat 46 and the already come to pass, although·a bit ministers and planners who attended return of Tengku Razaleigh and his later than T had envisaged: the Habitat 11 Conference in [stanbul followers to UMNO. have learnt to be more sensitive 'The Semangat 46 fizzle~ out- with about how to create a healthier, liv­ They need not be. The event was Tengku Razaleigh and most of the able city. actual I y foreseen by some of us. For others returning to UMNO Baru". instance, in the conclusion of my (Page 199) The money saved by not building a book The UMNO Drama: Power coastal road around Tanjung would Struggles in Malaysia, published in Fan }'ew Teng be better spent on other urgent 1989, I cautioned against "putting Kuala U.tmpur projects such as mitigating floods, hopes on panies or factions involved cleaning up our filthy rivers and our in intra-Barisan Nasional or intra­ rat-ridden sewerage system, im­ UMNO power struggles in the holy proving public transport and green­ mames of 'democracy'. 'freedom' ing the city. and what have you:· I As the private sector in bealthcare Khoo Salma Nasution I went on to say: "The Seman gat 46 expands, and as government hospi­ Penang is tempomry useful as a vehicle of tals begin to implement a policy of protest. But all a serious, long-term charging user fees. one can antici­ and viable alternative, it is a faJse pate a concomitant rise in the de­ dawn. So long as it is unwilling or mand for beaJth insurance. in par­ unable to bring out a well-thought­ ticular, for hospitali.;.ation expenses. out programme based on certain fun­ I am very sad and disappointed that damental values and principles of An insurance scheme j, a profound our "Concerned NGOs'' in Malay­ ideology, to rely on it is like going social undertalang. Whether in the sia are so bmve to defend Islam a<; to sea in a sieve, living on a drama­ form of a publicly- managed scheme, published in A/iran Monthly I 996: tization of nostalgia for a question­ a co-op management, or a commer­ 16(6), Page 39, under the title able record. Thus. the reliance on the cially-purchased rolicy, it is in es­ ·American Media Should Stop De­ Semangat 46. which. precisely be­ sence a mechanism for pooling the faming Islam: Respect the Rights cause it is not prepared to abandon risk of catastrophic e\ents faced by and Dignity of All Religions.' the power l>truggle to control individuals who band together in a UMNO, is a gamble for a short-cut collective enterpri!>e. individuals But, when you refer to the same is­ that may well tum into a cul-de-sac contribute to a collecuve pool. and sue on page 13, under the title: "The at best and a grand betrayal at the ones unfortunate enough to suf­ Stop-Go-Stop Church in Shah wun.L.·• fer a catasrophic e"cnl are entitled I ~;;~ ... you wonder what happened to call upon the pooled resources of Lese ' Brave NGOs' when the 1 added: "Those from the Semangat the collective to cope with the crisis.

Alirun Momfly 1996: 16(9) Pa8t 28 Il is necessarily a group undertak­ individualisation of risk whose logi­ explicitly disallow DNA screens, but ing because it Lo; based on the rec­ cal end-point is its own antithesis: the likely compromise wording ognition that the unfortunate. ran­ the sick to bear their own cost-bur­ might limit it to ..... rno denial of dom individual, relying just on hi.., den of illness. the heaJthy to rejoice im.umnce for reasons of] ... pre-ex­ or her resources, would be over­ in their good fortune (or good isting medical conditions alld medi­ whelmed and unable to cope with genes?). cal history". the catastrophe. Cross-subsidy - the IS PRIYATISATON All wel11>ubsidising the iU -is therefore ASIAN VALUE? ln our headlog rush to privatise the at the heart and !.Oul of insurance healthcare sector. the lesson of the with the important proviso that there Is this the kind ofhealthcare system United States with its 35 miJJion b little prior indication as to who we want? Or the kind of society we people uninsured, should not be ig­ might suffer the catastrophic event. feel comfortable living in? What has nored. Such is the logic and ration which happened to our Asian values. which drives the system. put the priority of our collective wel­ Chan Clzee Klzoon fare above that of individualist con­ USM. Penang The logic of private enterprise, how­ cerns? h insurance, a quintes­ ever, is to maximise profit. In insur­ sentially social undertaking. compat­ ance, this means discriminating be­ ible with the dictates of private en­ tween risk categories fragmenting terprise'? Is primtisation compatible the market into those considered at with Asian values? While condemning "money politics" higher risk of iUnes!.cs, and those at and sccki ng its elimination are com­ lower risk. These are not alarmist fantasies. mendable, I wonder if merely dis­ Other countries have heeded these qualifying cand1dtues involved tn This is why your insurance pre­ disrurbing tendencies. ln Australia. this practice will be an effective so­ miums increase when you cross there arc attempts to introduce leg­ lution. the risk threshold at age 40, and islative bans on risk rating, in favour skyrockets when you enter the of uniform community rating. Par­ We should get to the real reason for twilight zone of your 60s and be­ tial solutions will not work as evi­ the existence of "money politics". yond (if you can find an under­ denced by the experience of Blue Prospective candidate seeking high writer at all ... otherwise. it's the Cross/Blue Shield, which saw their office do not dole out money merely undertaker). The family history of younger, healthier subscribers desert because oftheir ardent desire to serve heriditable illnesses, in time to be to the for-profits such as Aetna when the people if elected. A more logical replaced by DNA screening. will they offered lower premiums to this reason would be the assurance of attempt an even finer discrimina­ low-risk group. Blue Cross/Blue monetary returns. several times the tion between risk categories, not­ Shield was left carrying the baby, or amount they have &pent. when they withsranding the cautions of mo­ more accurately, the elderly, who are are elecred and assume office. lecular geneticists. epidemiolo­ intensive users of medical resources. gists and ethicists most familiar To no one's surprise. the Blues even­ The existence of corruption cannot with the limitations of the emerg­ tually introduced their own risk rat­ be denied and "money politics·· is its ing technology. Or more simply, ing just to remarn viable. pnmary cause. Consequently. if cor­ just ask anyone with pre-existing ruption can be eliminated, "money chronic illness. or HlV A recent bill before the US Con­ politics" will then cease to be a "car­ ;seropositivity. who has attempted gress, cognizant of the implications rot" for candidates aspiring to posi­ to enrol in an insurance scheme. of human genome research. specifi­ tions in government. cally seeks to ban the usc of DNA All this is understandable given the screening as a tool for risk rating in A truly independent Anti-Corruption commercial sector's desire to make the insurance industry. Dr Francis Agency and an effective ombudsman a profit. Bw what has happened Collins, Director of the US National will go a long way towards solving here? An acknowledged and neces­ Center for Human Genome Re­ this problem. sarily social undertaking is being search. has been urging the bill's progressively undermined by a pro­ sponsors, Senators Nancy DDD cess of fragmentation and Kassebaum and Edward Kennedy to Kuala Lumpur

Aliran Mnnrhly 1996: 16(9} Pag~ 2Y Third World countries as exempli­ tied by Iraq, Jran and Sudan.

That said. to be fair to ourselves and others. we also need to evalu­ ate critically the perfonnance of the mass media in the Third World. Indeed, many of the joumafutic misdeeds of the western media are replicated by sections of the Third World's media without any moral compunction.

IL is not uncommon. for instance. to find that there are certain main­ stream media which prmide volu­ minous coverage of the ruling class to the extent of abysmally neglect­ ing and marginalising the poor and the powerless. Disc;eming and al­ Ali ran congratulates Kedah Aliran shares the concern of both ternative views are often com­ Menteri BesarSanusiJunidforhis Deputy Prime Minister Anwar pletely blacked out. In this context, commendable stand in withdraw- Ibrahim and Commonwealth see­ the cultural empowennem of the ing his state's offer to host the retary-general Chief Emeka people - one measure proposed by 1998 Sukma Garnes because it had Anyaoku about the biased report­ Anwar to confront 'quare!) the to focus more on other priority ing and distorted portrayal of cer­ cultural penetration of the techno­ projects such as the Programme tain developing countries by sec- logically advanced Western media for the Very Poor. tions of the western media. -such as sateUite tele,·ision. is dif­ ficult to realise This is a rare exan1ple of a senior If this problem is not addressed government leader who has his honestly and corrected, it would What is even won.e. the Third priorities right. In doing so, Sanusi only help to perpetuate unflatter­ World's media are often beholden has saved millions of ringgit, ing stereotypes and, subsequently to the government of the da~. and which can now be used to allevi­ lead to the demonisation of devel­ not necessarily to truth and justice. ate the plight of the very poor. Al­ oping countries and their peoples. They work hand in glo' e with the though sports is important, the The ability of only a few media governmenr to .:,rifle critici..,m and needs of the poor are more urgent. giants to dominate the world's dissent - sometimes to the point meclia scene and at the same time, where oppositiOn to and critical Aliran hopes that Sanusi will re­ to present a certain viewpoint is comments of govemmem are made view other prestige projects that indeed dangerous and undemo­ out to be illegitimate and obnox­ do not benefit the people, espe­ cratic. ious. cially those in Langkawi. Aliran also calls on other state govern­ Besides, it can also be disastrous In addition. the invoh ement of cer­ ments to follow Sanusi's fine ex­ because the unfair media coverage tain sections of the ruling elite in ample and to scrap all wasteful, can, in turn, provide some politi­ the ownership of media and me­ expensive projects. cal, economic and cultural justifi­ dia-related industries will. in the cation for certain countries, par­ long run, bring about unequal ac­ A/iran Executive Committee ticularly the developed ones, to cess to the media and infonnation 16 August 1996 take unjust action against certain - thereby making the rich informa-

A/iran Momhl'' 1996. 16(9) Page 30 r ------tion-rich and the poor informa- United States in launching the at­ tion-poor. tack during a presidential election Conli11ued fro• page 15 year. Everyone knows that Iraq is The rowdbles& Df che BarisaD In the context of national devel­ the US's favourite whipping-boy; members w110 ~in opment and purportedly for the so, the latest attack can be seen as this danoostildon 8Dd the sup­ common good, the media are of­ a ploy by President Bill Clinton to pan voiced by lbeir lesdm &as ten pressured by the state that de­ score pointS with voten. in the face led the international press to velopment projects need to be of a strong Republican challenge. come out witb stories saying implemented swiftly - even Malaysia supports thuuery. though certain projects clearly re­ The US' military response smacks The impression that hubeea quire debate. discussion and feed­ of double standards and inconsis­ created among the foreip par­ back from the people, something tency. The US had. in fact, been ticipants at the conference and which the government views as a less belligerent towards countries the workl media is that our lead­ nuisance. such as Burma, where the SLORC en support hooliganism where part the regime hao; been brutally oppress­ the perpetrators are of ruling party. Finally. it must be realised that the ing its people, and South Korea, existence of a free and socially re­ where the US remained silent dur­ -LAftiAIIWAY sponsible press will go a long way ing the Kwangju uprising. Com­ OF DU1 Fl8 WI'I'IIN80a? toward'> the strengthening of de­ pare Lhe cn1ise missile attack on None of us. organisers and par­ mocracy and towards the creation Iraq with the silence that greeted ticipants of lhe conference. can of a culturally and politically con­ the crackdown against pro-democ­ figure out what it was we did scious people. racy protesters in China. that was against the law. Surely in a democracy, a peaceful Aliran Executive Committee Having said that, Ali ran also con- close-door discussion about 28 August/996 demns President Sad dam problems in the region is per­ Hussein"s violence against the fectly legal. Kurds in northern Iraq. Violence onJy begets more violence. Indeed. It is now clear to us. however. his attacks against them have pro­ tha1 ifthe police decide to, they :II vided the US with a convenient ex­ can lock up whom they please cuse to intervene in the region. Be­ at least for a few days. Malay- ' I Aliran condemns the cruise mis- cause of the brutal nature of his sia bas advanced much eco­ sile attacks on military installa­ regime and his poor record on hu­ nomi.eally in the last ten years. tions in southern Iraq supposedly man rights, Saddam has gained But in terms of civil rigbls. we l in retaliation for the Iraqi aggres- little sympathy from neutral ob­ do not aeem to have progressed sion against the Kurds in northern servers. at all. 1 Iraq. Five people have been killed and 19 others wounded, including Indeed, the oppressive nature of Our Prime Minister goes all l civilians. Saddam's regime has provided the over the world championing the US with the reason it has been cause of the Third World. At Even if the Iraqi government had waiting for to exercise its military home be bas a viskm for Ma­ been treating the Kurds badly, a might against Iraq. In the end, it is laysia to be• developed nation, cruise missile attack against Iraq the innocent Iraqi people who are in all senses incbiding as a de-­ is not going to solve anything. In the ones to suffer. Saddam must mocracy. But ifin Malaysia the fact, it represents a violation of ter­ share the blame for that along with civil rights of citizens and for­ ritorial sovereignty and could even the US and its hypocritical allies. eigot.n can tie deprived so~­ escalate violence in the region. iJy, then what do we really have Executive Committee to teach the world? 0 We question the motive of the 4 September 1996

A/iran Monthlv JY96: 16(Y) Page 31 selves unalwfully; violently invad­ ing and intruding into a private func­ PERPETRATORS tion and disrupting a peaceful con­ ference - something very alien and MUST BE un-Malaysian.

According to eye-\.\ime~~es. some BROUGHT TO BOOK demonstrators went on a rampage smashing down doors. toppling liran welcomes UMNO in addressing the disgraceful desks, sending files and other con­ Youth deputy chief behaviour of the mob that invaded ference materials crashing to the llHil>hamuddin Husscm's and disrupted the peaceful confer­ ground and removing equipment like stand on the violent ctisruption of the ence. film projectors belonging to the peaceful Asia Pacific Conference on organisers. Some of the participants East T1mor TT by members of This is in stark contrast to the posi­ of the conference were subjected to UMNO Youth. tion assumed by the VMNO Youth vitriolic verbal abuse; others\.\ ere as­ chief Ahmad Zahid Hamid who saulted. including [Wo women. We are particularly pleased that boasted "T told Youth members to Hishamuddin has in no unequivo­ act" and tried to justify the despi­ This shameful conduct is all the more cal terms stated. "If the1r acuon-. are cable conduct of the demonstrators. appalling considering the fact that against the law, police action will the conference itself wa.. nner have to be taken and we will not pro­ The violent disruption of APCET ll banned. Neither was tt in confltcl tect them." is a national disgrace that bas se­ with the Jaws of the land. verely damaged Malaysia'simage in Hishamuddin said that although he the eyes of the international commu­ ln utter disregard for the law~ of the was aware of the group's intention nity. It will take more than fancy rhe­ land and the fundamental democr.ttic to demono;trate against the confer­ torical speeches about a civil soci­ right!> of other Malaysian'. the...e agi­ ence, the UMNO Youth members ety, civtlisational dialogue and the tators had a field day on that Satur­ should have demonstrated peace­ so-called Asian values to w1do the day and wrought havoc on a peace­ fully. He said the rule of law has to damage done to Malaysia· s credibil­ ful conference. be respected and that he "(did) not ity as a democratic nation. expect an) of the members to do It is a violation of one· .. freedom anything against the law." Aliran has nothing against demon­ when differing v1ew~ are impo ..cd on strations. Tn fact. they are a legiti­ others in a violent manner a-. was The Youth wing. he said. did not mate form of protest and dissent and done by the unruly youth' of the rul­ condone agres:-.ion and those in­ have a rightful place in any demo­ ing parties. volved did not have the right to do cratic system worth its name - as as they pleased. long as they are expressed peace­ Ifno action is taken again't these per­ fully and civilly. petrators for running .. riot". it will Aliran i-. also pleased with the re­ send out the wrong signal to others marks of Wnnila UMNO deputy The demonstration organised on Sat­ and encourage them to take the law chiefNapsiah Omar who also called urday by elements calling them­ into their own hands. re•mlting in for actton to be taken against the selves the Malaysian People's Ac­ chaos and untold mi~ery. It would Youth members if they had acted tion Front was neither peaceful nor also smack of double ~tandards. against the law. She has forthrightly civil and therefore forfeited its le­ stated, "A demonstration should be gitimacy as a form of protest and dis­ More than that. it will totally dis­ peaceful. (fnot. there should be no sent In spite of their claims, their credit the law enforcement author­ double standard in applying the law conduct was neither Malaysian nor ity which will not be 'iewed as the against them.'' did it represent the Malaysian impartial custodian of law and order. people. It was the unruly behaviour These two leaders are definitely so­ of a group who chose to take the law A/iran E:recum·e Committee ber. level-headed and non-partisan into their hands and conduct them- 16November 1996 J ------~ ------

Aliran Monlhll' 1996: 16(9) Pag~ 32 WINDS OF CHANGE ••• Continued from page 40

Table One (page 39) shows the tested (since 19 were won uncon­ trayed" (Star. 9.9.96). He noted relative share of votes each party tested by the BN on nomination however that Dr. Wong's loss was received over the last three elec­ day); thus, many who considered nevertheless " .... the verdict of the tions. a win for the BN to be a foregone people but we will find out where conclusion, did not make the ef­ we went wrong" (Tribune, 9.9.96). Independents made huge gains in fort to vote. Table Three shows the the recent election, especially in declining trend in voter turnout. Over the next few days, specula­ tenns of total voter support. Col­ tion was rife a<; to the reasons for lectively, the 60 independents col­ Nevertheless. the Sarawak BN can the SUPP's mauling in the elec­ lected a total of 88,60 I votes com­ take heart that despite its poor out­ tions. All sons of reasons, real and pared to only 6,209 in 1991. In­ ing. it onJy lost five seats and one perceived. were advanced includ­ terestingly, as many of these in­ Deputy Chief Minister. A further ing the fact that intense SUPP fac­ dependents stood in seats con­ scrutiny indicates that the results tionalism and possibly even inter­ tested by the Parti Bansa Dayak could have been worse. Table nal party sabotage, contributed to­ Sabah (PBDS) in 1991 when the Four shows the e~ectoral results wards Dr. Wong's defeat. Jn fact, PBDS was in opposition at the for N.36: Meluan and N.51: so serious were these aUegations state-level, one can arguably sur­ Belaga where the combined votes that Chan had to say that he mise that the voters who had once of the opposition are actually more " ... strongly denied claims that supported the PBDS voted for in­ than the BN's tally. Only these two some SUPP members, including dependents this time because they seats in Sarawak display this pat­ himself, conspired to topple the felt the PBDS was paying more tern of results. Thus. the BN has party chief .... " (Tribune, 12.9.96). attention to its own ..periok nasi" much to be thankful for in these than that of ordinary Sarawakians. recent eJections, not least its vic­ Other reports, however. indicate A look at Table Two confirms this tory in Meluan and Belaga owing that the SUPP' spoor showing was view. In the recent election, the to the presence of a splintered op­ really due to various factors. PBDS. which only faced contests position. The DAP played its ''if we don't in six constituencies, picked up a SO, WHAT HAPPENED? mere 23,620 votes compared to win. we will close shop in the 104,936 votes it collected in On learning of his defeat, Dr. Sarawak" sympathy strategy well. 1991. Wong Soon Kai sadly informed Nevertheless, the vicious factional the caretaker chief minister Abdul feuding within SUPP in general. Thus, all attempts to gloss over the Taib Mahmud that his loss was and in Meradong in particular, also BN's poor showing with pre­ " ... a bit unexpected". While ac­ contributed to the loss of SUPP/ planned newspaper headlines such cepting the people's decision. Dr. BN's four seats. Similarly, SUPP/ as "BN landslide l'ictory", along Wong, however, said. '·People BN's overconfidence and their with colourful photos of victori­ don't seem to treasure what we lacklustre campaigning in Sibu did ous BN politicians being trium­ have done for them. I gues:. they not help. phantly shouldered simply did not just want to be different" (Sarawak cut ice with Sarawak's perceptive Tribune, 9.9.96). There is also little doubt that "an electorate. organised gambling syndicate'' Other BN component leaders ex­ purportedly backed by one or sev­ Incidentally, this election also re­ pressed sadness and shock while eral wealthy tycoons played a big corded the lowest voter turnout in many SUPP members found it role in oustmg Dr. Wong and ap­ the history of Sarawak' selections hard to believe that they were the parently also his two other SUPP with a mere 64% of the total elec­ biggest losers in this election. comrades in Mcradong and torate casting their vote on poll­ George Chan, Dr. Wong's Pelawan. The syndicate offered ing day. Only 43 seats were con- prodigy, talked about feeling "be- great odds: 50-1000 for Dr. Wong '------

Almm Mnnthlv 1996.- 16(9) Page 33 to win (Tribune. 1.9.96), meaning its earlier development promises as that if Dr. Wong lost. punters well as various unsettled land dis­ stood to gain RMlOOO for every putes at the Sibu/Oya area and at RM50 bet that they staked. Ratio­ Kidurong/Bintulu also contributed nal punter-voters thus took out towards the erosion of support for huge bets and then promptly went SUPP/BN. Of course. all these out and voted against the SUPP/ perceptions may not necessarily be BN candidates to ensure a finan­ true, but they were perceived as cial windfall. Thus. a straight-for­ real issues by voters. ward election was transformed into a huge multi-million ringgit The appearance of a photocopied horse race! book in Mandarin entitled. "Divine Tigers and Dogs" which detailed Another reac;on is that the people deals involving prominent local of Sibu (who are relatively more timber tycoons and various politi­ working class compare<.! to other cal personalities along with other urbanites in Sarawak) perceive the "embarrassing" information also carrots of recent developments to did not help SUPP/BN very much be more evident in Kuching, Miri during the campaign (The Straits and Bintulu than in Sibu. The drop Times, 7.9.96). in land and housing prices in Sibu (cf. A/iran Monthly. Vol.l5:7) Unfortunately. instead of seeking along with the perception among the facts and facing up bravely to many ordinary smaU-scale Sibu the reasons for their Loss or sup­ business folk that they are being port among the rakyar, SUPP left out of the mainstream of fu­ chose to act rather immaturely by ture development also played a looking for scapegoats. About two role - especially considering the weeks after the elections, and af­ fact that the Bakun development ter a lot of public huffing and puff­ corridor will circumvent Sibu and ing, SUPP announced a boycott of <.lisproportionately benefit Bintulu the See Hua Group of newspapers and Belaga. (Borneo Post, 21.9.96). The boy­ cott was then adopted by the Public perception that the BN has Sarawak state government (Post, been rather slow in making good 5.10.96).

Aliran Monlhl)' 1996: 16(9) Page 34 ------As for the Parti Pesaka Abdul Ajis Abdul Majeed (Post, Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). their 1.10.96). at the Satok/Kg. Patingan area sole defeat to an "independent" (Post, 26.8.96). candidate was due to a a poor de­ The most serious allegations, how­ cision cofield a relatively unpopu­ ever, was made by independent • Abang Hj. Abdul Rahman lar PBB/BN candidate in Telang candidate Donald La wan who took Zobari presenas a slate govern­ ment grant of RM30,000 to the Usan. However, local political out full page advertisements in a Chung Hwa Middle School analysts note that the loss isn't re­ local newspaper (Post. 3.9.96 & Alumni Association (Post, ally a loss. Kebing Wan, the vic­ 4.9.96) explicitly stating that be 27.8.96). torious independent candidate, was fighting against money poli­ was. before the elections. politi­ tics. He also alleged that a non­ • Celestine Ujang, re-elected cal secretary to the Chief Minh­ Dayak from outside Bukit ADUN for Kemena.. presents ter and the Telang Usan PBB Di­ Begunan was influencing voters Temporary Occupation Li­ vision Head - at least until be got with personal benefits, ostensibly cences (TOL) to 69 people at sacked and expelled automatically to return the BN to power in Bukit Binlulu and urges them to sup. for contesting against the BN can­ Begunan. In reply. the relatively port the BN in the fonhcoming didate on nomination day. financially unendowed PBDS/BN slate elections (Post. 27.8.96). candidate Mong Dagang also took And true to "independent" fonn out a full page advertisement in the • William Mawao presents (cf. A/iran Monthly, Vol.l6:6), be same newspaper a<;king voters to cheques wonh RM 128,000 to announced. even before election "save Bukit Begunan from drift­ 521onghouses and two primary day. that he wa<; not against the ing into backwardness and isola­ schools at Bayong and BN: a position he articulated even tion" (Post, 6.9.96) - a reference Sbaogkoi in Sarikei (Post. louder and in greater urgency af­ no doubt to what might happen 27.8.96). ter he won the Telang Usan seat. given the BN's "politics of devel­ • Abdul Taib Mahmud, re­ While his efforts at re-joining the opment" approach if be did not elected ADUN for Asajaya and BN have thus far been rebuffed win. caretaker Chief Minister, de­ (Tribune, 13.9.96), it remains to clares open the Tondong-Batu be seen whether the BN keeps to Nonetheless. so convinced was Kawa road project in Bau Dis­ its pledge of rejecting all "inde­ Donald that, even after his defeat, trict (Utusan Borneo. 29/8/96). pendents" whose loyalties now he went on record to thank and He also announces the pro­ according to the tide of patronage. praise Sng Chee Hua. the BN as­ posed new Bau township ALLEGATIONS semblyman for Pclagus and PBDS project at a cost of more lhan OF IIONEY POLITICS Vice-President (who also just so RM I 0 million which he later happens to be a millionaire-politi­ terminates citing that it bad During and after the elections, cian who makes substantive finan­ been turned into a polilti.cal is­ there were numerous allegations cial contributions to the PB DS) for sue by Dr. Palau Rubis. He also made about how various politi­ playing a major role in helping noted that the Bau Chinese cians used money to influence vot­ Moog Dagang win the Bukit shopkeepers did not support the ers. In fact. a recent post-election Begunan seat. new township (Tribune, allegation was made on 30 Sep­ 3.9.96). tember when the independent can­ Donald further declared that he didate for Balingian. Yusuf Abdul would challenge the election result • James Wong, tbe re-elected Rahman. filed an election petition in court on the grounds of vote­ ADUN forUmbang, pledges to build 700 new low-cost houses at the High Court of Sibu request­ buying as be had substantive evi­ and a new airport for Limbang ing the court to nullify the dence that voters were given forretuming bim unopposed on Balingian election because of the RM I OO-RM200 each with prom­ nomination day (Trihne, alleged "massive vote-buying ac­ ises of much more on winning 28.8.96). tivities" of the PBB/BN candidate, (Post, 11.9.96). He also took out a - - --·-

A/iran MonTh/_\· 1996: /6(9) Pag~ 35 further full page advertisement in denied the DAP allegation (Post, the same newspaper thanking the 5.9.96). • Sim Kheng Hui, the BN can­ voters who had supportedhim and didate for Pending, disttibutes who were brave not to be influ­ Surprisingly. after losing three RM315,000 in Sarawak state enced by money politics (Post, seats in the Rejang area, it w!ls granlS to 52 local orgaoisations 16.9.96). the SUPP who went on the of­ at the SUPP Headquarters in fensive alleging that they had Kuching (TI'ilnlM, 28.8.96). Although the veracity of all these fallen victim to vote-buying allegations and denials cannot be organised by various tycoons • Sulaiman Daud. federal Min­ ascertained, many media person­ who had bankrolled some can­ ister of Agricu)nue and PBB nel who visited Hukit Hegunan didates in an anti-SUPP cam­ Vice-President. hands over pukst 10 during the bear of the election paign during the elections (Post. IJUJda Uceacca lOS people from 13 vii!Mes m campaign candidly recalled how 13.9.96). Thomas Hii. the de­ Kucbing district I8CI ....,.... they were often mistakenly ap­ feated SUPP/BN candidate in licences to 278 people hal 18 proached by rural folk in the Meradong was also reported to viDaaes (Post, 30.8.96). longhouses who wanted to know have said that apart from inter­ whether they bad brought money nal SUPP conllicts, he lost be­ • Abang Hj Abdul Ralunan for distribution in their camera­ cause the victorious independent Zohari, BN candidate for and-press bags. candidate had more resources Salok,IIDilOUilCeS ID a1localioa than he did! (Post, 12.9.96). of RMI million in Stale ad Other allegations abound. Despite Thomas· s statement is a remark­ Federar pmts fortt.e ftlll6bili­ Wong's announcement that the able one, considering that SUPP tatioo of PPES tiger (dWn SUPP does not believe in money is perceived by many llq1IIICUibR projects. Mabh politics (Tribune, 31.8.96), the Sarawakians to be the mo5t fi­ (PMI, 30.8.96). DAP alleged that certain elements nancially well-oiled political in the Pelawan constituency were party in the Sarawak BN coali­ • Abdul Taib Maluaud, to­ involved in vote-buying. The tion. gether with Chu Jed ...... , furore erupted after someone federti Mioista of Health. handed over to the DAP a lost Awang Abdillah Awang Nasar, opens the new Mid....,_. in Lopengand IIIIIOUDCa 1be fed. purse containing five photocopied another independent candidate eral goverDIDID's approval of identity cards, voting centre infor­ also alleged that "money politics 72 health proJects worda mation slips with voter registration had unfairly influenced voters in RM345 mitlioa in Sarawu numbers and five crisp new RM50 the Jepak constituenc)". Awang under rbe SeWIIdl Malaysia bills. Vincent Goh, the SUPP/BN also noted that he had been ap­ Pia (UIWM IJDtwo,31 ...,. candidate -for Pelawan. promptly proached many times by BN mem- • Jamei Wooa 181l01&Kel a ..pemmeataiiOc:8iioD of RMI.61ilillioa- to 1be Subia 1>istric:t OJabcl[ill 1bie Lamlrir CGIJSituaiC)' •bliproWtiim• -aiiUCIIUe'~ :U.1;1)6).

• AbdaJ Tailr MalunUid oftic;i;. allllatthejointemb~ ~ ror tile new DaJat TowasbtP ad 1he aew Dalit Dbtrict Hospital (Tri#Hflw, 2.9.96).

Aliran Mnnthly 1996: 16(9) Pug~ 36 ~ers "to solve things out". tics of development'' approach was Althuogh he himself dt:nit:d tak­ most visible when Taib Mahmud • Abdul Taib Mahmud an­ ing any money, be did note that pledged a new township worth nounces the Igan bridge pn~cct many of his supporters deserted over RM I 0 million for the people at West Sibu worth RM40 mil­ him after they were bought over of Bau on 28 August in his desire lion under the Seventh Malay­ (Post, 14.9.96). to get their support for the Tasik sia Plan (Utusan Borneo, Biru BN candidate, only to with­ 3.9.96). These anecdotal incidents remain draw it again a week later (Tribune • Abdul Taib Mahmud lawx:hcs bnt the tip of the money politics & Posr, 3/9/96). He cited non-sup­ the new Sibu Town Square iceberg. Numerous other stories port for BN policies from the Bau (Post, 3.9.96). from the length and breadth of populace as one of the main rea­ Sarawak recount how various can­ sons for his action. Similarly, af­ • George Chan, the BN candi­ didates allegedly splashed money ter Sibu rejected the SUPP/BN date forthePiasau constituency. to influence voters. And when candidates in favour of the DAP, presents a Sarawak state gov­ asked, many ruraJ voters vividly Taib said that while the BN would ernment grant of RMSO.OOO for recaJI how many candidates dis­ honour all its election pledges, ·• .. a football field project at Miri tributed money, food and even li­ he was uncertain what would hap­ (Post. 4.9.96). quor to win votes just before poll­ pen to Sibu ... " (Tribune, 9.9.96). ing day. • Sulaiman Daud present<~ seeds. ABUSE OF STATE AND agricullural equipment and Meanwhile, the police, who im­ FEDERAL RESOURCES grants to various bodies and mediately launched investigations During the election campaign schools at Kg. Selanyau-Dunau. into all reports of alleged money period, many local analysts com­ Subis, aod calls on voters to politics, are diligently continuing mented on how the Sarawak BN support Aidan Wing, the BN their investigations and have did not seem to be able to dis­ candidate for Lambir (Post, 4.9.96). promised "to leave no stone tinguish between political party untumed" to bring to book all and State/Federal government • George Chan commissions a those who were involved in resources. Not that this meant RM677,000 electricity supply money politics in the recent much anyway to the BN seeing project for Kg. Skio, Kg. Sarawak elections. that all sons of State and Fed­ Segubang, Kg. Seromah and eral government resources such POUTICSOF Kg. Sogo at the Serumbu area as the Information Department, (Post, .5.9.96). DEVELOPMENT the JKR. District Offices, offi­ In tl)e elections, apart from alleged cial cars, helicopters, speedboat!. • Abdul Taib Mahmud presents direct fmancial handouts to influ­ and the mass media were used a RM2 million Sarawak state ence voter behaviour, more visible blatantly to support the election government grant to the Chung development project handouts campaign of the BN. Hwa Middle School Manage­ were aJso made, solely by the BN, ment Board in Kuching. The given their control of State and The Information Department kept Federal Government also grants Federal resources. An impressive, churning out press releases to the RM200,000 to the Onmg Hwa albeit partial compilation of the various ma~s media extolling BN Primary School No. S (Pnst, numerous statements made and leaders and their commitment to 5.9.96). projects handed out and/or de­ development. RTM Kuching's clared open by the BN under the Rangkaian Nasional went a11 out • Abdul Taib Mahmud opens ··Politics of Development"' ap­ and kept spewing out patriotic die RM450,000 Belaga Infor­ proach is listed in the accompa­ songs about Sarawak. Documen­ mation Department (Po.u, 5.9.96). nying box. taries, interviews. news and com­ mentaries praised Sarawak's BN • Dr. Wong Soon Kai, the BN The intricate nature of this "poli- leaders, the success of Sarawak's

Aliron Momhfy 1996: 16(9) Pagt 37 f development and the need for con­ demands for more transparency tinuity in ruling the state. Numer­ and accountability in government candidate forBulit Asset and ous live broadcast'\ of ..opening - an indication, no doubt, of the canitaier Deputy Chief ceremony.. speeches by various Sarawak's desire to forge a civil Minister. ilnftOuDces that the BN leaders were also aired. society even as we strive to de­ Sarawak State Oovenament velop the state equitably and with­ bas approved a tax exemption This particular mode of cam­ out having to resort to the ·'poli­ fund of RM3 millioa for the paigning was particularly effec­ tics of development". Sibu Sacied Hean Chinese tive given that most rural folk in Sdlool (I'DIIo S.9.96). Sarawak rely on their radios for The Sarawak B N. for the first nearly all their news and enter­ time in its recent existence. faces • Abdul TaibMalunudplldges tainment. That it was unethical the real possibllity that substan­ ltM20 llliiiDllor TMit Bin and unfair did not seem to bother tive and potentially embarrass­ faciHtiel (NST. 6.9 96). the Sarawak BN in their desire ing questions will be raised in to achieve a clean <>weep. The the house by the DAP on issues • Abaoa Hj Abdul aMman state government's official of local and national concern: Zobari 811110UftCC1alla p­ transport vehicles were also native customary land issues, the emn• 8f8Dl of RMIQOJJOO utilised to the hill ferrying all Bakun dam, logging. the in­ for the Oya N~ M~ae caretaker mi nisrers and their volvement of politicians and project (Post. 6.9 96). retinue the length and breadth of their relatives in business-ques­ Sarawak presumably to officiate tions which for years had gone at some stale function (often unasked and thus unanswered in physically arranged by the J KR) the very place where it really thus giving them the opportunity matters, the State Assembly. De­ to campaign for the BN. spite having been dismissed by the BN over the past 18 years, To his credit. apart from flying in many perceive the DAP to be and out on the ministerial execu­ able and willing to stand up for tive jet and driving around in a the rakyat's interests unlike state car to state-organised func­ many other present and past po­ tions, Anwar Ibrahim minimised litical parties, including the his using of any state resources PBDS during its !>O-called "op­ during his whirlwind one-day position" years, who stood more campaign sweep. He. at least, was for their own vested interests judicious enough to fly around in within the State Assembly. one ofTing PekKhiing's Saeaga Air helicopters. Many Sarawakians are thus ea­ WINDS OF CHANGE •.. gerly looking forward to more lively and substantive State As­ In the end. the seventh Sarawak sembly sessions. Sarawak politics state election results really be­ bas undoubtcdJy taken a turn for spoke of new things to come for the better. It now remains to be Sarawak politics. For the DAP. it seen whether the Sarawak DAP was a breakthrough. But, at a and the two ·'independents·• will deeper level. its breakthrough as rise to the numerous challenges well as the widespread support the they will face as the politica1 op­ combined opposition received in position, and provide substantive I ~heir total vote rally really repre­ and res-ponsible representation for Lenrs an expre~ion of Sarawakian all Sarawakians. 0

A/iron Mo11thly 1996: 16(9} l'ag~ 38 1987 1991 1996 . ~- -r· - - Voter Thrnout (%) 73.6 1 72.8 63.8 ------1 DecHnellncrease (%) (Base Year =1969) -4.9 -7.2 -7.4 -7.0 I -7.2 I -16.2

David ak Thamos Satang Jeffrey ak. S. -+-- -'----"--+--Gramong (lnd) ak Siden (lnd) N)'ambang (lnd) 172 2,738 c . 979 -~-...... 3.889 -~--"--- Wmni-ng_ C_a_nd_ ida_" - ,-e-:G- ~-m-a_n_ak_/tam/BN; Majority: 131 . Spoilt \.vtes : 139)

Alirtm Montilly 1996: 16(9) Pag~ 39 IPOLITICS WINDS OF CHANGE •••

ven before the sun had set on 8 September. in­ coming electoral results indicated that the President of Sarawak United People'~ Party A POOR OUTING (SUPP). the then caretaker Deputy breakthrough in Sarawak politics FOR THE BN.... Cruef Minister of Sarawak. was after 18 long years in the wilder­ well on his way towards losing his ness. Despite campaigning very For the Sarawak BN. the state elec­ Bukit Assek seat to a Democratic hard during the elections. many in tion was a poor outing. especially Action Party (DAP) candidate. the DAP had. by election day. re­ con~idering that it lost five seats signed themselves to yet another including one held by a Deputy When all the counting was over. fruitless outing. Thus. their utter ChiefMini-.tcr. The results is all the the results showed that the surprise on their remarkable and more shocking as the BN went into Sarawak BN had suffered a major quite unexpected victories. not the election brimming with confi­ setback by losing five seats: three only in one but three constituen­ dence (perhaps even arrogance) seats to the DAP (Bukit Assek. cics! In fact. the post-electionjoke after having had full control over a Pelawan and Kidurong) and two making the rounds in Sarawak's pliable and acquiescent state as­

others to Independents (Meradong 1 coffee-shops the morning after was sembly and after having "deliv­ and Telang Usan). The BN and it~ that on election night. the DAP. ered" much development over the supporter<; were shocked by their who could hardly believe their past five years. losses in an election which they luck. were on the verge of request­ clearly perceived and approached ing the Election Commis~ion for a as a mere constitutional formality. recount of votes in aU the three constiruencie~ they had just won as But even more stunned than the they could scarcely believe there­ CONTINUED ~ BN. was the Democratic Action suits. Certainly. they stole the ON PAGE... 'J Party (DAP) who finally made a Sarawak BN's thunder that night.