For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity
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For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity PP3739/12/2010(025927) ISSN 0127 - 5127 RM4.00 2009:Vol.29No.11/12 Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(11/12) Page 1 COVER STORY Moving forward or backwards? Year of fanciful slogans, frail economy, failed institutions and fake unity by Martin Jalleh he catchphrase and NajibNajibNajib Kit Siang TT chant of 2009 was TTT “change”. The political tsunami of March 2008 brought about unexpected, un- thinkable and unforgettable change to the political landscape of Bolehland. The country and the political divide were left with no choice but to change – for better or worse! No one has been so conversant and committed to change than Najib Razak. As the year began he masterminded the change of the legitimate government in Perak. He tried successfully to convince the citizens of Bolehland that all dubious change is pos- sible and can be made “legal”. As the historic day of him being PM neared, Najib hammered home his message of change: “If we don’t have the courage to Zaid Ibrahim NazriNazriNazri change, the people will change us at the next general election”. Tengku Razaleigh Umno heeded his warning. The first thing that they did was change their president! Pak Lah was hounded out of office in March. Pak Lah had failed to translate rhetoric into reality. The Umno warlords wrapped in a world of their own made him a scapegoat. They were also largely respon- MahathirMahathirMahathir Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(11/12) Page 2 EDITOR'S NOTE Is Malaysia moving forward or backwards. That’s the question Martin Jalleh ponders over CONTENTS as he looks back over the last year. It has been a year of fanciful slogans and failed institutions with the BN having little to show for it. COVER STORY ••• Moving Forward Or Backwards 222 ••• Stagnant, Shaky And Startling He also takes a critical look at the economy, EconomyEconomyEconomy 999 the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, the police, the ju- ••• Of The Opposition, Obstacles, diciary and last but by no means least, Umno. Opportunity And Oblivion! 111111 ••• Police Come Under The Spotlight 131313 Our unity is also under threat following a spate ••• Jaundiced Judiciary 151515 of attacks on religious sites. We carry an ar- ••• “The Most Corrupt Institution In The Country” 171717 ticle by Asghar Ali Engineer, who asks whether Allah can be monopolised by any com- FEATURES munity. Public intellectuals, he says, must raise ••• The “Saint” of Sentul 212121 the voice of reason and take a public stand, even ••• Interview With Prof. Tariq Ramadan 262626 risking their reputations and careers. Also in- ••• Bigotry In The Name of Allah 272727 cluded is a joint statement by civil society ••• Incendiary Attacks On Churches, groups condemning the attacks. Faith And Peace 282828 ••• Malaysia Will Not Bow To Acts Of Violence 292929 It’s all very depressing. But in our centre pages, ••• “I Am Not Re-Writing History.” 323232 Yeoh Seng Guan pays tribute to an inspiration ••• Contextualising “The Fajar for many activists, James Arunasalam, the Generation” 343434 “saint” of Sentul, who passed away recently. ••• Can ‘Allah’ Be Monopolised By James had courageously dedicated much of his Any Community? 404040 life to fighting for the rights of settlers who REGULARS were facing eviction. ••• Thinking Allowed 191919 ••• Current Concerns 383838 Finally, we feature the launch of a book, The Fajar Generation, about a generation of ideal- OTHERSOTHERSOTHERS istic university students during the tumultuous ••• Subscription Form 232323 setting of Singapore in the 1950s. We reproduce the foreword to the book, penned by Lim Kean Chye, who describes the fascinating political Published by backdrop of that period. Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN)(ALIRAN)(ALIRAN) 103, Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, Aliran is an organisation for ‘social democratic reform’. We advocate freedom, justice and Penang, Malaysia. solidarity; comment critically on social issues, offer Tel: (04) 658 5251 Fax: (04) 658 5197 analysis and alternative ideas keeping in mind Email (Letters to Editor): the national and global picture based on universal [email protected] human rights and spiritual values. We are listed on the on the roster of the Economic and Social Council of Email (General): [email protected] the United Nations. Founded in 1977, Aliran Homepage : http://www.aliran.com welcomes all Malaysians above 21 to be members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or visit our webpage. Printed by Konway Industries Sdn. Bhd. Plot 78, Lebuhraya Kampung Jawa, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(11/12) Page 3 sible for reducing Umno into a Tunku Abdul Aziz Lim Kit Siang fragmented “formidable” force. It was their resistance to change that had contributed to the rot. Such refusal to reform continued throughout 2009. As the days passed, Najib’s “change” appeared to be one of taking the country back to the bad old days. Lim Kit Siang would re- mark: “In Najib’s pre-100 days as Prime Minister, the country is al- ready seeing increasing signs of the powers-that-be reverting to the “old ways” of restricting freedom and silencing criticism…” 1Malaysia could well turn out to be 1Malaysia: Mere publicity and nothing more than a grand illusion propaganda puff At the 59th Umno General Assem- bly held in March, Najib rallied on the delegates towards change. crete and significant changes.” thrust of his government will be He said Umno needs leaders who One Malaysia". “dare to change and are accept- But former de facto law minister ing of change, who dare to Zaid Ibrahim was unconvinced: For the rest of the year the citizens criticise and are willing to accept “Of course, Umno…has intro- of Bolehland were bombarded criticism”. Sadly, he and his co- duced some change in their inter- with the slogan without knowing horts did not appear to be recep- nal party processes but what what Najib had in mind. Najib did tive to criticisms in the days that about the mind-set of the leaders? not giv a clear picture of 1Malay- followed. We see no change whatsoever. It’s sia, neither did Apco Worldwide, all cosmetic. The more things a global PR firm, employed to re- Najib also reminded the delegates seem to change, the more they re- engineer and redeem the PM’s that if Umno was to remain rel- main the same. They will never flagging image at a rumoured evant then the indispensable role change.” price of RM20 million or more. As of the new media must be columnist David D. Matthew recognised. He declared: “Like it In an article, Barry Wain, author would write: “slogans by itself are or not, we cannot regard the new of the book Malaysian Maverick: often nothing more than conve- media as our enemy…” Unbeliev- Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent nient rhetoric… 1Malaysia… is ably, six new-media organisa- Times believes Najib’s political an empty slogan disguised as a tions would later be denied ac- background and baggage solution.” creditation to Umno’s general as- “doesn’t recommend him for the sembly! role of reformer” and “almost ev- Tunku Abdul Aziz, a former chair- erything about Mr. Najib pro- man of Transparency Interna- In October 2009, Umno held an claims the status quo”! tional and DAP vice-chairman, extraordinary general assembly to argued that the PM has to “ven- take what Najib called “a bold and Fanciful slogans ture beyond sloganeering and brave step in amending the party’s spell out in terms that are concise constitution to make it more trans- On April Fool’s day, the Malay- and clear what he has in mind parent, inclusive and demo- sian Insider reported that Najib, in when pontificating on what ap- cratic”. Proud of the changes that his final public address before his pears to thinking Malaysians to took place the Umno President swearing in as PM "gave a hope- be nothing more than a party declared that the amendments are ful glimpse into his administra- dogma being shoved down their “not cosmetic. They represent con- tion ... when he said that the new throats as part of a ploy to regain Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(11/12) Page 4 without a clear vision of what home, the slogan remained but 1Malaysia is intended to be, it one perfect “performance”! could well turn out to be nothing more than a grand illusion. Does Relentless racism ran deep and he really believe that he has what wide in the year. Racial baiting it takes to reconcile Umno’s patho- was at its worst. Umno leaders logical obsession with bumiputra had a free hand in playing the rac- rights on the one hand with the ist card to the hilt while they hid principles of inalienable equality behind their hype and hypocrisy for ALL Malaysians on the other? over 1Malaysia and went on a hysteria from time to time. 1Malaysia without complete equality of opportunity is nothing The racism was so glaring. It re- if not a cruel and dishonest prac- sulted in Minister in the PM’s tical joke.” Department Nazri Aziz revealing that the Cabinet had conceded Nazri: Called Dr M a ‘bloody racist’ Undoubtedly, Umno’s coalition that courses by the National Civ- allies were of no help in bolster- ics Bureau (or Biro Tatanegara, ing Najib’s 1Malaysia message of BTN) were racially divisive and unity. They were busily engaged used to promote certain govern- in bitter internal battles and end- ment leaders. There was a need less bickering throughout the for an overhaul. year, refusing or pretending to bury the hatchet in spite of the pos- As the long debate raged on, Nazri sibility that they could be burying told those who defended the BTN themselves for good! courses (which were compulsory for new civil servants and public In his concluding line for the year, university undergraduates), they Lim Kit Siang highlighted the were in a state of denial.