fur Justice,Freedom,Solidarity •

The Sabah Election Why Ber· a Lost rnmediately after the Sabah State elcc­ t•on and the former Chief M1n istcr. I 1) Datuk Harr1s Salle11's autocrat •c po.. t •· Oatuk Harris Salleh's attempted coup, ~he cal style He seldom cor;sultcO h•s ed:torial board of the Al1ran monthly cab•net or e11en government offic•als requested Almm memt>ers in Sabah He was unwdi1ng to accept cnr ct sm and their fr~ends to jot down on paper even frorn h.s own party colleagues. the mam causes of Beqn lops and form the new stJt rent - cd1tor '· > . . Do We Need A .... Stronger OppositiOn?

~ · Public Servants' Salary Claim: It is Just· . . . . ·...... 2 inside . Demand· by the Staff Sides Why Berjaya Lost ...... :·. : ...... 15 . of the National Joint Councils . . . . . 3 Do We Need A Stronger t-'," Letters ...... 8 Opposition ...... : .17 The Population of Sabah ...... 11 Pembangunan Dan Islam ( 1) . . -•• . ~ .. .23 Organising the Exploited ...... 12 News ...... ' .. · .. . .25 The Sabah Election: Current Comment ...... ' . . . .27 The People's Triumph ...... 14 Thinking Allowed ...... ·. -~ . . . :28 Public Servants' Salary Claim IT IS JUST In the last 2 months or so. there have been a number of reports in the newspapers of . the demand made by CUEP ACS on behalf of pubI ic sector em- ployees for salary adjustments. · Almost all our dailies have taken the position that the demand of these public servants cannot be met, given our serious economic problems. A substantial section of the public also subscribes to this view partly because of state propaganda. All RAN decided to examine the demand of our public servants for better wages. We studied their memorandum to the government submitted on 30 Novem­ ber 1984 and came to the conclusion that they had a strong case. Our stand on the CUEPACS claim is published below. It was prepared by Ali ran executive committee member. P. Ramakrishnan. The memorandum by our public sector employees is also reproduced in the following pages.

- Editor

anuary 1985 shou ld have been of our society, who form the backbone of until times are better; hunger doesn't stop the year for sa lary adjustment the nation. For they are the ones who gnawing at the vitals of the exploited for all public employees. The have more mouths to feed, more bodies until the economy improves. last adjustment was made in to clothe, more heads to shelter and more Isn't it a crying shame to be told that Jwith the clear understanding that 1980 children to educate, all within a very tight there is no money to meet this just adjustments would be made every five and shrinking budget. demand and yet continue to pay Enter­ years. Even at that time in 1980, the Inflation and the accompanying hard­ tainment Allowances of between $500/­ adjustment was below the level of the ships have hit every member of the and $1 ,600/- a month to those in the cost of living. The government agreed in poorer segment of our society. i rrespec­ superscale category? Isn't it a crying 1980 to rectify this situation. tive of religion and ethnicity. Their cry for shame to be told that there is no money The government has a moral obligation justice is unanimous and cuts across for the poor and the deserving and yet to honour this undertaking. In the last 5 ethnic boundaries. pay Housing Allowances of between years almost everythmg has gone up - Before politicians polarise this issue, rt $350/- and $1,500/- a month to those in except salaries of civil servants. Prices of is the bounden duty of the government to the superscale category? Isn't it a crying food, vegetables, accommodation, trans­ settle it in a fair and JUSt manner. It is no shame that.a hard-earned monthly salary portation, fuel, services have all soared good saying that all must wait until times of many in Division 4 should be less than skywards. And the hardest hit by this are better. until the economy improves. the minimum paid as Entertairment A l­ inflationary trend is the poorer segment Hardship doesn't stop visiting the poor lowance to those at the top?

Wages and Allowances of the Lowest Category & the Highest Category in the Public Services

Elaun Bayaran Elaun Kategori TanggagaJi Khidmat Awam Elaun Keralan Elaun Rumah Elaun Makan Maksima l..ojlnt Sewa (Tanpa Hotel Reslt)

Kumpulan 0: Buruh Kasar $250 X 10-360 $35.00 $14.00 $26.00 $16.00

Kumpulan A : Tlngkatan Tertlnggl A $4510 X 150-4660 $1600,00 11500.00 $80.00 Sebenar sao.oo (Standard Suite) Tlngkatan Tertinggl B $4060 X 150·4210 $1200.00 $1250.00 $60.00 Sebenar $10.00 Blllk Bujang) T lngkatan Tertlnggi C $3760 X 150.3910 $1000.00 11000.00 $60.00 sebenar $10.00 (Billk Bujang) Tlngkatan Tertinggl 0 $3460 X 150-3610 • 800.00 750.00 160.00 Sebenar $70.00 • (BIIIk Bu)ang) Tlngkatan Tertinggl E $3190 X 120-3310 • 600.00 • 600.00 140.00 $100.00 $60.00 Tlngkatan Tertlnggl F $2920 X 120·3040 • 550.00 • 450.00 140.00 $100.00 $60.00 Tingkatan Tertlnggl G $2650 X 120-2770 • 500.00 I 350.00 $40.00 $100.00 S60.00

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 2 AI iran proposes that claims of the civil Allowances companies operating in the country. servants be met immediately. It is our • Stop the severa! pensions we pay to so There should be a concerted effort to view that money can be found it we many of our former State Assembly­ curb the massive profits of big companies, • Curb and control corruption at the men and Parliamentarians both foreign and local. It is immoral to higher levels of society • Stop the many overseas trips of our restrain the meagre wages of the poor • El iminate wastage in the public leaders while not imposing any checks upon the services and do away with prestige unlimited profits of the rich. projects • Encourage moderate living styles Aliran is convinced tha t if the govern­ • Redu::e duplication of agencies and among the elites rather than continue ment is prepared to look at our economy activities in the public sector to allow them to indulge in lavish from a total perspective, it will realise • Control unnecessary expansion of per­ living. that there is a strong case for salary sonnel at the upper echelons of the Apart from all these measures, the increases for civil servants at the lower public services government should also control the colo­ and middle levels • • Stop paying Entertainment & Housing ssal repatriation of profits by foreign MEMORANDUM: Public Servants' Salary Claim Demand by the Staff Sides of the National Joint Councils in the Public Services For Pay Adju~tment

1. Introduction The five Staff Sides of the National The original Cabinet Committee estimation of inflation rate, as the House­ Joint Councils submit this claim for a pay Report was a co-ordination exercise of hold Expenditure Survey weight is based adjustment for all public employees based the recommendations of the Suffian, on the expenditure pattern that existed in on the policy that the public employees Aziz, and Harun Reports and the Sheikh 1980. In the current calculation, 1980 are due for a pay adjustment in 1985. Abdullah and Tun Aziz Salary Reports. has been taken as the. base year. However, The Government has accepted as a rule In reviewing this, the Cabinet Committee there has been no updating of the CPI the adjustment of salaries of public adopted an "across the board" bas is in since 1980. After the Household Expen­ employees on a quinquennial basis, the the 1980 pay adjustment. The "across the diture Survey was carried out in 1980, review year being 1984 and the increase board" basis claim has caused un­ the CPI was revised for a second time to be made in January, 1985, since the happiness among the sen1 or staff, as the using we 1ghts denved from the survey. last adjustment was made in 1980. quantum of adjustment would be the The weights derived from that survey It is relevant to mention here that same irrespective of the length of service. would therefore, not reflect the current generally in the private sector, the prac­ However, in view of the present economic expenditure paftern. It is obvious that by tice is :o make pay adjustments trien­ si tuation of the country, the Staff Sides 1984 the weights for rent, as well as for nially. Pay adjustments are aimed to meet have, for this exercise, decided reluc­ transport have risen quite steeply since the rise in cost of living and also to reflect tant ly to adopt the basis for the 1985 pay 1980. As such, more importance, in terms productivity inputs. adj ustment. of weightage, should be given to these The claim for pay increase is based on 2. Basis for Pay Adjustment two expenditure items. Consumer Price Index (CPI) using 1979 (a) Consumer Price Index (CPI) (b)Catch-up as the base year and on the Gross Na· The rate of inflation as measured by Taking into consideration that the CPI tional Product. We have used the 1979 as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is shown for the period 1970 to 197 4 was 36.0%, the base year in view of the fact that the in the following table: - whereas the revision of salary offered vide Department of Statistics, changed the Year CPI(1980=100) Rate of Increase Cabinet Committee Report I effet 'ive weightage for the Household Expenditure 1979 93.7 126.4-93.7 from 1.1.1976 amounted to an average of Survey in November, 1980. As a result 1980 100.00 ------X 100 15.4%, there was a balance of 20.6% to the Consumer Price Index (1980=100) 1981 109.7 93·7 catch-up in the 1980 salary review. will denote for 1980 as zero (0). 1982 116.1 = 34.9% Between 1975 and 1978, the CPI At the outset, we wish· to point out 1983 120.4 scored an increase of 12.8%. However, in that the claim for rectif ication of anoma­ 1984 126.4 (estimated) " the 1980 pay adjustment, the public lies and pay adjustment based on changes employees had a salary increase ranging in duties and responsi bi I ities wi II be * An estimated rate of· increase of 5% between 6% to 19% only and not 14% to carried out by the unions as a separate has been envisaged for 1984 compared 28% as reported in the press. The percen­ and continuous exercise. And also in to 1983 (120.4 X 1.05 = 126.4) I tage was worked on the minimum of the regard to reducing the key scales of the scale and not on the average of . mean origi nal Cabinet Committee Report, From the above figures it can be seen increases over the scale of particular review of schemes of service, review of that the rate of inflation for the period grades. Therefore, between 1970 to 1978, vehicle loans, housing loans, etc. will be 1979 - 1984 is 34.9%. the employees have been lagging behind dealt with by the Staff Sides as a separate It must be pointed out that in the CPI 14.4%. However, the Staff Sides have exercise. measurement there is obviously an under decided not to use the "catch-up" as a

3 The Aliran Monthly june/July 1985 Mass Rally: . Cuepacs/MTUC in Dewan Seri Pulau Pi nang on 8th factor in support of this claim but hopes May 1-985 the 1985 pay adjustment should not resu lt in decline in real wages. (c) National Economic Growth The Public Service has been constantly called upon to increase efficiency and productivity and it has to a very large measure responded to the call. Unlike in the private enterprises, the public employees have been placed in a different position in regard to incentive payment for productivity. This has been a very long grievance of the pub I ic service for not being adequately rewarded. ln.' Malaysia, the public sector emplo­ yees form a large portion of ·the nation's manpower. The various Government authorities own a good portion of the nation's capital assets and are responsible for a large porLion of the nation's annual fixed investments. The nation's scientific and technolo­ gical research and development is financed by Government agencies. The The public sector employees fo rm a large portion of the nation's manpower. size and structure of importance of private industries are in effect determined by decisions of Government. Public sector purchases provide a large and in some cases dominant part of the demand for the products of other industries, notably construction, pharmaceutical, electrical engineering, communication equipments and so on. The public sector in Malaysia besides being responsible for a substantial part of the nation's produc­ tion of goods and services, either as· supplier or as purchaser, predominates at crucial points in the modern economy: construction, research, advanced scien­ tific and technological development. It is an acknowledged fact that the success of the nation's development plans has been through the productive efforts of the public service. During the period 1980-1984 the country achieved quite an impressive rate of economic growth. The Encik Ahmad Nor: Pay adjustments a re aimed to meet the rise in cost of living. nominal Gross National Product (GNP) increased at an average ra te of 10.3% from $43,092 million in 1979 to $70,596 million in 1984 while in 1970 the real GNP increased at an average rate of 5. 7% from $23,308 million to $31,100 mil lion. It is to be remembered that this appre· ciable rate of growth was achieved when the prices of some of the rnajor commo­ dities like rubber and tin were low during certain years of the period assessed. The GNP per cupita rose at an average ra te of 7.1% per annum from $3,650 in 1980 to $4,685 in 1~84 . The public sector still plays a rnajor role and will be largely responsible for · d irectinn Government f iscal monetary and industrial policies in a manner that would effectively and efficiently rnubil ise national savings as well as provide the necessary climate ior the ·promotion of both domes tic and foreign investment. Union Leaders: . .. the success of the nation's development plans has been through the rhe Public Service must therefore have productive efforts of the public service a fair share of the Gross National Product

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 4 reflected in the wage increase during any tend that the employees in the lower clothing and housing." period of the growth. income group should be compensated The Government has recog'"lized that 3. Our Claim with an additional sum of $15/- as an ele­ the House Ownership Scheme introduced The Staff Sides are of the view that ~nt for savings to meet contigencies in in 1970 as an alternative to Housing the 1985 pay adjustment should be based times of need. Such savings are necessary Allowance has been inadequate and un­ on the initial salaries of the respective in view of the fact that they would have satisfactory. The Cabinet Committee Divisions, unlike the 1980 pay adjust­ to meet similar recurrent expenditure at Report I has in fact described the scheme ment which was based on Groups. The the end of the year as the higher income as 'idealistic' but "frankly unrealistic". rationale behind this proposal is intended bracket do, on education. In view of this, the Government in the to narrowing the gap between the highest 4. Annual Increment 1980 wage adjustment granted Housing and the lowest groups as well as to We claim that the minimum annual Allowance only to public officers in minimising the frustration of those who increment should be $20/- or 5% of the Superscale G and above but to the rest of are appointed or promoted to higher salary whichever is higher. The present the employees, Civil Service Allowance grades by ensuring that upon promotion annual increment of $10/- does not re­ was granted. they are given enhanced salaries thus flect a fair increase and tends to 'leng­ The Civil Service Allowances are as reconciling with the principle of the rate then' the salary scale and thus reduces the follows:- for the job. value of the rate for the job. The Govern­ Salary Groups Civil Service Allowance In the 1980 pay adjustment the per· ment tendency is always to start at a centage increases were granted on the lower point and to move up the ladder at Group A Senior Grade $250.00 p.m. lowest segment of the salary scale of a slower rate. Group A Time-scale $125.00 p.m. each group as follows:- The Government should also consider Group B $ 75.00 p.m. (i) Group D- Industrial & Manual Group reviewing the incremental rates in the Group C $ 45.00 p.m. -28% ($55/-) salary scales. Group D $ 35.00 p.m. (ii) Group D - Scheme of Service with 5. Civil Service Allowance SAP qualifications - 27% ($55/-) The Staff Sides have been pursuing the I m mediately after the 1980 wage (iii) Group C- 25% ($75/-) question of Housing Allowance even prior adjustment, the Staff Sides requested the (iv) Group B- 20% ($100/-) to the 1980 wage adjustment. The Government to extend the Housing (v) Group A, Timescale 18% Housing Allowance is an element involved Allowance to the rest of the public ($135/-) in the determination of the Civil Service employees. However, the claim together Allowance. The Cabinet Report I, Vide (vi) Group A, Senior Grade 16% with the rest of the counter proposals para 1.2., page 7 states inter alia: "since ($290/-) were rejected on the ground that the Government was not in a position to (vii) Super scale Grade and above - 15% living in the civi lized sense includes being incur the additional expenditure involved ($345/· sliding to 14%- $860/-) fed, clothed and housed, then "working for a living" can only be meaningful if the vide JPA(S) 81/16/15(29) dated 14th Though the real wage of public sector wage paid takes into consideration food, May, 1981. employees has eroded by 14.4% over a period from 1970 to 1978, as mentioned earlier, we feel that subsequent pay adjustments should not lead to a decline in real wages thus further lowering the standard of living of public sector emplo­ yees. Our claim therefore reflects the CP I increase for the said period and share in the GNP per capita which is as follows:- CPI (1979 to 1984) 34.9% Average GNP (1979 to 1984) 7.1% 42.0% =====

We, therefore, propose the following pay adjustments for 1985 based on the initial sa lary of the lower salary scale in each division:- Division Amount I $210.00 II $175.00 Ill $140.00 IV $105.00 + $15/- being saving element

(a) Saving Element for Lower Income It is an acknowledged fact that the employees in the lower income group (Div IV) are unable to overcome the effect of increase in the cost of living. Because their families are large, they find it difficult to make ends meet. Therefore, saving for a "rainy day" is out of the question for them. The Staff Sides con- " Please, Sir! Please don't give me a rise-my wife will kill me"

5 ThJJ ~liran Monthly June/July 1985 Government would consider increasing the Civil Service Allowance which con· sists an element of shelter as well. A~ord ingly, we are making a claim for an upward revision of the Civil Service Allowance. Since rentals as well as cost of houses have gone up, a good majority of the lower income group are unable to owr­ houses. A substantial amount of their salaries goes towards rental. There is sufficient justification therefore for our claim for an increase in Civil Service Allowance. We, therefore, propose the followtng Division Four workers sweating to serve. rates:- Divisions Civil Service Allowance Div.IV $110.00 Div.lll $170.00 Div. II $250.00 Div. I $350.00

6. Tax Exemption Any adjustment of salary based on increase in the cost of living is incomplete unless the element of income tax is alsc taken into consideration. During the past 20 years the income tax factor was not given due consideration where salary revi· s ions were made. Consequently, real income has been gradually reduced as far as the salaried employees are concerned. This situation has been further aggravated by the escalation of percentage of tax rates at certain levels. It is therefore, necessary that a measure of relief must be provided in order that the real income may not be further reduced. In this connection, it is suggested that payment of any regular allowances, such as C i vi I Service Allowance, Houstng Allowance, etc. should be exempted from taxation in the same way as Entertain­ ment Allowance which is being paid to Superscale Officers. 7. S'pread out of Quinquennial Pay Adjustment The Harun Commission on the rela· tionship between cost of living and public sector salaries held the view "that public sector salaries should be related to cost of living but not in the manner as it does in the Private Sector where salaries are sub­ ject to frequent reviews dependent on the rate of profit, the cost of living and other factors". (Para 6.53 page 131 of the report). The Harun Commission went on to state that "as a matter of principle, In view of the magnitude of the claim, that the element of Housing Allowance public sector salaries should be related to CUEPACS met the Hon'ble Prime Minis­ incorporated in the Civil Service cost of living only when existing salary ter, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad Allowance was inadequate and was pre­ levels cannot be maintained". (Para 6.54 for the second time on 16th August, pared to revise the Civil Service Allo­ page 132). The Commission concluded by 1982 to hear the decision of the Govern­ wance, but because the world wide re­ stressing that a real istic period for review ment on the matter. cession had also affected Malaysia, the based on cost of living should be once At this meeting, the Prime Minister dis Treasury was not in a position to meet every f ive years and recommended 1975 closed that the Civil Service Allowance the claim at that stage. However, the as the base year, for the First Revision. granted to the rest of the public emplo­ Prime Minister gave a categorical assu­ Here it must be stressed that the Harun yees contains an element of Housing rance to the CUEPACS delegation that Commission also held that by adopt­ Allowance. He acknowledged the fact when the financial situation improved the ing this rule, it did not necessarily follow

The AI iran Monthly June/J uly 1985 6 that public sector salaries should be generally increased only every five years, although that system is intended to bring the salanes to realistic levels in relation to cost of living. Whilst a quinquennial review is regar­ ded as a basis, however in the event of an unexpected inflation, the recommenda­ tion of the Commission is that Relief Ashleigh Brilliant Allowance should be granted which should be subject to review during the next quinquennial General Pay Adjust­ ment. ON COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATE I

IT CAN'T The method of quinquennial adjust­ MAKE THINGS ment, though. is intended to maintain a realistic level of pay in the public sector ANY WORSE. every five years. The nature of the rise in the cost of living has been very sharp as Malaysia is very dependent upon imports of consumer goods and the standards of living has also been fast changing. This has proved to be so over the last three quinquennial periods. This trend makes it essential to formu­ late an annual method of adjusting public THE MORE WE ' DISAGRE.E sector pay. based on the quinquennial ) review. The quantum for adjustment based on the quinquennial review should be applied annually on a spread-out basis. This would not only reduce the impact on revenues at the end of the five year period but also help in the annual budget­ ting of estimates. It will also ensure that sufficient relief is granted to public employees each year in view of the sharp rise in cost of living in the year in ques- t ion. 8. Conclusion From the facts enumerated in this memorandum. the public employees have not been sufficiently compensated by the revisions of their salaries since 1970 so as to enable them to SL!,Stain their real When all ot1-..~-r income. With the 49.3% of the CPI still to m~ans catch up, it would appear that they have of been denied a fair share of the economic communication cake that has been growing steadily in this country for which the public emplo­ .fail, yees have contributed substantially. The Staff .Sides, therefore, are of the firm view that ou r claim for a pay trJJ words. adjustment in 1985 is very reasonable and sincerely hope that it will receive favour­ able consideration from the Government.

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 Prime Minister has said that we h1ve practised more than what the NEP requires. Disunity in the country is not only confined to the Malays and Non·Malays, UMNO Malays and Non· UMNO Malays are also disunited in mind, body and soul. The Chinese and the Indians too are in the same boat. Letters The Prima Minister, besides blaming some We wcfc:ome letters from readers. T~ letters may be edited for purposes of sp.ca and newspapers for 'undermining' his efforts to clarity. The v;.ws ellpl'eseed may not be thow of the Aliran Monthly. Pseudonyms are unite the people, has also accused t hem of eccepted but all letters tftould include the writer's name and add rea. 'oppressing him' by not printing all that he Latten lhould be addresMCI to Editor, Aliran Monthly, P.O. Box 1049. Penang, Mala~a . says. I feel this is not true. The amount of publicity given him is mora than enough so much so that I feel he owns the newspapers. Besides the Information Ministry is his tool. So The KBSR is yet another projoct that does what more does he want? For example during BMF Scandal not benefit the public. It is not well planned. the Constitution Amendment crisis in 1983 This is in fact the situation with many govern· didn't the newspapers print all the speeches he The Finance Minister mentioned some time ment projects. made at his public rallies? Not a word from ago that the BMF scandal had come to pass. Those who oppose such development pro· others was printed except from Bapa Malaysia Recently In his address to Malaysian students in ject.s are called either 'pro-communist', 'subver· in the Star because he is the Chairman of that the US (NST 16 April) he repeated the empty sives' or 'extremists'. newspaper. Most newspapers today are more platitudes uttered by top members in the The KBSR scheme is also a political ploy to 'Government Gazettes' than anything else. Barisan. I would only like to remind him that make teachers resign. Three thousand of them Some newspapers in order to promote sales, Malaysians are fed up with this kind of talk. have resigned in the last three years - the apart from exercising their democratic rights, Malaysians want action and not promises and KBSR period. What a government for the print the truth. The rest simply toe the Govern· explanations from politicians who beat about people I mant's line. the bush. The KBSR is in fact nothing new. The On his directive to Barisan Nasional com· Among other things he said that in western 'lembab' or slow-learners have always been ponent party members to form and get involved countries the BMF scandal could have been there. in multiracial clubs, I am not convined of his settled easily but in our country it was quite sincerity in wanting to promote national unity different and thus had to take time. This is B.A. Kedah because overseas he encourages the setting up another bit of rubbish. He also mentioned that Alor Setar of UMNO clubs. Thousands of our young 'nobody is perfect.' Malaysians are studying abroad and the way to From what I know the BMF was not a unite them is to have multiracial clubs so that mistake. It was a crime planned by a when they return and as future leaders they will tremendously greedy group of people who be mora Malaysian than Bumi or Non Bumi. I broke regulations. It was treason of the most End Of Liberal Policy Towards am sura the people will not mind if their money despicable kind against the country. The Press? is spent to form such clubs. The public outcry was the result of I conclude by appealing to the Prima Minis· government failure to take stringent and The recent announcement by the Prime ter not to abuse Parliamentary Democracy to decisive actions against the culprits. Members Minister that he intends to review his govern· suit his own ends. A$ fur th11 prwss there are from the public are beginning to wonder ment's liberal policy towards the Press did not already more than enough laws and regulations whether the government has failed to do more come as a shock to me. When the present Prime to ensure that no one exceeds the bounds. The because those involved are close or connected Minister took over 4 years ago, he did relax the Prime Minister should not therefore ask the to someone holding a very high office in the policy and people like me are very grateful to press to shut up and only listen to him because country. him. But within a short span of 4 years he he feels that the brute majority of the Barisan I would like to remind top members from found that he too cannot stand public com· in Parliament has given him the right to the government that the fury vented through ment on the wrong-doings of the government. dominate everyone else. the mass media was only the tip of the iceberg. It takes two people to start a quarrel and 1 am afraid someday Malaysians wit no longer also two hands to clap. Why did the Govern· Ismail Hashim contain their frustration. There is a strong ment allow, in the first place, Bukit Cina, Bukit Gelugor possibility that they might take action against Papan, Mandarin oranges and other such issues Pulau Pinang the government. to crop up? When the public was concerned Nobody is immune from the country's laws. about these issues the government should have Not even those close or connected to someone taken positive steps to satisfy the people who holds a very high office in this country. instead of keeping silent or dragging its feet. The Increase In Fees For Malaysian Even that someone is not immune from the Malaysia will be putting the clock back if laws of the la nd. This is what 'Amanah' is all the already controlled press is further restricted Students In Australia about. and I am afraid that Aliran will be one of the first to be denied the KDN permit. The DAP calls on the Malaysian government Sarong Pimpernel to send a high-level delegation, led by Educa­ Kuala Lumpur Citizen tion Minister, Abdullah Badawi, to Canberra to Kuala Lumpur protest against the Australian IJOVernment increase of fees for Malaysian students. Political Integrity Despite appeals, memoranda and evan pro· tests, the Australian Government had disregard· ed the long-standing relationship between the People in high places should uphold the law, Government To Blame For and not break it. Why is it that a Penang State two countries and gone ahead to increase Executive Councillor who consciously damages Disunity sharply the fees of Malaysian students in public property, pleads guilty and is set free by Australia. the Court? I wonder what would have happen· Permit me to voice my humble opinion in There seems to be a misconception among ed to an ordinary man convicted of the same your monthly on the Prime Minister's undemo· Australian government circles that the over· offence! cratic warning to the press for ·undermining' whelming majority of Malaysian students come the Government's efforts to strengthen national from rich and well-off families. In tact, this was LH S unity. I consider his warning as 'blackmail'. the distinct impression that DAP leaders gather· Penang If the Prime Minister doesn't want 'com· ed when we met with members of the Goldring munal songs' to be sung, he himself shouldn't Committee during their visit to Kuala lumpur. sing them. The Government places too much The Coldring Committee subsequently came emphasis on the cursed terms 'Bumis & Non out against increase of fees. Why KBSR? Bumis'. That is the 'root of all evils'. Most The latest round of increases of fees by the Government policies are based on this. So the Australian Government will mean a new finan· Allow me to write in support of 'A Parent', press and the people automatically become cial burden of some $15 million to Malaysian Kulim, on ' Let teachers study KBSR course at 'communally brainwashed". The implamanta· parents. For the poor and low-income families home.' (The Star, March 28). tion of the NEP has been abused and even the who are already finding it hard to finance their

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 8 children's higher studies in Australia, this would be a particularly hard and cruel blow. In a way, the Malaysian government must bear responsibility for the latest round of increases, for it was none other than the Education Minister Datuk Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi who announced that the Malay­ sian Government understood and accepted the Australian proposal to increase fees during the visit of the Australian Foreign Minister, Bill Hayden. Why should the Malaysian Government cri· ticise the British Government's increase of fees for foreign students leading to the ' Buy British Goods Last' campaign,while giving its blessings to the Australian Government's fee increase? The DAP calls upon the Malaysian Govern· ment to step forward to find a solution to the fees problem to ensure that no Malaysian student suffers as a result.

Lim Kit Siang Secretary-General DAP Kuala Lumpur

Imminent Fees Increase For Overseas Students In Australia

Some well-meaning people - including some Australia and those intending to go to Australia each other's faiths is a sign of our own religious Malaysians - have argued that Australia's deci· will have their courses cut short and their maturity. sion to increase tuition fees for overseas stu­ aspirations dashed. This majority do not come There is no quarrel between a Hindu Yogi, a dents at Australian universities and colleges has from wealthy homes. The fees increase will Buddhist Saint, a Muslim or Christian mystic. nothing whatsoever to do with the question of mean that in future only t hose Malaysians who They can all live in perfect harmony. But little trede or diplomacy. These people may be are really from wealthy homes can afford to brains dabbling in limited dialetics and entang· forgiven for their naivete or ignorance. study in Australia. Thus, the Australian govern· led in emotion feel that they hold the key to The Australian policy on overseas students, ment's decision will have worked along the lines the Kingdom of God. as history shows us, has everything to do with of a self-fulfilling prophecy, namely, that All good intentions to love and adore the trade and diplomacy. In 1904 special provision Malaysians studying in Australia are from various religions in our midst is being hampered was first made for entry of overseas students wealthy backgrounds and can therefore afford by the actions of fanatics and narrow minded into Australia. The stated aims of this provision expansive fees. zealots. were the promotion of "interaction with the This is clearly discriminatory and against Love of one's own religion need not be ex­ students' home countries and to improve trade less well-to-do Malaysians. Coming from a pressed in the hatred of the other religions in relations between these countries and Austra· Labour government which claims to be demo­ our midst. But this may well be the trend in t he lia." cratic socialist, it is particularly regrettable and future if-people seclude themselves behind the In April 1950, the then Australian Minister outrageous. dogmas of their own faith. for Immigration, H. Holt reiterated this policy If the Australian authorities go ahead with There are indeed very few Muslims of Chan· by saying that "the grant of facilities which thu further imposition of sharp Increases In dra Muzaffar's tolerance and insight in this enabled Asians to secure educational advantages tuition fees for overseas students, in utter country. I hope and pray that AI iran's attempt not available to them in their own countries disregard for the feelings and pleas of people in to promote universal and humanistic values in could prove a pertinent factor in cementing ties developing countries and in betrayal of previous our national life will continue to receive wide of friendship between Australia and her policy, diplomacy and history, then Malaysians support from all sections of our society. northern neighbours and assist in the promo­ have every right to retaliate and should retaliate tion of trade between the countries concern· in quick and appropriate fashion. P. Rasahugan ed." This policy continued until the mid 1960's. For a start, we could boycott all Australian lpoh In March 1966 a revised policy insisted that goods. Secondly, we could review the 5-power overseas students should pursue courses of defence agreement of which Australia is a "recognised value to the students' homeland;" signatory and of which the Australian airbase in hence, stricter academic entry requirements Butterworth is part and parcel. were applied. The Malaysian government must not be soft SGS Resolution In 1973 the policy returned to an emphasis on this issue which affects the interests of broader than foreign aid. It also stressed the thousands of Malaysians. The SGS 12th Annual General Meeting held "fostering of good relations and cultural on 17 March 1985 has adopted, among others, exchange". Fan YewTeng the following resolution: This policy was brought to an end in 1979 Secretary-General The 12 SGS AGM by the imposition of tuition fees for private SOP e NOTES that the British government has overseas students. This prompted Australian Kuala Lumpur announced its intention to raise university Labour Party Senator John Button to say, fees for medical, dentistry and veterinary correctly on 13 September 1979 in the Austra· courses for 1985-1986 academic year. lian Senate that through the new policy "Aus­ That the increase which is applicable to only tralia will provide unlimited places for wealthy non-British and non· EEC students will result students at the expense of the less well-to-do." The Need For ~eligious Tolerance in a further decline in the number of Malay· The Australian Union of Students had con· sian students studying in Britain; damned this new policy as "exploitative and read with great interest Dr. Chandra e FURTHER NOTES that the Australian racist,.. Muzaffar's article entitled 'Loyalty to God and govern!)lent is intending to emulate the dis· The proposed new round of fees increase for Spiritual Values' which appeared in (The Star criminatory British policy of implementing overseas students in Australia will adversely AprilS). "full cost" fees for overseas students; affect more than 9,000 Malaysian students, the In the pretext of expressing some sane e RECOGNISES that: great majority of whom are private students. opinion a few people have been trying to pro· a) Malaysia contributed $450 million to Bri· The rumoured 20-40% increase will mean that mote limited views of God and universe I values. tain and $110 million to Austral~ in 1982 the majority of Malaysian students already in Religious tolerance and true mutual respect for to support her students;

9 The Aliran Monthly. June/July 1985 b) the total outflow of about $1 billion annual· Then come our landless farmers, the small· an achievement would have been impossible to ly to tuition and living expenses amount to holders and the plantation workers. They too sustain, if Malaysian workers were lazy. about 45% of the total education budget in start their work very early in the morning. Here The reason why workers from neighbouring the Fourth Malaysian Plan. again their wives and teenage children are not countries migrate to Malaysia can be traced to e URGES therefore that spared. In spite of a hard day's work, most of the economic and employment conditions in a ) Malaysian student bodies in Britain and Aus­ them eke out a hand-to-mouth living. In this their respective countries. Compared with the tralia continue to organise and intensify group too the rate of poverty has gone up over Malaysian ringgit, their currency fetcl)es very opposition to the unjust fee increases; the years. low value; their labour markets are flooded b) concerned Malaysian noniJovernmental or· Coming to our urban workers, are they really with unemployed persons; hence wages are low. ganisations and individuals should urge the lazy? Who are those people who sell satay, For them, Malaysia is a haven. government to review its education system kuih·kuih, cut grass and perform other odd But we should not forget the fact that an in order to eliminate the need for such a jobs in the evenings, rest days and public immigrant labour force without trade union large number of students going overseas. hoi idays? Most of them are from the lower ranks protection will lead to lower wages and exploi­ e DIRECTS the Executive Committee to pub­ of urban workers. They would have very much tation of labour, although the employers would lish and distribute at home and abroad a list liked to spend their leisure hours after a day's be able for a while to increase their profit of all Australian goods and services available work watching TV, playing with their children margin. Only a Government totally committed in Malaysia with the view of reviewing trade or chatting with their wives. But their income is to capitalism will ever allow such a thing to ties. We urge you to support the spirit of the so low that they are forced to put in extra happen. above resolution in any way possible and engage in any action that is necessary.

E.T . Chock Secretary Se langor Graduates Society Petaling Jaya Selangor

Banning of US Nuclear Warships

We would like to congratulate New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange and his Labour government on their firm stand in banning nuclear capable warships from New Zealand. This principled and courageous act should re­ ceive the highest respect and admiration from peac&-loving peoples all over the world. President Reagan of the United States should stop harrassing the government and people of New Zealand over their. decision to ban all nuclear warships. The people of New Zealand decided democratically in their general election a few months ago, on such a move, and no other government or country, including the US and Australia, has the right to tell them what to do. President Reagan should remember that the Pacific Ocean is no American lake. We condemn his childish reprisals against New Zealand. The trouble with American imperialism is that it never learns from its blunders and also from the fact that the great majority of the peoples of "Have it your own way, dear-we're all sunbathing on the roof sipping ice-cold Martinis with the world - if the facts are put objectively to our dizzy blonde secretaries while you're slaving over a hot stove getting my dinner." them - are strongly against all things nuclear. The ASEAN governments should emulate the New Zealand government by declaring that they would similarly ban all nuclear capable efforts to make ends meet. It is disgraceful to Coming back to lazy workers, in my view warships from their shores and ports. describe them as lazy! the higher your income the lazier you are. In this context, it is relevant to ask why so While this is a general rule, there are exceptions Fan Yew Teng many foreign countries invest their capital in like our Prime Minister who works, perhaps, 14 Sec retary-General this country? If your workers are so lazy, how is hours a day on the average. We do not find our SDP it possible for foreign investors to siphon away fishermen, farmers, and other low paid workers K uala Lumpur from Malaysia an average of $1.5 billion as pro­ at golf courses, in casinos, pent-houses, night fits every year? Perhaps the Prime Minister wants clubs and posh hotels, where money and time our workers to work even harder so that em­ are wasted without any consideration. Only ployers can make more profits. Perhaps this is VVIPs, VIPs and highly paid executives are Lazy Workers? why he wants everyone to increase producti· generally found in these places. When they vity. . return to their desk, they are too tired to do Once again, our Prime Minister has publicly But to achieve higher productivity, there much work. Then they plan to spend a holiday described our workers as lazy in order to legi· must be conditions conducive to it. Apart from with their family overseas. In other words, most timise the Government's policy of encouraging satisfactory working conditions and suitable of them do little work, whereas they enjoy the immigrant labour to work in Malaysia. tools and equipment, workers must be con· best in life. While laziness and malignancy exist in all suited and they should be assured that they Recently, I read an article by our Bapa societies, is it fair for him to make such a would have a fair share of the profit. Besides, Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, in the Star, general accusation? Perhaps, an analysis of the their living conditions must also be satisfactory. where he said that when he was the Prime situation might prove otherwise. A worker who does not have enough to eat; Minister, th~e were only 13 Ministers and 3 Let me start with our fishermen. They who lacks necessary facilities to educate his Deputy Ministers, but that the number has now spend most of the night and day either fishing children; who has no proper shelter; who has no increased to 24 and 26 respectively, Recently 4 or selling their catch or. mending their nets. In choice but to do odd jobs to supplement his more Deputy Ministers were appointed. Pehaps, the process, they have to drag their wives and income, cannot be expected to contribute laziness has crept into th.e highest levels of teenage children to help them out. They don't towards higher productivity. government! enjoy public holidays and rest days. And yet, In spite of the above obstacles encountered the highest rate of poverty is traceable to our by the workers, Malaysia remains the number K George fishermen. one producer of rubber, tin and oil palm. Such Keiang

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 10 Vital Statistics The Population of Sabah

Ethnic Composition of Sabah, 1980

Ethnic Groups Number (thousands) Percentage Pribumi 838.1 82.9 Chinese 164.0 16.2 Indians 5.6 0.6 Others 3.3 0.3 Total 1,01 1.0 100.0

..... Ethnic Composition of Sabah, 1970 iii Ethnic Groups Number Percentage r:...... ,.,._, ...... ~~ .... Kedazan womenfolk Kadazan 184,512 28.2 Chinese 139,509 21.3 abah has been very much in the Bajau 77,271 11.8 news recently, especially since Parti S Murut 31,299 4.8 Bersatu Sabah (PBS) trounced Berjaya. Malays 18,365 2.8 However most people in other parts of Other Indigenous 125,631 19.2 Malaysia still do not know much about Indonesians 39,526 6.0 the people and culture in the state. Let's Others 37,151 5.7 have a look at the population of Sabah. Total 654,943 99.8 According to the 1980 census, the total population of Malaysia was 13.7 million of which 11.4 million were in number of migrants from the Philippines distinction. This unfortunate classifi­ Peninsular Malaysia, 1.0 million in Sabah and Indonesia were classified under Pri­ cation has increased ethnic tension and and 1.3 million in Sarawak. Unlike the bumi in the 1980 census. This contributes disunity in Malaysia. Ethnic relations in statistics on other states, the population to the rather high Pribumi annual growth Sabah have been fairly good and there is breakdown by ethnic groups in Sabah is rate of about 4Y2% between 1970 and no reason to cultivate the indigenous/ reduced to mainly the indigenous people 1980. Foreign-born persons made up 13% non-indigenous ideology which will only versus the Chinese, since Indians are in of Sabah 's population in 1980 compared serve to divide the people most cases included under "Others". Fur­ with 8% in 1970. The emphasis on Pribumi versus thermore the term pribumi rather than The net inf lows of migrants from Chinese classification is most misleading bumiputera is used for the "indigenous Indonesia and Phi lippines during the since the contrast inevitably focuses on people". Thus in 1980, Pribumi made up intercensal period were 45,000 and this dichotomy. For example, the compu­ 82.9% of Sabah's population, Chinese 36,000 respectively. No wonder the ques­ tation on the incidence of poverty by the made up 16.2%, and others made up tion of illegal immigrants was a major ethnic origin of the head of household in 0.9%. issue in the recent state election. 1982 in Sabah shows that Pribumi made The 1980 census as indicated in the For a state where the majority of the up 93.1% of the poor, Chinese 5.9%, and table does not tell us the numerical population are still rather poor. the influx Others 1.0% (Ct. Mid-Term Review of the strength of the major ethnic groups. of a large number of migrants has serious Fourth Malaysian Plan, p. 87). A casual According to the 1970 census, Kadatans political and socio-economic implications reader may forget that 82.9% of the represented the largest single ethnic group as well as negative effects on ethnic rela­ population has been classified under (28.2%) in Sabah, followed by the tions. Proper studies on the refugees and Pribumi, while irresponsible politicians Chinese (21.3%), Bajau (11.8%), Murut il legal immigrants shou ld be ca rried out, may use this form of statistics for their (4.8% ). Malays (2.8%), and the other and effective measures should be taken to narrow communal politics. Furthermore, ethnic groups. deal with this problem. However the poli­ the classification does not tell us the The ethnic composition in Sabah is cies must be humane and based on rea ­ incidence of poverty between the various very complicated and there is still no son with due consideration given to the "Pribumi" ethnic groups, say. between satisfactory classification of ethnic question of refugees. the Kadazan and the Malays. The groups. The Pribumi category of the 1980 The use of the label "Pribumi" instead Pribumi/Chinese dichotomy, as used in census comprises the following. Kadazan, of "Bumiputera" is unJustifiable and is to the computation of poverty by ethnicity, Kwijau, Murut, Bajau, lllanun, Lotud, a great extent, not accepted by the tends to direct the attention away from Rungus, Tambanuo, Dumpas, Maragang, people so classified. Thus on his first day the underlying economic causes of Paitan, ldahan, Minokok, Rumanau, of duty as the Chief Minister this Apri I, poverty. Since the majority of the people Mangka'ak, Sulu, Orang Sungci, Brunei, Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan announced classified as Pribumi live in rural areas, Kedayan. Bisaya, Tidong, Other lndige· that all ethnic groups classified by the last the above statistics really show the impor­ no us, Malay. Indonesian, Sino-native. government as Prib.umi would now on be tance of emphasizing rural development. Native of Sarawak, Native of Philippines, known as Bumiputera. We hope that the and Cocos Islanders. new Chief Minister will go further and • It should be noted that the large eradicate the bumiputera/non-bumiputera Tan Chee Beng

11 The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 b) the total outflow of about $1 billion annual­ Then come our landless farmers, the small­ an achievement would have been impossible to ly to tuition and living expenses amount to holders and the plantation workers. They too sustain, if Malaysian workers were lazy. about 45% of the total education budget in start their work very early in the morning. Here The reason why workers from neighbouring the Fourth Malaysian Plan. again their wives and teenage children are not countries migrate to Malaysia can be traced to e URGES therefore that spared. In spite of a hard day's work, most of the economic and employment conditions in a ) Malaysian student bodies in Britain and Aus­ them eke out a hand-to-mouth living. In this their respective countries. Compared with the tralia continue to organise and intensify group too the rate of poverty has gone up over Malaysian ringgit, their currency fetches very opposition to the unjust fee increases; the years. low value; their labour markets are flooded b) concerned Malaysian non1JOVernmental or· Coming to our urban workers, are they really with unemployed persons; hence wages are low. ganisations and individuals should urge the lazy? Who are those people who sell satay, For them, Malaysia is a haven. government to review its education system kuih-kuih, cut grass and perform other odd But we should not forget the fact that an in order to eliminate the need for such a jobs in the evenings, rest days and public immigrant labour force without trade union large number of students going overseas. holidays? Most of them are from the lower ranks protection will lead to lower wages and exploi­ e DIRECTS the Executive Committee to pub­ of urban workers. They would have very much tation of labour, although the employers would lish and distribute at home and abroad a list liked to spend their leisure hours after a day's be able for a while to increase their profit of all Australian goods and services available work watching TV, playing with their children margin. Only a Government totally committed in Malaysia with the view of reviewing trade or chatting with their wives. But their income is to capitalism will ever allow such a thing to ties. We urge you to support the spirit of the so low that they are forced to put in extra happen. above resolution in any way possible and engage in any action that is necessary.

E.T. Chock Secretary Selangor Graduates Society Petaling Jaya Selangor

Banning of US Nuclear Warships

We would like to congratulate New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange and his Labour government on their firm stand in banning nuclear capable warships from New Zealand. This principled and courageous act should re­ ceive the highest respect and admiration from peace-loving peoples all over the world. President Reagan of the United States should stop harrassing the government and people of New Zealand over their. decision to ban all nuclear warships. The people of New Zealand decided democratically in their general election a few months ago, on such a move, and no other government or country, including the US and Australia, has the right to tell them what to do. President Reagan should remember that the Pacific Ocean is no American lake. We condemn his childish reprisals against New Zealand. The trouble with American imperialism is that it never learns from its blunders and also from the fact that the great majority of the peoples of "Have It your own way, dear-we;re all sunbathing on the roof sipping ice-cold Martinis With the world - if the facts are put objectively to our dizzy blonde secretaries while you're slaving over a hot stove getting my dinner." them - are strongly against all things nuclear. The ASEAN governments should emulate the New Zealand government by declaring that they would similarly ban all nuclear capable efforts to make ends meet. It is disgraceful to Coming back to lazy workers, in my view warships from their shores and ports. describe them as lazy! the higher your income \he lazier you are. In this context, it is relevant to ask why so While this is a general rule, there are exceptions Fan Yew Teng many foreign countries invest their capital in like our Prime Minister who works, perhaps, 14 Secretary-General this country? If your workers are so lazy, how is hours a day on the average. We do not find our SDP it possible for foreign investors to siphon away fishermen, farmers, and other low paid workers Kuala Lumpur from Malaysia an average of $1.5 billion as pro­ at golf courses, in casinos, pent-houses, night fits every year? Perhaps the Prime Minister wants clubs and posh hotels, where money and time our workers to work even harder so that em­ are wasted without any consideration. Only ployers can make more profits. Perhaps this is VVIPs, VIPs and highly paid executives are Lazy Workers? why he wants everyone to increase producti- generally found in these places. When they vity. . return to their desk, they are too tired to do Once again, our Prime Minister has publicly But to achieve higher productivity, there much work. Then they plan to spend a holiday described our workers as lazy in order to legi­ must be conditions conducive to it. Apart from with their family overseas. In other words, most timise the Government's policy of encouraging satisfactory working conditions and suitable of them do little work, whereas they enjoy the immigrant labour to work in Malaysia. tools and equipment, workers must be con­ best in life. While laziness and malignancy exist in all sulted and they should be assured that they Recently, I read an article by our Bapa societies, is it fair for him to make such a would have a fair share of the profit. Besides, Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, in the Star, general accusation? Perhaps, an analysis of the their living conditions must also be satisfactory. where he said that when he was the Prime situation might prove otherwise. A worker who does not have enough to eat; Minister, there were only 13 Ministers and 3 Let me start with our fishermen. They who lacks necessary facilities to educate his Deputy Ministers, but that the number has now spend most of the night and day either fishing children; who has no proper shelter; who has no increased to 24 and 26 respectively. Recently 4 or selling their catch or. mending their nets. In choice but to do odd jobs to supplement his more Deputy Ministers were appointed. Pehaps, the process, they have to drag their wives and income, cannot be expected to contribute laziness has crept into th_e highest levels of teenage children to help them out. They don't towards higher productivity. government! enjoy public holidays and rest days. And yet, In spite of the above obstacles encountered the highest rate of poverty is traceable to our by the workers, Malaysia remains the number K George fishermen. one producer of rubber, tin and oil palm. Such Kelang

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 10 The Human File Organising the Exploited Part II

BMS continues his na"ative on the set­ backs and sufferings he has experienced in unionizing poor, exploited workers - editor.

left MOVE as a full-time worker and only got fresh workers but also saved on CTO. It dealt with motor parts. My friend joined an electronic firm. The elec­ the benefits they would have to pay if the helped me get the job at CTO as a guard. tronic firm was paying me $5 a day. I worker reached a certain period in As time passed and as I got used to the I got myself employed not just to earn a employment. place I felt the need to organize a group. living. It was also to gain the experience As I studied these situations, I also However there was already a well struc­ of working in an electronic firm took a lot of photographs of actual work­ tured union in the factory.' environment. In MOVE we were exposed ing conditions in the factory. All these 'Well if there was a strong union why to reports of the oppressive working con­ were later used in an in-depth study of the did you want to form another group? ditions in electronic firms in other coun­ working conditions in the Electronic Why didn't you think of working within tries. I wanted to experience for myself. industry. the Union?' In the place I worked, incentives were Another thing is the psychological He responded almost immediately. given for uninterrupted work. So if one stress the workers go through. Imagine 'Unions hardly educate their workers. wants the incentive of $40 one cannot go sitting down looking at a chip through a They tell them nothing about realities in to toilet except during the time provided. microscope. The chip is your world. For the country. They do not educate the One is also expected to be healthy and that moment you see nothing else in the workers about the exploitative nature of not go on medical leave. For many the whole world. You are tied up with it. labour la'A'S. They do not even discuss the extra $40 meant a lot. They neglected Your existence is a mere extention of its ways by which the management cheats their health. In the ultimate analysis, for being. You are totally immersed in it. In workers. Unions merely talk of bread and the management the worker is just this situation if anyone pokes you joking­ butter issues. True, they provide some another unit in the factory governed by ly you are shocked into rea lity. The basic leadership training but not so much certain laws that can be manipulated to immediate reaction is to scream. I have to develop leaders as to keep the union the management's advantage. Workers in myself experienced this. In many electro­ bureaucracy going. Just as the Colonial a factory are hardly treated as humans. n i c firms, production operators start Masters developed a class of civil servants Another area I looked at were re­ screaming. When it catches on the thing to maintain British bureaucracy. The trenchment procedures. You see the· turns into a mass hysteria. The funny part union in CTO was also not doing much company I worked in, would not ask the is the official explanation. They say that because many in the management team workers to leave. Blatant retrenchment evil spirits cause t he hysteria. If people were once strong union leaders. They had brings a bad name to the company. So only knew which evil spirit .... In one been coopted. what they do is to put on their notice factory, I remember a bomoh was called So your aim was to form .... board a bait for encouraging workers to to solve the problem. A goat was killed to ... yes to form a group so that the leave. They will say that if workers want appease the evil spirit. workers would become aware of the rea­ to leave they can and that they will be 'What did you do with your findings?' lity they lived in. To begin the process I paid certain benefits. Workers not know­ I asked. penetrated the work site through friends. ing about labour laws fal l into the trap. I shared it. I shared it with other Remember I was a guard and I had no There is a duration you must have workers. And I shared it with MOVE business at the work si te. However with worked before you are eligible for bene­ organizers. After a while, I left the job at the help of friends I formed a group of fits other than the pay you are entitled the electronic firm. And I found a job six. They were union members. The to. So when a new worker quits he or she with a photography lab. I joined as a union accepted us as a sub-committee is simply given his or her pay. When they despatch boy. But during my free time I though we did not go through the union. ask for the benefits mentioned in the spent time in the darkroom. Developing Till 1980, I was a uniformed person. This notice board they are simply shown the films and printing them was no mystery curtailed my participation in the work Labour Ordinance. And asked to leave. to me. I used this skill in my work with si te sub-committee that I helped form. So The workers can't fight back. I came to MOVE. I asked for a transfer. In 1980 I was given understand that this was how new 'But you left the photography lab, a transfer to the work site, to the produc­ workers were brought in every six months didn't you,' I queried. tion line. One month later we formed the or so. In this way the management not ;Yes, at the end of 1978, I joined Safety Committee (CTOSC). The union

The Aliren Monthly June/July 1985 12 in CTQ supported us. The CTQSC edu­ cated the workers on safety. We produced pamphlets. We held dialogues with the Factory and Machinery Department. We discussed safety problems like eye injury because of welding, noisy environment, dust menace, chemical pollutants, inhala­ tion that caused coughs, chest pains and loss of appetite. We soon brought out a monthly bulletin. It gave information on safety. It was circulated to all members. We were able to generate a lot of interest among workers on safety problems. Workers were coming out to tell us of safety problems they encountered. Case studtes on safety conditions were ana­ lysed. The Factory and Machinery De­ partment gave us a lot of support in solving the safety problems at the work site. When all this started happening, the management got worried. Even our national union got worried. The national union's safety committee was not as active as ours. The national unton tried to interfere in our work. We had to stop them. Our national union was also worried about my connection with MOVE. The national union was closer to ENV, a group that took a special interest in environmental safety. Both the na­ tional union and ENV saw MOVE as a threat. MOVE was doing the work a union ought to be doing. It was because of all this that the national union didn't want to help me when I was jobless. Anyway the manage­ ment saw me as a danger and began to victimize me. They picked on me for everything. Finally they demoted me from welder to sweeper. The demotion was unjustified and meant to humiliate me. Meanwhile many of the leaders who We were able to generate a lot of interest among workers on safety problems. worked along with me left because of victimization against them. I was isolated and left alone. Then one day the per­ sonnel manager, an ex-unicn leader. called me up and told me that it would be better if I left on my own acccrd instead of being sacked. If the latter happened I wouldn't get any benefits. I knew I was fighting a losing battle. My friends had left. The workers who were around were all apathetic to what was happeni ng. Finally I resigned. It was almost midnight now. BMS and I were at the end of a long conversation. But I had one last question. What do you hope to achieve by doing all this? iie was silent Not because he did not know. No. I did not get that feeling. He knew too well what he wanted. He spoke, 'Well, it is a fight for the cause of justice­ so that one day there will be no more class d ichotom ies. No class will exploit another. One day there will be justice for everyone' •

M. Nadarajah

13 The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 Why Berjaya Lost l

mmediately after the Sabah State elec- migrants who had just been domiciled. Political Causes Ition and the former Chief Minister, For the Kadazans the new term meant 1) Datuk Harns Salleh's autocratic politi­ Datuk Ha"is Sal/eh 's attempted coup, the that their identity as a group was no cal style. He seldom consulted his editorial board of the A/iran monthly longer distinct. They resented this cabinet or even government officials. requested A/iran members in Sabah and since it amounted to a derogation of He was unwilling to accept criticism their friends to jot down on paper the their status as a people with a long and even from his own party colleagues. main causes of Berjaya's almost total special tie to the land. His treatment of Pairin after the latter defeat. questioned him at the Berjaya congress They came up with some interesting 3) The decision by Harris Salleh to was proof of this. points which have been outlined below. change the Kadazan Harvest Festival Indirectly they also serve to explain why into a Pesta Rakyat for the entire Datuk Harris also forced his Assembly­ the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) of Datuk population. Again, the Kadazans re­ men to be completely submissive to Joseph Pairin Kittingan managed to come garded the move as an insult of sorts. his will by making each and everyone on tops and form the new state govern­ It was seen as an attempt to under­ of them sign an undated letter of ment - editor. mine the distinct cultural identity of resignation. The letter was what "per­ the Kadazans. suaded" almost every Assemblyman to 4) The popu larity of Datuk Joseph Pairin remain silent in the face of Harris's Kittingan was also a factor. As some­ arrogance because of the fear of losing one who had defended Kadazan rights his or her seat. Again, Datuk Pairin on issues such as 'Pribumi' and the chose to be different. He was prepared 'Harvest Festival' Pairin had emerged to give up his seat partly because he in the last 2 years in particular as a knew he would be returned by an even folk-hero of his people. He was given bigger majority in a by-election. This is the title of Huguon Siou which is the exactly what happened in the Tam­ highest honour that the Kadazan com­ bunan by-election in January this year. ... munity can confer upon anyone. 2) Datuk Harris's pun ishment of the .. Pairin's political ascendency led to the voters of Tambunan for re-electing Vi., rapid decline of Berjaya's standing Pairin was also a major cause of J::. 1- among the Kadazans. Berjaya's downfall. He threatened to Datuk Joseph Pairin Kittingan has emerged as a folk-hero of his people Ethnic Causes 1) Datuk Harris Salleh's wholesale accom­ modation of Indonesian and Filipino immigrants to a point where their presence threatened to overwhelm t he local population. The Kadazans and other non-Muslim Bumiputras in part­ icular felt very uncertain about their future since the Indonesian and Fi li­ pino element had pushed up the Mus­ lim population to such an extent that Bumiputra Muslims had become the majority community. In the past the Kadazans were the single largest group in the state (see Vital Statistics in this issue). What increased Kadazan insecu­ rity was the allegation that 90,000 Indonesian and Filipino immigrants had been given citizenship. It was seen as one of Harris Salleh 's crafty manoeuvres to consolidate and per­ petuate his power through the demo­ graphic strength of the Muslim com­ munity...... Vi., J::. 2) The use of a n~w term 'Pribumi' to 1- cover all indigenous groups including Berjaya Rally: It is clear that Berjaya was 'killed' mainly by its own misdeeds Filipinos, Indonesians and even Pakis­ tanis. Many of these were recent

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 14 non-Muslim and Chinese - had amassed huge fortunes through their public offices. It gave rise to anger and indignation among the ordinary popu­ lace. This may be one of the reasons why the entire cabinet of Harris Salleh was wiped out at the polls. 2) There was also substantial evidence to show that a lot of the new government agencies set up by Harris like SAFO­ DA & SAMA were not functioning well at all. The colossal funds allocated to them were badly managed -according to some sources. Apart from the pro­ blem of wasteful expenditure, there was also the question of whether top bureaucrats were using public funds to enrich themselves. All this on ly served Tambunan the place where the people showed they disapproved of corruption and to erode the credibility of the govern­ arr()1J8nce ment. withdraw all government facilities occasions in the past , the state had shown 3) The utter inability of the government from that constituency. Though the its resen tment of what it perceived as to tackle the serious housing problem threat was not fully implemented. it central government dominance. in the state made matters worse. In created a strong sense of moral re­ fact, contrary to all its promises since vulsion among the people. Tambunan Given this backdrop, it was unwise of 1976, the Berjaya government has generated a feeling of outrage which the Sabah government to have surrender­ only been able to build a very small was almost unprecedented even in ed Labuan to the Centre. This not only number of low-cost houses. Even its Sabah's tumultous politics. increased antagonistic feelings towards low-cost houses are quite expensive! Kuala Lumpur but also made Harris 3) Before Tambunan the former Chief Besides. like almost everything else in Salleh look like an agent of the central Minister had already made another Sabah, housing was also highly politi­ unpopular decision. He handed over government in the eyes of fellow cised. The bias shown to Berjaya Labuan to the Federal government. Sabahans. Indeed, Harris Salleh was seen people in the allocation of new houses There were no proper consultations as someone going out of his way to resulted in the sort of frustration that with the people. Solid arguments cultivate Federal leaders at the expense of brought down the party. Sabahan interests. against making Labuan a federal terri­ 4) While housing was a major grievar.ce tory were dismissed contemptuously If anything, the large scale involve­ ment of Peninrular Malaysian politicians among the poor and dispossessed, the by the then Chief Minister. Sabahans various restrictions imposed upon in the election campaign on behalf of as a whole were quite incensed over businesses created a lot of unhappiness Berjaya aggravated things for the party. the decision bu t Datuk Harris rode among business groups - especially Many of these politicians had very little roughshod over their feelings. within the Chinese community. Va­ feel for Sabah politics. Some of them 4) It was not just Tambunan and Labuan; rious Municipal rates had gone up and made the stupid mistake of referring disdain for the feelings of ordinary bureaucratic red-tape had become constantly to the 'May 13th' riot in Kuala peQple was very much a trait of the more impenetrable. This, in turn, dam­ Lumpur with the aim of discouraging Harris Salleh administration. The pened the business spirit. It is perhaps voters from support ing PBS in particular. one of the reasons why the largely people did not like the way the various This angered them further. Others talked commercial Chinese community joined Jawatankuasa Kemajuan Kampung about Islamization without understanding (JKKK) were used by Berjaya and yet hands with the Kadazans to get rid of the local milieu. Such talk drew the Harris Salleh and his clique. the government persisted with its open Kadazans and the Chinese even closer to discrimination against' non-party indi­ the PBS. From the various factors described viduals. It was widely known among above, it is clear that Berjaya was kampung dwellers that only Berjaya 'killed' mainly by its own misdeeds. It Socio-Economic Causes members or supporters would receive was its own arrogance, authorita­ development assistance from the 1) Of these causes none is perhaps as rianism and abuse of power which led government. significant as widespread allegations of to its demise. It is a classic case of how pervasi ve corruption and nepotism at injustice, exploitation and oppression The Federal Factor al l levels but especially at the apex. on the part of a group in power leads In Sabah. as in Sarawak. there has Rumour has it that a number of very eventually to its own doom • always been a certain degree of suspicion important state leaders of all commu­ of the Federal government. On numerous nities - Bumiputra Muslim. Bumiputra

15 The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 The Sabah Election The People's Triumph

!iran President, Dr. Chandra You cannot ride roughshod over the people's right. A Muzaffar described the election as "the people's triumph". He went to to say "They (the people) have shown tre· mendous maturity in the use of their vote. They have sent a warning to leaders who think that they can fool the people all the time. Aliran is convinced that Berjaya was swept out of office by a huge tidal wave of popular resentment. Yesterday's elec­ toral verdict is a massive protest against Berjaya's autocratic rule, its abuse of power, its administrative arbitrariness. The people have shown, through the bal­ lot box, that they are not prepared to put up with rampant corruption and political arrogance. Though communal sentiments may have also rnfluenced the voting pattern, it Tun Adnan Robert Tun Mustapha Harun Oatuk Harris Salleh is quite clear from the election results that substantial segments to all commu­ nities were fed up with Berjaya's misrule. bid for power they managed to manipu­ with appointed Assembly members. The This is why Berjaya's defeat should not late Yang diPertua Negeri Tun Adnan statement by its executive committee be misinterpreted as a defeat for multi­ Robert for a while. As the Head of State member, Gan Kong Hwee unfortunately ethnic politics. A multi-ethnic political he should have adhered to constitutional was not carried in any newspaper. It read party in power can withstand any com­ procedures and resisted their blatant vio­ "Aiiran agrees with Bapa Malaysia, munal challenge as long as it is just and lation of democratic conventions. It is Tunku Abdul Rahman, that the Sabah fair to all and strives to overcome poverty partly because of his indecisiveness that a State government should take necess3ry and exploitation. simple event like the swearing in of a new steps to abrogate the clause in the Sabah It is in this connection that Aliran Chief Minister was suddenly transformed State Constitution that provides for six hopes that the Parti Bersatu Sabah (P BS) into a farcical circus. The Yang diPertua members to be appointed to the Sabah will break out of the mould into which Negeri's conduct raises serious doubts in State Assembly. This could be done at Sahah politics has been cast. It must not the public mind about his competence to one of the future sittings of the State disappoint the rakyat. When the ra kyat occupy such an exalted office. Assembly. threw out USNO and put Berjaya in At the same time, Aliran feels that It is incongruous to have six appointed 1976, they were hoping for a just, honest the confusion would not have dragged on members in a legislature elected by the and democratic government. Berjaya for almost a whole day if the Acting people. As the recent abortive attempt to however, failed them. The PBS must do Prime Minister had intervened directly at seize power in Sabah showed such a better." the outset to ensure tha t constitutional provision in the Constitution · can be The 'power grab bid' immediately procedures were adhered to. manipulated to thwart the will of the after the election also drew a response Nonetheless. Aliran recognises that people. Besides, it is very much against from Aliran. Dr. Chandra made it clear his statements emphasising the Barisan's the spirit of democracy. that, "Aiiran condemns the desperate and the Federal Government's commit­ Aliran endorses the Tunku's view bid by Berjaya President, Datuk Harris ment to democratic principles helped, in that our leaders shou ld be much more Salleh and USNO President, Tun a sense, to pave the way for Datuk Pairin sensitive to the people's feelings. This Mustapha Harun, to grab power after the Kittingan's eventual swearing in as the lack of sensi tivity is evident not only in Sabah State election. It shows their utter new Chief Minister. Malaysians, as a Sabah politics but also in Peninsular contempt for the feelings of the people. whole, would appreciate the position he Malaysia. The important lesson that the They were prepared to subvert the demo­ took. Barisan Nasional leadership should learn cratic process in order to gratify their lust Pursuing its concern for the proper from its defeat in Sabah is :hat you for power. practice of democracy in Sabah, cannot ride roughshod over the people's It is a shame that in t heir unsuccessfu l Aliran endorsed the call to do away rights" •

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 16 Opinion Poll

Below we publish comments from our readers on the June/July opinion poll theme: Do We Need A Stronger Opposition?

Yes, I do think we We cannot allow only certain influential tunately, there is no follow up. If these need a stronger opposition. A strong groups to retain and promote their own four parties cannot unite or fight poverty opposition can act as an effective watch­ vested interests. If we allow this to with one manifesto then Aliran must dog in upholding democracy and prevent­ happen, we are not only defeating the persuade them to come together. ing any abuse of power. very basic principles of Parliamentary Take the BMF issue for example. A lot Democracy but we also lose our dignity B.A . Kedah of learned and loyal Malaysians had called as human beings. Alor Setar for a Royal Commission of Inquiry to For the reasons above, I declare that investigate the corruption but t he call was there is o grtlat need for a stronger never heeded. I feel that if we had a opposition in Malaysia. And, of course. ••••• stronQer opposition in Parliament, the the only way for us to have a stronger Government would really have to heed opposition is to be able to provide a good the rakyat's call for the setting up of the and strong alternative government. This I n the present his­ Royal Commission. means that all Malaysians should not just tory-making era of Malaysian politics - The events that happened in Sabah Iie down and accept the fact that the with headlines on BMF "bad-debt" should teach us the importance of a Barisan Nasional is destined to rule us for scandal, Petronas "heroic" rescue, PAS strong opposition. Before the State elec­ all eternity. That they wi II rule us forever "fearful" inroads, UMNO "dirty" poli­ tions last week, Sabah was without a is not a fact at all. They have been merely tics, MCA "ghost" members, Berjaya and strong opposition. The Berjaya govern­ elected to serve us and we have the power USNO "unholy" alliance among a host of ment was so powerful that it became to change the situation by exercising our otfler issues, what seems to be the medi­ thick-headed and it even went to the votes wisely. If we feel they are no longer cation for today is a stronger (and extent of abrogating the district status of serving us fairly, we are not obliged to perhaps, wiser) opposition. Tambunan just because the people of keep them in power. We can vote in When the word 'opposition' comes to Tambunan had elected an opposition another government. my mind, I cannot help but think of representative. This was totally against people like Tan Sri Dr. Tan Chee Khoon the spirit of democracy. If Datuk Joseph Ooi Hock Tiam and Mr. Lim Kit Siang (apart from others Pairin Kitingan had not set up a strong Kuala Lumpur not mentioned here) who have contri­ opposition, I wonder how much more buted, and are still contributing in no injustice the people of Sabah would have • • • • • small ways, whether directly or indirect­ had to put up with. ly, towards the cause of the opposition. While I may not speak or write as Lawrence Chang MYopin ion is th is: eloquent ly as they or may not even be Serdang we have passed the stage of needing a knowledgeable in Malaysian politics stronger opposition. Either we change the (which is, in my honest opinion, basically • • • • • government or we forget it. We have to dirty). it is evident that more people of replace this 30 year-old government of a such calibre are urgently needed to make few haves with a government of have­ a stronger opposition. Y es. Malaysia needs nets. If we cannot do this, then let us all _The purpose of a stronger opposition a stronqer opposition. But why? And how 7 ask for more 4-digit draws and social is not to topple the ruling party, but By the very fact that we ex.ist in this welfare lotteries so that we can all gamble rather to help develop a more equal country we ought to have our rightful our way into the future! Parliamentary system. Opposition MPs place under the Malaysian sun. As citi­ If we choose to change the govern­ are often denied the opportunity to make zens. we - everyone of us - should ment then how do we go about it?The 4 speeches for whenever they try to, maintain a certain amount of political main opposition parties, PAS, OAP, Government backbenchers walk out as if interest in order to protect our own PSRM and SOP must cooperate. Past in want of a puff or in need of some individual interests. We can do this by efforts at cooperation have failed because exercise. This endows neither prestige nor making sure that all interests are fairly some of their leaders are greedy and dignity to Parliament . It is obvious that represented in Parliament. A system of big-headed. the small and weak opposition is not checks and balances is necessary if our Aliran has been making some inroads respected and in many ways treated as an parliamentary democracy is to survive. through its dialogues of concern. Unfor- enemy of the ruling party. A stronger

17 The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 oppos1t1on, I believe is not only con­ attendance in Parliament for every sitting sheer hypocrisy. In fact, the government's ducive for the growth of a healthy parlia­ will make any difference as most MPs of political power is the cause of most of mentary democracy, but will also serve to the ruling coalit ion are there only to serve our major problems. Some government check effectively any deceitful move by their own political (and economic) inte­ politicians have become arrogant, bank­ the party in power. In fact, if parlia­ rests and those of their leaders. rupt and even indecent in Parliament. mentary sittings are shown live on T.V., I What we need, therefore, is not just a They behave like feudal lords. They can bet the performance of our MPs will stronger opposition but a more involved cannot take criticism and worse still they improve - especially when proud Sonny public which makes demands on their do not have the guts to face even the at home will be recording naughty Daddy MPs so that it is their views and wishes small opposition in Parliament. on video-tape for his friends to see! that are put forward and not those of a Opposition political parties like the Above all, while a stronger opposition few individuals. DAP despite their multi racial policies are is necessary, I completely support Tan Sri made to appear as communal parties Dr. Tan when he says that the people Gary Chin Petaling Jaya because of their large Chinese member­ should also be involved in the parlia­ ship. But let us ask, who laid the founda­ mentary process. For parliamentary tion for this ethnic and political polarisa· democracy to survive and flourish the tion in the country?The UMNO in its efforts of all sectors of our society- the eagerness to champion Malay rights - in government, (a stronger) opposit ion and effect the rights of elite Malays - has the people - are required. divided the people into bumip~:~tras and non-bumiputras. In its eagerness to coun­ Newcomer EVERY&O])Y Penang ter religious ex tremism, it has moved IS further into rel igious isolation. And what • • • • • has happened?Racial and religious identi-. ENTITLED fication have begun to mean more to us An opposition is than our national identity. needed as a watchdog of the Government, A strong opposition is needed to check to question and to hold up to public TOMY the misguided adventures of our politi· examination the government's policies. cians pursuing policies that are increasing Our Malaysian Parliament has just OPINIOW. social tensions and creating new econo­ turned 25 but sad to say, opposition MPs mic imbalances. A strong opposition is have often been denied the opportunity needed to make the people aware of the to be heard in Pa rliament (except for a true social and political problems facing. few courageous ones). Instead, Parliament the nation. is often thought of as comprising the In the name of eradicating poverty and bringing about greater social justice, com­ Government alone. There is not only a need for the munalism, capitalism and personal politi· opposition to brea k the monopoly by the cal ambitions are endangering the nation's Government; the presence of a stronger sanity. We have had too many booing and more courageous voice in Parliament MPs, absentee MPs and Yes Men MPs over will also help the people to get t heir the years. And again there are many happy-go-lucky MPs who are there prima· aspirations across. At least with the presence of a stron­ rily to serve themselves in the pretext of serving the nat ion. Only a strong opposi­ ger opposition, parliamentary democracy tion €an put an end to all this parlia­ will be kept alive. Take the case of Sabah mentary mockery. for example. The Malaysian public needs T he elections are A strong opposition is needed to pre· people like Datuk Pa irin to show that the just around the corner and Barisan Na­ government cannot do what it likes; that vent Barisan Nasional polit icians from sional politicians will be traversing t he meddling with the Constitution as and the Government cannot ru~e in the inte· length and breadth of the country to when it suits the whims and fancies of rests of the ruling class. remind the people that a vote for t he our polit ical elites. Carol Yong opposit ion is a vote wasted because oppo­ Our politicians talk of parliamentary Bangi sition parties cannot bring development democracy but just and genuine political to the people. I hope that they are not dissent is viewed with suspicion by the ••••• telling us that all this physical develop· coalition in power. It is quick to label ment around us has happened through anyone who disagrees as an 'anti-national' W hen the amend­ the grace of our government politicians! elerrlent . The Barisan makes it appear that ment to the Petroleum Development Act The electora te today is more mature. a loyal citizen must necessarily support was debated and eventually passed in The people are aware t hat apart from the the coalition in power whether it is right Parliament last month, there were only physical development of the nation there or wrong. 24 Barisan and 5 opposition MPs present. are many other issues which need greater To put an end to all these absurdities, If there were just 20 more MPs in the attention. Communalism, religious to make the people more conscious of opposition, the government would not extremism, corruption, poverty and polti· their social rights, to enable them to have have been able to save its sk in as far as cal arrogance are on the rise. Another a greater sense of belonging to this the controversy over the take-over of landslide victory for the ruling Barisan nat ion, to f ight poverty, corruption and Bank Bumiputra by Petronas was con­ means that the negative traits outlined political incompetence and f inally to cerned. above will be given another shot in the preserve the very essence of democracy, a If we had 25 opposition MPs, there arm. stronger opposition is needed. may be a greater sense of responsibility A ll this tal k of the importance of a and accountability on the part of our strong government to deal with t he va­ P Rasahugan MPs. However, it is doubtful if full rious problems faced by the nation is lpoh ,

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 18 T he nature or type of Y es, we do. Why?­ oppost tton is significant. Opposition I'M TOO BUSY so that the government will be more parties that struggle or fight for non­ controlled in their actions. A stronger issues (or the interests of certain small, TO HAVE TIME' FOR opposition will make them more afraid of influential but rich groupings) may not domg things as they like. They are getting serve the interests of the poor, or even ANYTHING to be too big-headed now. ('angkuh'). the people in general. Housewife (63 years old) History has shown that a strong oppo­ IMPORTANT. sition group that fights for such non­ ••••• issu es or issues beneficial to small, rich parties will only worsen the lot of those Y es, we do. Why? really in need of governmental aid. The government is taking too much for But what is a strong opposition? Is it granted. They take any actton they like strong in terms of members in relation to without thinking of the people's feel ings the ru ling party? Is it strong not in terms and opinions. If there is a stronger oppo­ of numbers but being vocal and having sition, then they'll be more careful. They support from a representative faction of will have to think more carefully before the population? I think the second crite­ introducing any bill in Parliament. rion should be used for determining the They've taken everything for granted. strength and effectiveness of opposition They need to be awakened. parties. Pensioner (79 years old-male) Using the above as the "accepted" definition of a strong opposition party, a • • • • • T here is absolutely strong opposition is necessary for the no doubt about it - Malaysia is in following reasons: desperate need of a stronger opposition! Y es, we do. Why? a. So that the ruling party does not We need a stronger opposition to The government is doing whatever they become too "powerful" due to the ensure that the interests of all Malaysians like now. They do not bother to think of absence o f checks and balances are being cared for properly; we need it other people's opinion. If there is a strong (checks on its activities, new policies, to balance democratic processes in this opposition, they cannot do as they like. etc.). country - to ensure that all Malaysians It will be a real check on them. They will b. So that the interests of the minority have a say in matters concerning national not be as big-headed as they are now. groups (such as Bahais in Iran, ho­ policies. And last but certainly not least, Teacher (37 years old-female) mosexuals, lesbians, or those whose we need a stronger opposition to prevent religious beliefs are different from the • laws from being bulldozed through in Par­ • • • • majority) may not be infringed upon. liament by the ruling party. A strong, effective and worthy oppo­ A stronger opposition would herald I don't think much sition should function to protect the the return of Parliamentary democracy. about such things. What's the use, the interests of such groups. Then, cowered 'yes men' would cease to government always does as it likes . I guess Cornelius l exist in Parliament. The rights of the it might do some good to have a stronger people, regardless ot race. colour or creed UIJIJOSition but I've not much faith in the would be attended to: no longer will we opposition either. Well , at least. it'll act as be subjected to the whims and fancies of a check on government excesses. T here is certainly the ruling party. lecturer (35 years old·femalel a need for a -strong opposition in Parlia­ Allow me to quote from Abraham ment, especially when we consider the Lincoln's famous Gettysburg address: 'A ••••• "misbehavi our" of certain members of government of the people, by the people, Y es, we do. Why? the ruling coalition in the House and also for the people'. Isn't this what we want Or. Mahathir and his men are getting too the manner in which certain Bills had here in Malaysia? But for a democratic bossy. A stronger opposition will check been pushed through Parliament without government to exist, we need a strong them. At least they cannot do as they proper and sufficient discussions on the opposition. A hale and hearty opposition like. part of the ru ling party. which would make its voice heard; an A strong and responsible opposition opposition which would fearlessly ques­ School11irl (18 years old) should be able to keep the Government tion government policies if the need ••••• on its toes, and this ought to remind the arises. latter, that it has to be accountable to the Parliamentary .democracy in Malaysia W e certainly do. I rakyat - and not run the country accord­ is suffering badly. It is at the point of can't stand the way the Barisan Nasional ing to its whims and fancies. suffocating to death. In order to survive, is behaving right now - they ride rough­ In other words, the- presence of a it needs a breath of fresh air from the shod over everything. They forget that strong opposition should be able to check opposition. Unfortunately. the opposi­ it's we the people who put them there. If cer tain authoritarian streaks that have tion itself is in dire straits, gasping for air. there's a strong opposition in Parliament, It has become a highly endangered crea­ been acquired by a Government which it'll give them a good think. They'll have ture, soon to be extinct. has been enjoying more than a comfort­ to consider t he people's opinions. Right able majority in Parliament all along. Help! First aid is obviously needed now they think they're invincible and can A lso, the least a strong, and vocal, urgently. Come on, opposition, hang on do what they like without any sense of there! Here's a first aid kit. Or would you opposition can do is to literally awaken, justice and fair-play. They're insensitive prefer open heart surgery? Buck up, some members of the ruling party who to the needs of a multt·racial society. have a tendency to fall into slumberland! Malaysian democracy needs you! They've ca used a great deal of racial " A Dear Parliamentarian" Adeline lee polarisation because of their policies and

19 The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 statements. The irony is they talk of The election campaign period is Why shouldn't TV and radio time be racial unity. A strong opposition will limited; rallies are not permitted, truthful made available to the opposition? The force them to think of other people. reporting in the press is prevented; equal government monopolises this media so time and opportunity for all political Teacher (40 years old·femalel absolutely that it has become a propagan­ parties on TV and radio are prohibited; da machinery for the government day in • • • • • open and fair competition is not tole­ and day out that you literally feel sick of rated. Under these circumstances, is it listening to a lot of hogwash. What a W hat difference does possible for the opposition to operate? relief it would be to listen to something it make? All that tal k about parliament ­ The fact that they continue to exist and different! If the government uses public in the end we're the same. Let those who struggle on is a remarkable tribute to media to retain its support and win over like politics talk about it. It makes no their resil ience. those who voted against it, shouldn't the difference to me. Why can't we permit rallies? We are same right be available to the opposition? Housewife (45 years old) told that the security situation of the The Election Commission must know country will be affected by public rallies. its role and duty during the election ••••• Or is it a ploy to keep the people igno­ period. The only role they seem to be rant? If mammoth crowds cou ld be mus­ playing is to disqualify candidates on W hy do we need a tered by the government to marshall technical grounds and count the votes at stronger opposition? So that there can be support for its Constitutional Amend­ the end of the polling day. They don't more 'lawyer-buruks'? They talk a lot and ments in 1983. in spite of a volatile situa­ seem to be concerned by the unfair make a lot of noise and our government tion then, why not allow rall ies now? I tactics of the ruling party during the can't get things done. Things are okay as have heard of incidents and rowdyism at campaign period. Voters are threatened; they are. I think our government is doing football matches rather than at political voters are bribed; government facilities a good job. rallies. Padang Terap was one exception - are abused; numerous projects are LLN Workshop worker (43 years old-male) but we don't know the whole truth launched; civil servants are made use of to surrounding this. But should we use this campaign for the government; informa­ • • • • • one isolated incident as an excuse to ban tion vans are turned into propaganda vans rallies for the next elections? Just because for the ruling party; etc., etc...... The A strong opposition a person is ki lled in a motor-car accident, Election Commission seems to be obli­ is necessary but what we don't need is do we ban motor-cars? Just because a vious to all this! It should supervise the opposition for opposition sake. We person commits suicide from a high-rise entire conduct of the elections impartial­ should oppose issues that involve public building, do we stop putting up such ly and ensure that the opposition is given well-being. But right now. many oppose structures? Just because a person in a a fair opportunity to compete. because they think they have to oppose position of influence commits corruption, Only then will it be possible to have a everything the government does. do we abolish such positions? stronger oppos1t1on. Aliran should strive What we need is a strong and respon­ sible opposition. Otherwise. we might as COPYRIGHT C 1g6!S, "THE NEW WORLO"BY SAUL STEINBERG well not have one. Housewife (32 years old) • • • • • I s there a need for a stronger opposition? Surely this is a rhetorical question and the answer is very obvious! I would have preferred if Aliran's theme for the Opinion Poll had been "Is a Stronger Opposition Possible?". This is a crucial question. While there is always a need for a stronger opposition, is it possible to achieve this under the so-called Parlia­ mentary Democracy we seem to be prac­ t ising? The electoral system that exists in the country is so devised that it deli­ berately denies opportunities for making a choice after listening to the views of all political parties. What opportunities are there to make a sensible choice based on information and facts? You can hardly call the so-called elec­ toral process we go through periodically as a democratic choice made freely, without being threatened or cajoled by the ruling party. We don't observe the electoral process according to the cove· nants or democracy but rather go through a democratic mockery that openly denies the opposition a fai r basis for electoral competition.

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 20 to obtain a fair basis for electoral compe­ tition. Let us create a healthy enviro(l­ ment where healthy competition is possible. After that, let us ask the question, "Is there a need for a stronger DANGEROUS DRUGS BILL lt:t84- opposition?" Crystal! Ball •••••

H amilton Mabie said, "Don't be afraid of opposition. Remember a kite rises against, not with, the wind." Likewise, for the government to func­ tion effectively and respectably, a stron­ ger opposition is a must. The lack of a stronger opposition has reduced Parlia· ment into a tool that succumbs to the demands of the Executive. Instead of upholding truth, it has been turned into a rubber stamp that legitimises the wrongs committed by the Executive; instead of guaranteeing freedom, it has muffled dissent; instead of ensuring the right of information, it has stifled facts; instead of encouraging fair elections with rallies, it has denied fair choice to the electorate. This is the price we pay fornot having a stronger opposition. During the Tunku's time, Parliament was effective, respectablt:l, democratic and lively because of the presence of a strong opposition. Tunku never had a four-fifths majority! But now because of the four-fifths majority and a very reduced opposition, the country and pari iament have been taken for granted. The servants of the country and parliament have now arro­ gantly become masters of both. In order to permit more and varied views to be aired and heard, it is neces­ sary to have a stronger opposition. Otherwise, we will have only one view repeated and echoed through the corri­ dors of Parliament. That w ill be bad medicine for the country! You West Malaysians should learn a lesson or two from your not-so-sophisti­ cated cousins from East Malaysia. When Datuk Harris Salleh caught the flu, he expected the whole state to sneeze. 1 Instead, we started to blow, and blew him CO MMITTE£ 5 R£C..OMM£NDATION out of office! There is still hope yet, my dear West Malaysian cousins! Wise Sabahan Indeed, it is the presence of the oppo­ lack of quorum so that the oppos1t1on sition that confers legitimacy on Parli­ cannot speak? How many times have they ••••• amentary Democracy. Without an opposi­ killed a private member's Bill so that tion, Parl iament is nothing but a sham. dissenting views can be muffled? How When the Singapore What a sham it can be without a strong many times has Parliamentary Democracy Parliament did not have a single member opposition has been demonstrated time been subverted and sabotaged? That such of Opposition, nobody quite believed and again by the Government MPs. How an outrage can happen, in Parliament, of there was a democratic Parliament tunc· many times have they wantonly denied all places, is demeaning and degrading to tioning. But that view changed dramati­ Parl iament the right to function democra­ an institution which is pledged to uphold cally in 1981 when Mr. J.B. Jeyaratnam tically by refusing to provide a quorum? the principles of democracy, freedom and was elected from the Anson Constituency. How many times have they scuttled the justice. Overnight, Singapore's Parliament became opposition by sneak ing out of the Cham­ Parliamentary Democracy must be democratic and exciting. bers and mischievously pointing out the rescued and accorded its rightful place in

21 The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 Parliament so that it will enjoy prestige and credibility and reign supreme. The enemies of freedom do not argue; they shout and they shoot. Parliamentary Democracy must be safe­ - W.R. lnge guarded so that the views and voices of tends to perish by excesses of its basic almost 40 per cent of the electorate of wields a blanket mandate to endorSe all principle. Stronger opposition also means this country who have voted for the their actions and policies during their increased room for critical and exhaustive opposition will be heard as a matter of term. Nobody is infallible and the vic­ analysis and therefore able to initiate and right and not as a matter of sufferance. torious party is no exception. The The only way to ensure this is to have a respond to debates intelligently, in form maxim, 'power corrupts and absolute stronger opposition which . will take the and matter. The ill-seasoned, complacent power corrupts absolutely' has an eternal Government to task for every abuse; and passive government backbenchers truth as can be seen in innurrerable in· need active and committed sparing part· which will demand accountability from stances in history. ners! This is only possible with a strong the Government for every deed; which The case of Malaysia is no exception. opposition. will question the Government for every The Barisan Nasional (and prior to its A stong opposition can only function sen spent; which will effectively provide formation, the Alliance) has rued Malay· when conditions congenial to its effec· the Government the necessary checks and sia since independence but their policies tiveness exist. Central to this is the balances. and actions have not been free from criti­ recognition that all individuals have rights cisms and condemnations by citizens who Shattered Democrat which are superior to the social institu- uphold justice, fairness and equality. The manner in which the Societies Amend­ ment Act and the Internal Security Act were passed are but some manifestations of increasing arbitrariness and autocracy of the ruling party. Effect1ve opposition has brought to light the BMF scandal, and had caused the replacement of the re· pugnant Societies Amendmert Act as well as preventmg the levelling of Bukit China in Malacca. The last decade or so has seen the gradual but steady ascendancy of the Executive over Parliament which has in­ creasingly been reduced to a mere rubber-stamping body as the ruling-party T he opposition, has tions through which they pursue their controls mnrP. th

The Aliran Monthly June/ July 1985 22 melalui amalan dan usahanya. Untuk Ugama menolong manusia dalam tugas yang suci ini, ia diberi bimbingan dalam bentuk nilai-nilai sejagat yang abadi. Begitu juga, Allah s. w.t. menentukan seberapa prinsip-prinsip asasi yang perlu bagi ke­ sejahteraan hidup manusia. Pembangunan Konsep Khalifah Allah, Tauhid, nilai­ nilai sejagat dan prinsip-prinsip asasi mem­ punyai hubungan erat dengan soal pem­ ba ngunan. Pembangunan berlandaskan Islam tidak dapat kita memahami tanpa Dan Islam konsep-konsep yang utama ini. Sebenar­ nya, konsep-konsep inilah yang menciri­ kan pembangunan dan kacamata Islam. Bahagian Pertama Oleh itu, harus kita mengkaji implikasi konsep-konsep ini untuk pembangunan. I nl adalah kertas kerja yang dlbentangkan dl mengendahkan persoalan-persoalan asasi slmposium PAS mengenai 'Perpaduan Negara• yang disebutkan tad i. Fritz Schumacher Khalifah Allah pad a 1 Ohb Februari. Sahagian kedua dan ketlga 2 akan dlslarkan kelak- pengarang. dan Jeremy Rifkin juga berpegang pada Pembangunan harus memberi makna pendapat yang sama. Sepertimana dikata­ kepada kedudukan dan peranan insan se­ kan oleh Schumacher, "Keperluan yang bagai Khalifah Allah. embangunan, kita diberitahu, bu­ paling mendesak ket1ka ini .. ialah penyu­ Sebagai Khalifah Allah, ia mesti melin­ kan proses menambah keuntungan sunan semula metafi7ik, satu usaha yang dungi asas spiritualnya kerana asas inilah semata-mata. Pembangunan bukan teragung untuk menjernihkan keyakinan­ yang menentukan kedudukannya sebagai Pmempertingkatkan daya penge­ keyakinan kita mengenai persoalan­ Khalifah Allah. Sebenarnya, keupayaan, luaran semata-mata. Pembangunan adalah persoalan seperti, siapa dia manusia? dari kuasa yang ada pada k1ta untuk mernilih untuk kesejahteraan manusia. mana datang dia manusia? dan apakah jalan spiritual inilah yang menjadikan kita Kesejahteraan manus1a, ya, kesejahte­ matlamat keh1dupannya?"3 manusia.5 raan manusia - satu matlamat yang Nyatalah bahawa persoalan-persoalan Untuk memahami apa yang dimaksud­ murni. Tetapi apakah kesejahteraan asasi ini tidak boleh dijawab dengan sem­ kan dengan asas spirituality harus kita manusia yang kita maksudkan? Dapatkah purna sekiranya penggubal-penggubal merenungkan makna amalan-amalan kita mencapai kesejahteraan manusia seki­ teori-teori pembangunan tidak mahu me­ ibadat seperti sembahyang, puasa, mem­ ranya dasar-dasar pembangunan kita tidak rujuk kepada sumber yang lazimnya di­ beri za kat, mengerjakan haj dan sebagai­ mengandungi satu konsepsi yang menye­ anggap mereka sebagai 'lapuk', 'usang' nya. Setiap ibadat ini bertujuan mendidik luruh tentang manusia? Macam mana kita dan 'mundur'. Yang dimaksudkan saya ia­ kita mengatasi kchendak dan keperluan dapat mencapai kebahagian manusia jika lah ugama. Pentingnya ugama, khususnya material sernata-mata agar kita dapat fahaman akan manusia itu sendiri menge­ falsafah dan pandangan semesta ugama, memperkuatkan tumpuan pada nila1-nilai llrukan? Pembangunan macam mana yang dalam pembcntukan masyarakat jarang spiritual yang termaktub dalam jiwa kita. enggan, gagal, men1awab persoalan­ diakui oleh kebanyakan ahli-ahli teori Sebagai contoh fardu sembahyang me­ persoalan asasi tentang manusia - Siapa pembangunan Barat.Tetapi, bagi seorang merlukan kita tinggalkan tugas-tugas dia manusia? Apakah asal usulnya? Apa­ ahl i falsafah sosial seperti Sorokm hanya, harian dan rnemberi perhatian kepada kah tujuannya atas bumi ini? Apakah "melalui sistem nilai-nilai yang berakar asas dan akar segala penciptaan dan peng­ peranannya serr~asa di sini? dalam perasaan kewajipan moral dan Ke­ hidupan - iaitu Allah s.w.t. Kita diingat­ Salah satu faktor yang menyebabkan tuhanan, kita dapat mengatur cara-cara kan akan sifat-sifat llahi, Rah man dan ketidakpastian arah pembangunan dewasa rasional yang boleh membantu kita Rahim supaya kita menjadikannya scbagai ini ialah kegagalan teori-teori pembangun­ menyelesaikan banyak masalah-masalah asas dan inti kehidupan kita sen diri. an menghadapi persoalan-persoalan asasi praktikal tentang penyusunan semula Begitu juga, melalui puasa. k1ta mengawal ini. Oleh kerana asas falsafah teori-teori sosial dan budaya" .4 ltulah sebabnya, keperluan-keperluan material dan disam­ mi kurang jelas dari segi fahaman mereka kata beliau kita mesti menaruh kepcrca­ ping itu, memahami pentingnya disiplin, tentang manusia, maka makna dan mak­ yaan pada Tuhan terlebih dahulu. belas kasihan dan pengorbanan dalam sud pembangunan sentiasa berubah. Ada· Atas kosedaran inilah lslarri memberi kehidupan kita. Pembcrian zaKat adalah kalanya pembangunan disamakan dengan jawapan-jawapan yang jelas dan jitu terha­ penyerahan sebahagian daripada benda modenisasi; adakalanya ia dikaitkan dap persoalan-persoalan asasi mengenai material yang sangat disayangi manusia den gan keperluan-keperl uan asas a tau manusia. Malah, jawapan-jawapan inilah untuk kesejahteraan khalayak ramai. Ia sifat berdikari; adakalanya ia dianggap se­ yang menjadi asas dan inti Islam. Pemban­ melambangkan pentingnya keadilan bagai proses pembebasan terutamanya gunan yang tidak memberi perhatian yang dalam masyarakat. Fardu haj pula me­ daripada pergantungan terhadap negara­ cukup kepada jawapan-jawapan yang maksa kita memutus hubungan (buat negara maju. 1 maha penting ini bu kan pernbangunan sementara waktu) dengan kehendak­ Selaginya pembangunan tidak berda­ namanya. kehendak material supaya kita dapat sarkan pada satu konsepsi yang menyelu­ Bagi Islam, rnan usia adalah khalifah mengamalkan nilai-nilai persaudaraan dan ruh tentang manusia, maknanya, asal­ Allah. lni bermakna bahawa setiap insan kesamaan. usulnya dan tujuannya, kita tidak dapat atas bumi Allah, samada ia Muslim atau Kesamaan, persaudaraan, keadi lan, kc- mengatasi kekeliruan dan ketidakpastian tidak, ialah Khalifah Allah. Sebagai Kha­ sejahteraan, pengorbanan, belas kasihan. yang kini timbul. ltulah sebabnya bebe­ lifah Allah ia ada dalam bentuk material kebebasan dan nilai-nilai yang lain, seperti rapa dasawarsa dulu. ah I i-a h I i falsafah dalam dunia fana ini buat sementara kecintaan, penghormatan. mengenal Barat yang terkenal seperti Pitirim Sore­ waktu tetapi asalnya ialah spiritual dan batas. kesederhanaan, disiplin dan kerajin­ kin, Lewis Mumford dan Arnold Toynbee takdirnya ialah spiritual. Tujuan manusia an - nilai-nilai inilah yang menta'rifkan telah memberi amaran tentang bahayanya sebagai Khalifah Allah adalah untuk manusia sebagai Khalifah Allah. Pemban­ pembangunan dan kernajuan yang t idak memberi erti yang konkrit kepada Tauhid gunan t idak harus menjejas nilai-nilai

23 The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 sekali? Bukankah tindakan begini satu penafian yang besar terhadap kebenaran? Se bagai i nsan yang mendukung kebenaran, Khalifah Allah mesti diberi segala peluang dan kemudahan untuk memperjuangkan nilai-nilai makruf. Selain daripada keperluan-keperluan asas, proses pembangunan juga mesti menen­ tukan bahawa manusia dapat mengu mpul pengetahuan yang berguna. Memper­ luaskan dan memperbanyakkan ilmu mesti dijadikan satu sasaran pemban­ gunan. Penguasaan ilmulah yang mem­ bolehkan Khalifah Allah melaksanakan tangugngjawabnya terhadap segala jenis Dayabumi: Adakah ini pembangunan? penciptaan yang ada atas bumi Allah. Walaupun manusia begitu berkuasa, spiritual ini. Jejasnya nilai-nilai i ni ber­ Masyarakat tengah dalam konteks begitu mulia kedudukannya, Islam sering ma kna tercabullah maruah Khal ifah penolakan Islam terhadap keadaan -ke­ mengingatkan kita bahawa Khalifah Allah Allah. adaan ekstrim seperti kemiskinan, pada adalah hamba Allah. Segala-segala yang lni bererti bahawa sekiranya sebaha­ satu pihak, dan kemewahan, pada pihak ada di bumi dan langit adalah hakmilik gian daripada masyarakat misk in dan yang lain, menunjukkan bahawa jalan Allah; 9 Allah yang memiliki kuasa menderita, daif dan sengsara, sudah nya­ yang dipilihnya ialah jalan sederhana. mutlak, Allah yang memiliki ilmu yang talah bahawa kesamaan dan persaudaraan Kesederhanaan bukan sahaja diperingkat sempurna. Dengan memperkiatkan ke­ tidak wujud dalam masyarakat itu. Pem­ masyarakat bahkan juga dalam kehidupan kayaan mutlak, kuasa mutlak dan ilmu bangunan yang mengekalkan keadaan se­ insan. ltulah sebabnya Islam menganjur­ mutlak dengan Allah, AI-Quran, secara demi kian bertentangan dengan cita-cita kan sifat mengenal batas dalam setiap automatis menghadkan kedudukan Islam. Begitu juga, pembangunan yang bidang hidup. Pembangunan tidak harus manusia dalam bidang-bidang ini dan mengizinkan penindasan dan pencero­ memaksa kita melampaui batas·batas bidang-bidang yang lain. Idea ini tentang bohan tidak bisa diterima Islam kerana ia samada dalam pakaian, atau makanan kedudukan manusia terkandung juga menghancurkan segala nilai-nilai murni atau pergaulan. Contoh yang paling baik dalam beberapa ayat-ayat yang lain dalam dalam masyarakat termasuk kecintaan, dalam hal ini ialah Nabi Muhammad Kitab Suci yang menyeru manusia ber­ penghormatan, belas kasihan dan maruah s.a.w. Mengikut Sayyidina Ali dalam sikap rendah hati, jangan sombong, jan­ individu. Nahjul Balagha., "Nabi makan atas lantai, gan angkuh, jangan rampas kuasa atau Maruah individu dan masyarakat akan seperti abdi-abdi. Nabi menampung kasut­ menyalah gunakan kuasa. terus terkorban jika proses pembangunan nya dan bajunya sendiri .. .. " 7 Sifat-sifat Pendekatan ini kepada manusia dalam menggalakkan rasuah dan sifat tamak peribadi ini ada kena-mengena dengan hubungannya dengan Tuhan mempunyai haloba. Harus kita tanya juga: bagaimana pembangunan kerana ia menunjukkan implikasi yang mendalam untuk proses pula dengan pembangunan yang memper­ bahawa walau apa pun pangkat seseorang pembangunan. Pembangunan yang mem­ kuatkan arus materialisma, yang memper­ individu atau darjat kemajuan sesuatu bolehkan manusia berlagak sebagai kukuhkan sifat perolehan (acquisitiv­ negara, nilai-nilai spiritual seperti keseder­ 'Tuhan', pembangunan yang memboleh­ eness) dan sifat gi la mengumpu l harta hanaan, mengenal batas dan sebagainya kan segelintir individu memusatkan (accumulation) dikalangan yang kaya? harus kita inematuhi. kuasa, pembangunan yang membolehkan Bagaimana pula dengan pembangunan Mengenal batas, sebagai panduon segolongan kccil mempergunakan kuasa yang menganggap kemewahan dan ke­ hidup juga ada hubungan dengan peranan mutlak - pembangunan sedemikian rupa kayaan sebagai matlamat utama hidup? manusia sebagai Khalifah Allah dalam adalah pembangunan yang kontra pada Bagaimana pula dengan pembangunan ertikata yang lebih luas. Sebagai Khalifah cita-cita unggul AI-Quran ai- Karim. yang menjadikan 'penternakan' golongan Allah, manusia bertanggungjawab Konsep kedudukan relatif manusia mewah sebagai dasarnya? Sudah pasti menegakkan segala yang makruf dan dalam hubungannya dengan Allah, dan pembangunan sedemikian akan mengaki­ mencegah segala yang munkar - seperti­ konsep bahawa kehidupan adalah semen­ batkan hilangnya kesedaran bahawa mana termaktub dalam sura Al-lmran: tara (transient) yang juga sering ditegas­ manusia adalah penciptaan spiritual. lni­ 104.8 lni bererti bahawa kebebasan itu kan dalam Ouran adalah cara-cara untuk lah kesan yang paling dahsyat daripada penting untuk membolehkan manusia ber­ mengawal dan menahan 'ego' manusia. pembangunan yang mengutamakan tindak sebagai Khalifah Allah. Oleh itu, Betapa bahayanya ego yang t idak ter­ materialisma tanpa batas : manusia - proses pembangunan yang mengakibatkan kawal jelas terbukti dalam kegilaan kuasa Khalifah Allah - lupa asalnya dan mat­ kemerosotan hak-hak kebebasan anggota­ yang berkaitan dengan wang dalam sistem lamat hidupnya. anggota masyarakat adalah pembangunan kapitalis dan kegilaan kuasa yang ber­ Jelaslah bahawa Islam tidak mahu mas­ yang bertentangan dengan Islam. Adalah kaitan dengan politik dalam sistem yarakat dimana sebahagian daripada ang­ salah dari segi Islam jika kita berhujah komunis. Bagi Islam, selagi tidak ada gotanya dalam keadaan kepincangan dan bahawa kebebasan boleh diketepikan penyerahan pada satu Kuasa yang lebih sebahagian yang lain dalam keadaan ke­ dalam usaha mencapai pembangunan. tinggi dan satu Hakikat (Reality) yang mewahan. ltulah sebabnya masyarakat Pembangunan sedemikian mustahil mem­ lebih mutlak - iaitu pengakuan Transcen­ yang diilhamkan dalam Islam ialah 'rnas­ bawa manafaat kepada manusia kerana ia dence - pembangunan mungkin mem­ yarakat tengah'. lni terbukti dalarn mencacatkan pembangunan jiwa insan. bawa pada pemusatan kuasa dalam firman Allah sura ai-Baqara 143 yang Lagi pun, dalam proses pembangunan bentuk ternyata atau tersembunyi.10 ltu­ berbunyi, "Kami telah melantik Kamu pemerentah dimana mana pun pasti mela­ lah sebabnya transcendence sebagai idea sebagai rnasyarakat tengah, agar kamu lukan_ beberapa kesi lapan-kesi Iapan dari sa ikologikal, begitu penting dalam kehi­ 11 menjadi contoh untuk seluruh manusia, segi dasar dan pelaksanaan. Apakah dupan individu dan masyarakat • sepertimana Rasullah menjadi contoh kesan-kesannya terhadap orangramai seki­ untuk-mu. " 6 ranya kritikan dan teguran dilarang sama Chandra Muzaffar

The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 24 Announcement I N'E.WS Anriou·ncement 2 T " I Dl2~~ e of nc n Ill Opi ~n , ion p . I Ahran is happy to announce that the certain admi'nistrative arrangements third dialogue in our series of dialogues whic1 Aliran feels are necessary for The theme for the September opinion What do yvu think of our develop· on ma1or social concerns will be held at strengthening freedom in our society. poll will be ment? Has Development benefitted the 9.00 am, Sunday, 14 July 1985, at Hotel Because of the significance of the Has Development benefitted the ordinary rakyat? Merlin, Kuala Lumpur. therre in relation to the overall situation Ordinary Rakyat? ,Let's have your v1ews in less than 500 The dialogue this ttme will be on in the ·country, there will be a special It ts generally agreed that there has words before the 15 July 1985. off.ic al opening ceremony for this dia­ b<.ien quite a bit of development in the Write to· logue. country. The government has always Opinion Poll Parliamentar It is a great honour to all those who argued that its development programmes Aliran Monthly uphold the principles ot pari iamentary have benefitted the rakyat. There are Ali ran Democrac democracy that His Royal Highness the others, however. who feel that develop­ P. 0. Box 1049 S"ltan .of Perak, . the Timbalan Yang Di ment has brought very little tangible Petiang . Variou$ public interest societies and all Pertuan Agung has graciously consented benefit~. ·to the ordinary people. In their Malaysia important political parties from the to open the dialogue. There could be no opinion. it is mainly the upper classes We are looking forward to your con­ government and the opposition have been better person in a position of au thority thot have reaped most of the benefits. tribution. invited to the dialogue. Two resol utions who commands respect and affection Vet otl1ers maintain that the very concept will be discussed - one. on tho state of frorn the people, to state the case for and nature of development in Malaysia is parl iamentary democracy and two. on pari iamentary democracy. wrong. Your View Counts With Aliran. I I'J (J1 ORDERISUB.S.CR·I·PTION FO.RM

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The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 26 nepotism, arrogance, authoritarianism and abuse of power. Aliran remains convinced that multi­ CURRENT COMMENT ethnic politics can work provided the A record of Aliran's complete press statements party in power that claims to be multi­ ethnic pays attention to the genuine made in the preceding months needs of the rakyat. Its priority should be the elimination of poverty and exploita­ tion irrespective of ethnicity. It should also show a firm determination to prac­ tise values such as honesty, integrity and M ay First marks related albeit non-traditional areas of in­ fairness in administration. Most of all, Labour Day and like many other days of dustry. This will help to avoid the in­ multi-ethnic parties should not deviate occasion it should also be a time for re­ humanity of worker retrenchment. At the from democratic principles. flection apart from one of celebration same time there must also be a readiness If it is sometimes difficult for mu lti­ and holiday. to accept reductions in profit. The ethnic parties in government or the oppo­ While everyone is engaged in some government on its part should allow sition to succeed it is only becau:;~::~ the form of labour or otlr~::~r it is to those who greater freedom for peaceful unionization entire political atmosphere is largely com­ struggle for an existence that one's of workers and at the same time relax munal. This communal atmosphere in thoughts should have priority for. This in­ stringent labour laws. There is also the politics is sustained by various ethnic cludes not just industrial workers such as need for greater democratisation of the interests. Even after the recent Sabah lowly paid operatives of electronic firms labour movement so that ordinary mem­ State election, we have witnessed how but also the rural poor such as the poor bers can be encouraged to participate and these vested interests tried to manipulate plantation worker and the landless to be involved in the decision making pro­ ethnic sentiments so that their brand of peasant. cess. Such democrat zation would be link­ politics will survive forever. It is symbolic of the injustice created ed to much needed social education pro­ by the present form of development that grammes that will inspire workers to criti­ Mustafa K . Anuar those who have to work the hardest are cally reflect upon their social si tuation. Exco Member also those who are the poorest and who No less important is the need for labour 10 May 1985 suffer the most in times of economic de­ unions to uphold Justice and integrity pression. The nation has, since indepen­ within themselves and at the same time (The above statement did not appear in any newspaper) dence pursued the type of development forge ties with o·.her public interest that has sought to fulfil the wants of the groups in a common quest of freedom middle and upper classes rather than meet and justice. I t is shocking that the needs of the poorer segment of the $100 million ringgit in the Employees working class. Hence there are huge dis­ Tong Veng Wye Provident Fund's (EPF) statement of Exco Member parities of income, attempts to restrain 30 April 1985 accounts for 1983 cannot be accounted wages but not profits and unfair access to for. services and housing. It is a society whose If the EPF management does not direction and existence is very much know who the contributors are, it is only determined by the wealthy and inf luen­ because it failed to obtain correct and tial. In such a society low income workers complete information from the em­ have little chance of affecting changes ployers when they submitted particulars which could uplift their condition. It is of the depositors. also a society whose economy rs over­ This dereliction of duty on the part of dependent upon the international econo­ the EPF management should be mic system. For all these reasons, there is thoroughly investigated. Appropriate a pressing need for fundamental struc­ action should be taken if necessary. At tural changes. the same time, since many of the em­ Thus, short term demands for better ployers concerned are apparently govern­ wages and conditions of work will gra­ ment departments and statutory bodies dually have to evolve into efforts to the political leadership should take effec­ effect changes in the structure of owner­ tive measures immediately to ensure that ship of industry. As an alternative to both there is more efficient, competent per­ state and private ownership of cap1tal and formance on their part. IJroduction processes, one could consider In the last 4 years, there have been a steps which would lead to forms of direct lot of exhortatiur1s 1:1bout the importance common ownership by workers such as of efficiency and good management. Pub­ cooperatives. At the same time one would lic servants are all the while urged to im­ also need to seek ways of cutting down prove their performance. And yet when on our foreign dependency. For this a there is clear· evidence of shoddiness, local technological base will have to be I t is a pity that some ineptness and incompetence, the political developed which can provide forms of quarters have interpreted Berjaya's defeat leadership is unwilling to act firmly and technology which are much less capital as the failure of multi-ethnic politics. decisively. and energy intensive than those of today. The defeat of Berjaya has been caused Let us hope it will not disappoint the In the short term, industries should by a variety of factors which have people this time. mmediately take steps towards deve­ nothing to do with multi-ethnic princi­ loping the ab1lity to utilise excess man­ ples. Hum K imChoy power and production capabilities in Multi-ethnic principles should not be Exco Member times of recession such as the present in made a scapegoat for corruption, wastage, 17 May 1985

27 The Aliran Monthly June/July 1985 Thinking Allowed

Sabah seems to have established a Recently our Primary lndustr es new tradition of 'songs in politics'. Min1ster told us that "Malays1a's per It was reported that, a coffee house capita income IS expected to rtSe to in Kota Kinabalu had become the $5,017 this year, thanks to the merry rendezvous for the contesting people's hard work and the nation's political parties during the campaign industrial success". We have graduat­ season. A member of the audience - ed from betng a developing country apparently on behalf of the Usno to a developed developing nat1on, he party - had requested the resident insisted. band, laser Beam, to play the song, This is really a refreshing p1ece of "I want to Hold Your Hand," for the news. But he and his colleagues will listening pleasure of the (now have to work very hard to convince political meeting to counter charges VICtorious) Parti Bersatu Sabah people like the electronic factory by a top civ1l servant that he wore (PBS). Later, a Part1 Berjaya member workers that this is so. The hundreds dirty undergarments. reportedly requested a song for both who have been retrenched really Perhaps this desire for translattng PBS and Usno called 'Walk Away". know what happens when the ch1ps words 1nto action can be And the requests went on. are really down. incorporated into our national But. as it eventually turned out to be "cleanliness campaign" where it was the Sabah people as a whole poI it icians, for instance, wi II be who had the last "request". They required to not only show that they asked for "Beat It" - for the But we might just appear to be 1n the are politically clean but also prove * off-beat Berjaya. big league of the developed nat1ons. that their briefs are equaUy spotless Still on the musical note, the then if the behaviour (or misbehaviour) of Sabah Chief Mmister and Parti (apart from establishing that they are certain Malaysians in New Zealand 1s Malaysian made). This practice Berjaya President Datuk Harris Salleh any gu1de. It was reported that our was reported to have invited party should also enable us to size up their Pacific Area ::rravel Association assets, if any. But at the rate thmgs members and supporters to his (PATA) representatives had rented are going, such public scrutiny might residence for a party with music, an American Cadillac for US$1 00 a just be more than a brief affair. food and wine in abundance -as the day dunng their April Auckland election results started to pour in, in gather1ng. the early hours of the morning. But This episode perhaps does run soon the party was all over as Harris smoothly with the government's drive "to live within our means". and his merry men faced the music Many government leaders and There's no spend limit once you're alone. officials these days seem to be out of the country, so it appears. bugged by the idea* of hard work and increased productivity. All kinds of suggestions and techniques have been lnsptte of the election loss and the offered to make the people work fa1led b1d to grab power (with sworn harder (assuming they haven't been Schools have been in the limelight enemy Usno) in* the alleged "dawn working hard all this while). for the past few weeks. One case ra1d" on Signal Hill (where Sabah's Land and Regional Development involves the dress* code, segregating Governor lives), Parti Berjaya Minister Datuk Seri Adib Adam has consequently ~raduate teachers from shouldn't worry too much about the come up w1th the latest 1dea for the non-graduate ones. The other possibility of it belllQ left in the encouraging workers to work hard. concerns increasing cases of school­ lurch stnce the Barisan National, emulate the busy bee! One tends to children suffering from dental pro­ espec1ally its UMNO partner, has wonder whether th1s is a strange blems. stated categorically before and after insect to pick as an example for, Both cases do reflect an unhealthy the Sabah election that they will while it indeed works hard, it doesn't situation in which the smooth func­ ''swim or sink" with the Pa rti (as a human being should) ask ques­ tioning of the schools has been Berjaya (literally meaning tions such as workmg hard for whom affected, and both are apparently "successful"). So Datuk Harris has and for what. Moreover, one should inter-related. The schoolchildren are only to cling on to the Bansan ponder over the role of the Queen indeed hav1ng some teething pro­ Nasional to survive and does not have Bee (in the form of the employer, blems, wh1le the architects of the to be bothered by the fact that he the industnalist, etc.l. Surely the controversial dress code seem to be has failed to beqaya w1th the rakyat. workers shouldn't be urged to work tormented by a "wisdom tooth" as hard as the bee just to fatten up malady. a factor which m1ght JUSt the tummy of the Queen Bee, affect their JUdgement on Important without them getting a fair share of matters. A tough NUT to crack. this A Kenyan Member* of the Parliament their labour's sweet fruits. one. was reported to have shown h1s So. you see. th1s idea from the MtniS­ underwear for inspection during a ter really stmgsl Must.taK.Anu.

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