s expected, the Sabah state hand, Barisan parties won 3 equally, if not even more parochial, elections was a keenly con­ Chinese-majority scats and 20 Mus­ by harping on ethnic rights and other A tested affair. Comp~d to its lim bumiputera m:~jority seats. issues. For instance, the deputy perfonnance in 1990 when it won 36 Consequently, it m:~y be Prime Minister and other UMNO scats, the PBS pcrfonned poorly. It deduced that while the PBS did espe­ leaders, as revealed in the numerous ended up with 25 seats while the cially well in non-Muslim tdccasts of their campaign speeches, Barisan Nasional (BN) won 23 seats. bumiputera areas, nonetheless, it never failed to mention the need for Apart from UMNO Baru 's 18 scats, also gained a majority of Chinese Muslims to unite behind UMNO in the newly-fonned Sabah Progres­ support. and some Muslim order to protect their rights. There sive Pnrty won 3 seats, the Liberal bumiputcra support. Its spread of were also numerous allegations of Democratic Party (LOP) one, and support was certainly more multi­ Muslims.bcing discriminated by the Akarone. ethnic than that of the Barisan 's PBS government which failed to make any The same appeal along ethnic POORER breakthrough in Kadazan-Dusun lines underlined the campaigns of and Murut areas. This is the first the Chinese-based Barisan com­ PERFORMANCE BUT important observ:.llion of the recent ponent parties. SAPP's accusation STILLMULTI-ETIINIC polls. SUPPORT PAROCHIALISM The electoral results reveal that The PBS has been the PBS gained some49.5 percent of condemned for advocat­ the votes C3St (comp.ved to some ing "parochial" senti 53.9 percent in 1990) while the BN ments through its usc of parties polled some 46 percent. The the slogan "Sabah for remaining votes went to candidates Sabah:ms" and its representing smaller parties or those general "anti-federal" contesting independently. stance as in likening Of the 25 seats gained by PBS, UMNO Baru to an out­ 14 are non-Muslim bumiputera side "colonial" interest. m:ljority constituencies, 4 Chinese­ The Infonnation Mini­ m:~jority constituencies, 2 "mixed" ster further accused it of constituencies and 5 Muslim promoting "the politics bumiputcra majority constituencies. of hatred". Except for Datuk Amir Kahar, eight However, the in- other Conner USNO leaders lost, in dividual component UMNO Baru Sabah information chief Karim Ghani:Muslim Bumiputera participation in the some cases narrowly. On the other pm1ies of the BN were electoral process increased.

UMNO supporters going home lo vole: Money and machine were efficienlly employed by UMNO throughout the campaign.

Alirtm Mo111/Jiy /994:14 (2) Page J that the Chinese were neglected and certainly a reason for its success. But mainstcam media. and have access stood to lose even more under PBS the "3Ms" - media, money and to large amount~ of funds that allow • rule is a case in point Previously machine - were also crucial. The them to finance extensive party forced to eschew ethnic politics blatant use of the govenunent-con­ machines, and intensive electoral when they were in the PBS because trolled and BN-owned mainstream campaigns readily. of its multi-ethnic set-up, SAPP media for propaganda pwposes is The involvement of such party leaders like Yong Teck Lee and discussed in an accompanying story machines like UMNO Baru's, and Tham Nyip Shen unabashedly cam­ by Mustafa K Anuar. The focus here their huge spendings in the recent paigned along ethnic lines like their is on the latter two. elections were unprecedented in new UMNO Baru partners. Some of "Money politics" does not. as a Saba.h politics. Although the PBS the pamphlets SAPP distributed in recent article in the NST (26 Feb boasts of the best party machine in the Kota Kinabalu area were blatant­ 1994) suggests. simply refer to the the state, and the party and particular ly racist. actual distribution of money to buy PBS politicians also expended large Such campaigning along ethnic votes and support during elections. amounts of funds. nonetheless, they lines is commonplace in peninsular That is too narrow and literal an un­ were no match for their peninsula Malaysia. But it should not be for­ derstanding of the phenomenon. counterparts. A salient point is how, gotten that it appeals to one of the Money politics is more. ln essence, according to the UMNO Saba.h in­ formation chief Karim Ghani, the party was respon­ sible for facilitating the registration of some 100,000 addi­ tional voters be­ tween the 1990 and 1994 elections, thereby resulting in an increase in the number of Muslim bumiputera majority constituencies. But money and machine also en­ sured that the BN won the poster war Yong Tec:k LM'a campaign was unabashedly along ethnic lines. throughout the state except in PBS stron­ basest of instincts. It is divisive of it refers to the involvement of politi­ gholds; that its party workers, in­ peoples, as the PBS has cal parties and politicians (especially cluding hundreds from the peninsula counterncted. those in power) in corpor.rte busi­ (involved in the anak angkat Indeed, while the PBS may stand ness activities. Inevitably, this leads scheme whereby different UMNO accused of fanning parochialism by to a bluning of the divide between Baru state liaison committees calling for a "Sabah for Saba.hans". public funds and interests on the one adopted particular Saba.h constituen­ to its credit it did not campaign along hand, and party and or personal cies) were utilised efficiently and ethnic lines. The Prime Minister's funds and interests on the other. Cor­ adequately provided for; that its accusation on the last day of cam­ ruption and cronyism often follow. sympathisers were fed at ccramahs paigning that the PBS was conduct­ At any rate, money politics and tr.msported back to their ing an ethnic-based campaign was usually results in companies set up hometowns for voting purposes; that completely misplaced, if not untrue. by politicians and political parties adequate buses. taxis, 4-whcel (via their proxies) having access to drives, boats and helicopters were UMNO BARU AND THE government loans, contracts, critical booked and paid for at hiked-up "3Ms" information, licenses, monopolies, rates; that background information The remarkable electoral perfor­ etc. As a consequence of money on particular selllements and vil­ mance of UMNO Baru in its first politics in Malaysia, UMNO Baru lages were available, their residents showing in Saba.h requires comment and the other BN parties (via their contacted, their sympathies too. Its resort to ethnic politics was proxies) have gained control of the monitored by the day, and all such

A/iran Monthlv 1994:14 (2) Pa!!e 4 basis of this sentiment, not merely wish it away, even less paint it as anti-federal. This is so especially since the 1994 Saball elections are now over and the people's mandate, however slim, has been given to the PBS. It is completely understandable why Barisan leaders remain distrust­ ful of Pa.irin IGtingan and the PBS leaders after that "stab in the back" incident when PBS withdrew from the BN on the eve of the 1990 geneml elections. Not SW]>risingly, the Prime Minister announced on the eve of the 1994 polls, and immedi­ ately after the election results as well, that no coalition government would be formed with the PBS. However, the newly re-elected Sabah Chief Minister's offer to meet Premier Dr Mahathir as soon as pos­ sible in order to patch up federal­ · ~ state ties has been met with a rebuff Tun Mustapha: Sabah for Sabahans. too. The MCA leader has further remarked that "PBS must show its information put into the computer so parison very limited, they could not sincerity flfSt". But swdy a distinc­ as to be easily accessed; and so on. match the BN in this game. tion needs to be made between the There is yet another dimension to duly-elected PBS state money and machine politics. Ac­ SABAH STATE RIGHTS government's wish to maintain cor­ cess to federnl development funds AND FEDERAL-STATE dial ties with the Barisan fedeml allowed UMNO Baru and the RELATIONS government, from the PBS' wish to Barisan leaders to promise as well as It appears, therefore, that the join the BN (which is not the case in hand out on the spot. monies for a multi-ethnic support for the PBS is this instance). Put another way, there myriad of purposes: RM 30 million primarily a result of its championing is a need for BN leaders in Kuala for Chinese sch.ools in Sabah; RM of Sabah's rights and interests. Al­ Lumpur in particular to distinguish 5.6 million for supply of electricity though such a stance has been. between government-to-govern­ in 30 rural areas; a university; a free viewed negatively by the BN leaders ment relations from party-to-party trade wne; grants for coopemtives, and projected as anti-feder..tl, it relations. etc. Ultimately, they offered a remains a popular sentiment. Al­ "Sabah Baru" whicli they promised though PBS' campaigns in this and DISCRIMINATING would usher in economic develop­ previous elections have given a fillip AGAINST SABAHANS? ment and wealth for all. This is also to this sentiment, it is not new. Pre­ In this regard, it is noteworthy money politics. And visiting federal vious Chief Ministers like Tun Fuad that, since 1991 , development al­ ministers, mentris bcsar, chief mini­ Stephens and Tun Mustapha and locations as provided under the Sixth sters and other BN leaders utilised their governments have expressed Malaysia Plan have not been chan­ the facilities of federnl departments similar concerns as those of the nelled by Kuala Lumpur to the and agencies even though they were PBS'. (The issue has been explored Saball state government directly but engaged in campaigning activities. on scvernl OC{:asions in the past: see to the Feder..tl Development Office The PBS too, indulged in the Aliran Monthly 10(8) 1990 and (headed by the Federal Secretary for same game. The facilities of state 12(11) 1992). Concern for Sabalt's Sabah who in tum reported to Tun departments and agencies were interest<> and rights is the reason for Mustapha when he was federal Min­ readily used by PBS ministers and Tun Mustapha's resignation from ister of Sabah Affairs) instead. Only other leaders while they c:.un­ UMNO Baru and his joining PBS. grants provided for in the Constitu­ paigned. But having access only to There is a need, therefore, for feder..tl tion are directly channelled to the state funds which were by com- Barisan leaders to understand the state government. This by-passing

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (2) PageS ment which practises The problems between Kuala compettiJve politics. Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu can be The people of Sabah accomodaied. The PBS must behave who have voted for the like a state government in power and PBS (like the people of act responsibly in its dealings with Kelantan who voted for the federal government as weJI as the PAS-Semangat 46 with all Sabahans regardless of their coalition in 1990) ethnic origins or party affiliations. should not be punished This is especially so since its victory and discriminated was so narrow. On its part, the BN against through federal government must honour the development allocation principles of a competitive federal cutbacks. The involve­ system. Apparently, that is not to be ment of BN party offi- in the immediate future. There is a cials to implement real danger that the PBS, with its federal development wafer-thin majority, will not be al­ projects at the local level lowed to get on with the business of Anwar: Parochial throughout the campaign will also lead to dis­ government. crimination of those Already the ftrst salvos have who voted for the PBS. been ftred. The PBS has been ac­ of the state government also occurs Yet these development funds do not cused by Barisa.n leaders of ·un­ in the case of Kelantan. In both belong to the BN, but to the r.lkyat. democratically" detaining its own places, quasi-state government ap­ A need to distinguish between elected assemblymen and prevent­ paratuses have been set up by the BN government-to-government ties ing them from joining the BN during federal government so as to imple­ from party-to-party tics is therefore the first 30 hours after the elections ment and monitor the development crucial. when Pairin had not yet been sworn plans. Government officers have in as Chief Minister. Pressure has been seconded to the Prime PRESERVING continued with the Barisan's ques­ Minister's department and then tioning of the legality of the nomina­ emplaced in the two states. As well, DEMOCRACY AND tion of six additional assemblymen instead ofrelying solely on the exist­ COMPETITIVE as provided for under the state con­ ing district adminislr.ltive system, FEDERALISM stitution. It is likely that the matter the recognised third-tier of govern­ will be taken to court. ment. to implement the development The principles of democracy Since Pairin stiii faces two more plans at the local level, the BN must be upheld. This includes the charges of corruption involving a federal government utilises party of­ recognition that in the competitive timber land concession and a road ficials as well who, in turn, coor­ feder.tl system we practise, there is project as well, much of his time will dinate with federal departments and always the likelihood that the federal be spent in the cowts. So too will his agencies working at the state level. government and the government of brother, Jeffrey Kitingan, beginning It is also significant that Sabah a parttcular state might not come from May. for he is charged with and Kelantan arc the only two states from the same party. In fact, at a time eight counts of failing to declare his whose development allocations when demands for democratic par­ assets totalling RM84,059.45 in a were cut in the mid-tenn review of ticipation and greater autonomy are sworn statement to the Anti-Corrup­ the Sixth Malaysia Plan, apparently on the rise throughout the world - in tion Agency in 1989. because of ·constraints in the im­ western industrialised countries, With the anti-hopping law plementation capacity in these former socialist countries as well as declared unconstitutional, it is not states• (see accompanying story by developing countries - the competi­ unlikely that some PBS as­ KJ Khoo). Also noteworthy is that tive federal system is seen as an im­ semblymen will voluntarily, or more the chief minister of Sabah (and the portant political mechanism for likely be induced, to crossover to the Menteri Besar of Kelantan) do not resolving conflict and preserving BN. party-hopping being a common automatically attend the meetings of political stability. Seen from this occurence in previous post-elections the executives of the state govern­ perspective, tl1e so-called parochial scenarios in Sabah. But such pres­ ments on development matters that sentiments that exist in Sabah arc not sures must not be allowed to develop are called by the federal government. unique whatsoever. It is in fact a into illegal demonslr.ltions, and inci­ All the above practices are con­ clamour for democratic participa­ dents of bombing and arson as, they trary to a federal system of govern- tion and decentralisation. did during 1985-86.•

Aliran MonJhly 1994:14 (2) Page 6 Peninsular Mainstream Media's Coverage prominence not only to the Sabah left the party only to join UMNO (or The recent Sabah State State elections as a whole, but also other component parties of the BN). Elections was covered and especially to the election cam­ It is here that a few of these party by the Peninsular paigns run by the BN. Radio­ members - from some unknown mainstream media. As Television Malaysia (RTM) and plxes in Sabah (at least, to many of TV3, for instance, had set up their the Peninsular viewers)- were sud­ expected, the media respective 'Kota Kinabalu studios' denly given the short-lived media coverage was largely to monitor the election campaigns in glare and glory. They were inter­ supportive of the Sabah. These studios brought live viewed and given ample time to ex­ Barisan Nasional. And coverage of things that had hap­ press. nation-wide, their yet such coverage did pened in Sabah during this intense dissatisfaction with the PBS and period. gratitude towards and confidence in not, however, seem to UMNOBaru. have produced Promises and media One problem with such political adequately the 'desired From the TV screen, viewers cross-overs, though, is that in a few effect'. saw the newly appointed Deputy cases the media tended to give con­ Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar flicting numbers of people involved. Ibrahim, and his colleagues in the For example, we might be told that MUSTAFA K ANUAR Federal Cabinet descending upon 300 left a party on one particular day, finds out how and why. Sabah soil, and rushing from one but the next day would see the num­ comer of the land to another to meet ber of this very same group dwin­ and talk to the rakyat. It was here that dling to say, 200. In other words. it he recent Sabah State elec­ not only did the BN leaders shake is quite possible that these nwnbers tions was the first occasion in hands with the rakyat but also were consciously inflated for media Twhich the incumbent P.J.rti promised and gave financial assis­ and, consequently, public consump­ Bersatu Sabah (PBS) faced the tance for development projects that tion. Barisan Nasional (BN) not as an were apparently needed sorely in Again, just like the previous abiding ally (as before) but as a many parts of the state. generJl elections, RTM had created political foe. This change of political In addition, certain heads of and broadcast a song dedicated to situation was brought about by the govemment agencies were reported Sabahans -- in English, Malay, PBS's hurried withdrawal from the to have declared their pious intention Kadazan and Mandarin languages. coalition just before the 1990 to help develop Sabah by promising On TV. we were - via the song - general elections, a pull-out that was to give development aid or set up given the impression that a Sabahan seen by the BN leadership as a stab training centres in the state. Some deserved a better future in a 'New in the back. Since then relations be­ TV viewers and rJdio listeners, par­ Sabah • within the Malaysian federa­ tween the Federal (i.e. BN) and ticularly those in Sabah, might be tion. Thus, the usual visual jux­ Sabah State governments have been left to wonder whether this was a taposition of a group of Sabahans uneasy and uncomfortable. veiled attempt on the part of the with the Malaysian flag, the To be sure, this elections Federal govemment leaders to Malaysian nation. Together and promised to be very intense and cru­ 'polish' their somewhat crass form united, 'we' (read Sabahans and cial to the p:lrties concerned, par­ of bribery politics. (This is, of BN), so went the message, can all ticularly BN's major component course, not to imply that the PBS make it. party, the New United Malays Na­ leaders in general were immune to tional Organisation (UMNO Baru), such 'tendencies' as a number of On Saturday night (19/2194) which has spread its wings in Sabah. them also 'dished' out someelectJon when election result$ started to This was the political context into 'goodies'.) trickle in, both RTM and TV3 were which the mainstream media from As with the case of previous visibly 'agile', constantly updating the Peninsula made their plunge. elections. Malaysian viewers were the viewers with the latest election As expected, the mainstream informed that a number of dis­ outcome. This 'excitement' on the media in the Peninsula gave gruntled members of the PBS had part of both stations was by and

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 7 large, it seems, due to the rising ex­ and financial assistance to Sabahans Crossing over in the pectation that the BN would even­ --if voted in. For instance, the New limelight tually triumph. Straits Times (10/2194) reported that Defections of certain people The next day, SWlday, the TV Land and Co-<>perative Develop­ from the PBS also attracted the at­ (and also radio) stations were some­ ment Minister, Tan Sri Sakaran Dan­ tention of the mainstream press as what reticent about the election dai, pledged more aid for this had the effect of highlighting results. As it turned out, the PBS had co-<>peratives in Sabah if the BN what was seen as the weaknesses of gained 25 seats while the BN 23. It won the election. In the Sunday Star the PBS. For instance. the resigna­ was as if nothing much had hap­ (13/2,194), readers were told that tion of Yong Teele Lee from the PBS pened in Sabah in the last few hours. Deputy Education Minister Dr Leo leadership and party, and conse­ More than that. viewers, particularly Michael Toyad gave away RM2 mil­ quently his setting up ofthe Chinese­ those from the peninsula. were not lion in grants to the headmasters and based Sabah Progressive Party told of the 'difficulties' faced by the representatives of 30 schools at the (SAPP). gained media attention and leader of the winning PBS, Datuk State Education Department prominence. Yong took the Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan. in get­ The BN's message of socio­ limelight, particularly after SAPP ting sworn in as the new Chief Min­ economic development and progress declared its desire to join the BN in ister of Sabah that morning. for fellow Sabahans was indeed its fight against the PBS. prominent in the Peninsular papers. Likewise, the quiting of founder­ Latest in news and scoop of This is significant in the context of a member Datuk Lee Sen from the the day Sabah that has been facing socio­ PBS and his intention to join SAPP Even TV3 failed to live up to its economic problems since PBS's was fodder for the peninsular media. corporate image of being the first in defection from the BN. The NST on 17 February, for in­ news: its viewers were somehow Thus, a headline in The Star on stance. ran a headline: 'FoWlder kept in the dark Wltil early SWlday 15 February 1994, for example, member Lee quits party to support evening when they were eventually screamed, 'Vote BN for progress. Barisan'. informed of the 'air of uncertainty' says Anwar'. On page 4 of the same The press, when the occasion gripping Sabah. The evening news issue of The Star, UMNO Baru vice­ arose, also seemed inclined to high­ showed Pairin keeping vigil in his president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yas­ light a split or problems - imagined Mercedes Benz outside the gates of sin was reported to have said that, or real -- that appeared within or the Istana (Sabah Governor's offi­ 'The Chinese business community around the Kitingan family in par­ cial residence at Signal Hill). He was feels that only the Barisan Govern­ ticular and the PBS leadership in later joined in by his fonner arch ment can tum the economy around general. Hence, on the front page of rival TWl Mustapha who appeared and inject a new spirit in Sabah'. the Su11day Star (13/Y)4) ran the grim, pufflng away a cigarette in the And The Star on the next day headline: 'Jeffrey ready to take broad daylight of Ramadan, the reported of Dr Mahathir' s personal over', giving the impression that Muslims' fasting month. In this in­ letter to all Sabahans that was adver­ Pairin's brother, Datuk Dr Jeffrey stance, one could say that the BN-in­ tised in Sabah's local papers. which, Kitingan, had some problems with fluenced TV stations had their among other things. said that 'their Pairin and was ready to take over 'scoop of the day'. (Sabahans') voles could bring about from him if the people elected him in The mainstream press in the another five years of economic stag­ the state election. Another example peninsula too played their part in nation or a future of economic can be found in a headline in The highlighting, quite positively, the dynamism'. Star (15/21)4): 'Pairin's wife has a BN's election campaigns in Sabah. lot of clout in PBS, says Yong'. Almost always the BN As mentioned ear­ managed to get the front lier, the mainstream page and prominent HAPUSKAN PENVELEWENGAN press did, however, give coverage, whilst con­ DAN PENVALAHGUNAAN some coverage to the tender PBS was often PBS. For example, in relegated to the inside ORANG SABAH the NST (1()/2f)4), pages. JUGARTIVI~ P£MBA\AR CUKI\1 \ t_ Pairin was reported to Like the electronic have explained - al­ M\11 MAHU media, the mainstream UN '',.;~ SAB~ lUUN though in the inside press reported the scurry­ OILAH page -- his reasons for PBS CUlPUU\ BARU ing of the Federal Mini­ ~~ X ~AH highlighting 'the need to sters in Sabah, pledging protect the rights and in- development projects PBS billboard: Reflecting the sentiments of the Sabahans?

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 8 terests of the State as enshrined in the PBS margin' (Star, 2212/94). In downright outrage. In short, the Malaysian Agreement', and he ar­ other words, the papers concerned 'media marginality' of the Sabahans gued that this 'should not be mis­ were more inclined to project the as a whole could not be simply construed as an attempt to instigate •moral victory' of the BN. wished away. anti-federal sentiments'. Views .of In addition, this 'Sabah focus' the PBS on other matters were also Some lessons arising from could also be interpreted as a mere reported in small quantities. the media coverage political ploy especially to the The political situation, after the There are lessons to be learnt Sabahans who have in the main con­ election results were announced, from this state elections and the sidered themselves economically was adequately recorded by The media coverage. For one, the penin­ marginalised in the context of na­ Star. 11Je front page of the paper's sular media could only do and in­ tional development Besides, that 21 February issue fluence people, some coverage of the elections was succinctly especially biased towards the BN would only reflected the Sabahans, so worsen this perception. anxiety among much. This is Thirdly, compared with their Sabahans in par- particularly. so peninsular cousins, local papers in ticular and when there are Sabah were a lot more vibrant. There Malaysians in other important were debates, and the contesting general: 'Sabah factors as well political parties received some fair Waits', and this that came into amount of coverage. Besides, local was accompanied play in this elec­ political personalities -- as opposed by a picture of tions, namely to peninsular bigwigs -- were high­ Pairin and Mus­ heightened lighted in a number of these papers, tapha together parochialism/sta people who meant more to the ordi­ waiting in the Jeffrey Kitingan: The press te nationalism nary Sabahans. In other words, in the former's car out­ highlighted his problems with his and 'siege eyes of the local Sabahans the side the lstana. brother mentality' in credibility of their media is relatively This contrasted 'Fortress Sabah'­ higher than that of the peninsular with the NST s front page headline - in the face of what is generally felt media. on the same day: 'PM: No coalition to be the 'abandonment' of the over­ Finally. for as long as there is the with PBS'; 'Next Government will all welfare of Sabahans by Federal perception that most of the be sworn in at 10 am today, says government leaders since the PBS· s peninsular's mainstream media are Yang di-Pertua'. A big picture of withdrawal from the BN; and the closely associated with some of the Pairin and Mustapha in the car ac­ active 'peninsular intervention' in BN component parties or groups or companied the headline. In addition, local politics (like the involvement individuals supportive of the BN, the another story on the same page was of UMNO Baru, MCA, and, to a journalistic credibility of these headlined, 'Parti Bersatu Sabah lesser extenL P..lS and DAP), among media as a whole would almost al­ losing its grip'. The next day. both other things. ways be viewed with suspicion, par· The Star and the NST reported the Secondly, the urban-bias and ticularly during political elections Swearing-in ceremony that occurred peninsular-centred nature of the when the BN has its interests to in the lstana. This happy occasion mainstream media in the peninsula protect and promote. It would help (for the PBS, at least), however, was only isolated, if not alienated, them­ improve the situation to some degree 'tempered' with reports that had selves when they shifted their atten­ if there are other mainstream media headlines such as 'Sakar.m: We will tion. albeit, and especially, for a which are owned by independent ensure power is not abused' (NST, fleeting moment, to Sabah. For groups or individuals in the penin­ 22/2/94); 'Sakaran leads Barisan under normal circumstances, most sula. winners to meet PM today' (NST, of the news reported in t11e And in the context of strained 22!2194); •Anwar: We'll fight devia­ mainstream media in the peninsula Fedeml-Sabah State relationships, tion in Sabah' (NST, 22/2194); have often been about the peninsular some degree of unfair media 'Anwar: BNthepeople'schampion' people, particularly those in posi­ coverage on the part of the (Star, 22!2194); 'Sakaran: PBS rule tions of political and economic Peninsular's mainstream media won't be easy' (Star, 22/2/94); power in Kuala Lumpur. Thus, it is could only increase the number of 'More leaders laud BN's success' quite likely that some Sabahans (peninsular) media oceptics in Sabah (Star, 22!2194): 'Ling: MCA has would view this sudden 'concern' and might also provoke further the gained faith of Sabah Chinese • (Star, for Sabah by the peninsular media 'Fortress Sabah' mentality • 2212/94); and 'Six reps to beef up with some degree of cynicism, if not

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 9 Who's the poorest of us all? THE POLITICS OF FACTS AND FIGURES

Yet what do official figures actually tell us about During the recent election campaign Sabah? Do they demonstrate Sabah's 'backwardness'? In Sabah, the Barlsan Naslonal made Can they JXOve the PBS's incompetence? out Sabah to be the poorest and most The we3lth of a state is commonly measured in terms backward state In the country. of its Gross Domestic Product, or GOP, per capita. that is, the total value of goods and services puduced per Further, the BN blamed Sabah's person in the state. The rate of growth of the GOP per economic r.ondltlon on the capita thus measures how things are progressing in the Incompetence of the PBS state. If we go by these measures, we will fmd that any government. The conclusion the BN claim that Sabah was the most backward state in Malaysia wanted the Sabah voter to draw was: was patently false. Let us look at the tables below which contain official If you want progress and state-by-state GDP per capita figures for 1990 and 1993. development, throw out the PBS, and vote in the Barisan Nasional. In this In 1990, Sabah was better off than Perak, Perlis, article K J KHOO probes into the use Kedah and Kelantan. Sabah was in fact not far behind of economics statistics by the Barlsan Negri Sembilan, Melaka and Pahang. (Indeed, as we shall soon see, it may have been better off than all the other to woo the Sabah electorate. states except for the Federal Territory, Terengganu, Selangor and Pulau Pinang if some other figures are considered as weU.) TM, TV3, and the BN's newspapers trotted out 1990 was five years after the PBS fJ.rSt governed all kinds of 'facts' to 'prove' Sabah's alleged Sabah, so that one could even say that the PBS did rather Rbackwardness. Not to be outdone by them, a weU, especially considering that the state had a very Senator from Gerakan, who was not so long ago an serious, even critical problem involving illegal im­ Associate Professor of Economics, wrote to the Sabah migrants. Times (16 Feb 1994) and bandied about 'figures' to After 1990, however, Sabah stagnated, even 'demonstrate' Sabah's b:lckwardness. deteriorated so that Sabah seemed to have performed

STATE GOP per capita, 1990 STATE GOP per capita, 1993 (1978 prices) (1978 prices} Wilayah Persekutuan 8593 Wilayah Persekutuan 10496 Terengganu 7025 Terengganu 7837 Selangor 6363 Sa lang or 7698 Pulau Pinang 5274 Pulau Pinang 6728 Johor 4020 Johor 4991 Sarawak 3963 Melaka 4721 Negri Sembilan 3810 Negri Sembilan 4512 Melaka 3723 Sarawak 4450 Pahang 3661 Pahang 4274 Sabah (incl. labuan) 3561 Perak 4252 Perak 3528 Sabah (incl. Labuan) 36n Perlis 3076 Perl is 3588 Kedah 2653 Kedah 3327 Kelantan 1749 Kelantan 1954 Average 4433 Average 5275

TABLE 1 Table2 Source: Mid-term Review, 6MP, Table 2·13 Source: Mid-term Review, 6MP, Table 2·13

A.liron MonJhiJ 1994:14 (2) Poge 10 worse than Kelantan which has long been the poorest avernge monthly household income on a state-by-stale state in Malaysia. From 1990 to 1993, Sabah's GOP per basis for 1990, the last year for which there are published capita reportedly grew by only 1.1 per cent per annum figures. compared to Kelatan' s which grew by 3.8 per cent. In 1990, Sabah did better than the national average, and outperformed Johor, Sarawak, Melalca, Negri Sem­ PLAYING POUTICS? bilan, Pahang, Perak, Terengganu, Kedah, Pedis and What had happened? Had the PBS government sud­ Kclantan. Indeed, Sabah's avernge monthly household denly collapsed into total incompetence? Or was it be­ income almost equalled Pulau Pinang's! Only the rich cause PBS became an opposition party in October 1990 FederaJ Territory and Klang Valley had a larger average and theref

Aliran MonJhly 1994:14 (2) Page 11 1986* 1988* 1990 •• 1990* •• 1993* •• Sabah 3778 4091 4500 3561 3677 Malaysia 3551 3858 4392 4433 5275

TABLE4 Sources: • Mid-term Review, SliP, Table 3 • 5 **&liP, T8ble 1 • 12 -Mid-term Review, 6MP, Table 2 • 13 respective allocations. By comparison. Kelant:ln had applied to Sabah, as can be seen from our final table committed 33 per cent. which compares Sabah 'sand Malaysia· s GDP per capita Apparently, Kelant:ln and Sabah have been dis­ figw-es (at constant prices for various years). criminated against. Johor's 40 per cent commitment was Look closely at the shaded columns. They refer to the rewarded with an additional allocation of RM 1 million. critical year of 1990 but are derived from different sour­ Sabah's 40 per cent commitment was penalised with a ces published at different Limes. Normally, a later set of cut of RM160 million. Kelant:ln's 33 per cent was figures may differ slightly from an earlier set: hence the branded as a 'constraint in implementation capacity' and slight difference in the 1990 figw-cs for Malaysia as a punished with a cut of RM64 million, whereas Negri whole. But when it comes to Sabah. the difference ex­ Sembilan's 36 per cent brought a bonus of an additional ceeds 20 per cent - sw-cly much too large to be a minor allocation of RM12 million. correction. Funnily - but also tragically for Kelantanese and No doubt someone somewhere wiU be able to figure Sabahans - the BN' s figures are not the hard facts we take away this discrepancy. For now, take it as fun and frolic them to be. Those figures can become highly clastic when with facts and ligures in the recent Sabah elections!•

Twenty Something

In the land of 2020, leaders took pride in their far-sightedness & perfect vision of 20/20.

They become cockeyed on Feb 19 1heir visual acuity reduced to 23125 shortsightedness was the malady. Distorled vision caused them • 10 believe that 23 plus extraneous was bigger than 25.

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 12 What Hope For Multi-Ethnic Cooperation? Surprising voting patterns surface in recent elections

he recent Sabah state election Salxlh were now solidly behind the indigenous voters comprised 81 per saw the Barisan Nasional, the Barisan. cent of the electornte, the winning Tgoverning coalition at the It was also implied that the PBS PBS candidate, Baggai Basirun, fcdernl level, making significant in­ had little Muslim support, despite secw-ed 68 per cent of the votes. roads into the East Malaysian state the backing the party received from Still, it would be a misconcep­ despite its narrow 23-25 seat loss to former Sabah UMNO Baru deputy tion to think that the Barisan has the incumbent Part.i Bersatu Salxlh head Tun Mustapha Harun. virtually no support among the non­ (PBS). Unfortunately, many Muslim indigenous fol.lc. In Little did it matter to the Barisan Malaysians have readily accepted Nabawan, for instance, where they that the their"succcss" was achieved these views in the absence of a comprised 80 per cent of the elec­ through the abuse of the media and proper analysis. torate, the losing Bari.san candidate the promise of "development" managed a creditable 42 per cent of (which was actually a thinly dis­ INTERESTING the valid votes cast guised threat to withhold develop­ PATTERNS ment funds from the state if the PBS If we were to examine the results • Still signifiCant Muslim was voted in). carefully, several interesting voting support remains for the patterns will emerge: PBS. Take the Suknu scat for example. ASTONISHING • About two thirds ofthe CONCLUSIONS Although an overwhelming 92 per non-Muslim indigenous cent of the voters there were Muslim, In the euphoria which followed community voted for the the losing PBS candidate still their unexpectedly strong showing, PBS. managed to muster a significant 42 Barisan component party leaders No one can dispute this as the per cent of the votes cast quickly arrived at several PBS swept all 14 non-Muslim in­ At the end of the day, the PBS astonishing conclusions. digenous majority scats. For in­ succeeded in preventing a clean Their statements gave the im­ stance, in the Kadamaian sweep by the Barisan in pression that the ethnic Chinese in constituency where the non-Muslim predominantly Muslim areas by

Analysis of the results in Sabah showed that voting was not entirely along ethnic lines.

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 13 snatching five of the 24 Muslim the pledge of increased economic is that, despite the searching test it majority scats. Thus, it would be development, a more conducive received at the the hands of tl}e wrong to say that the PBS has little business climate and the prospect of Barisan' s "machinery". media and Muslim support. an ethnic Chinese chief minister money, hope still exists for multi­ through the implementation of the ethnic parties in Malaysia. This is • A clear majority oftlze rotational system. especially true in Sabah where inter­ ethnic Chinese backed tlze All this contributed to the swing marriage and commendable PBS. in ethnic Chinese votes towards the religious tolerance have blurred the This is indisputable. The result at Barisan which resulted in three seats dividing lines between ethnic and Api-Api, where 89 per cent of the for SAPP. This would partly account religious groups. voters are of Chinese origin, for the drop in PBS' share of the To the credit of the Sabah elec­ provides a revealing clue. The vic­ popular vote from 54 per cent at the torate, the support for both the torious PBS candidate there, Chau 1990 election to almost 50 per cent Barisan and the PBS cut across both Tet Onn, chalked up 65 per cent of this time around (against the ethnic and religious lines. Although the votes cast proving that the majority of Chinese Sabahans still support the PBS. We can see further evidence of the community's leaning towards the PBS from the party· s success in bagging four of the seven ethnic Chinese majority scats. It is quite possible that the PBS could have picked up another such scat had the peninsula-based opposi­ tion Democratic Action Party not split the ethnic Chinese vote in the Tan­ jung Papal constituency. PBS has little Muslim support? Analysis of the results reads otherwise. Chinese Sabahans, though in the minority, Barisan •s 46 per cent). each of the various communities - have traditionally played the role of So. how can we be certain that the Muslim indigenous, the non­ power brokers in previous state elec­ the majority of Chinese Sabahans Muslim indigenous and the ethnic tions. This election was no different. were still behind the PBS? With a Chinese- seemed to prefer one party Though we witnessed a swing in large proportion of the Muslim vote over the other, the support given to ethnic Chinese votes away from the going to the Barisan. it would have each party was not overwhelming, PBS, the majority of Chinese been impossible for the PBS to except in certain areas where well­ Sabahans remained loyal to the PBS secure 25 seats without the majority known personalities were contest- thus powering the party to the slim­ support of the Chinese community in g. mest of victories over the Barisan. (and a significant segment of the It follows th3t both the Barisan Notwithstanding their overall Muslim electorate). This is obvious but especially the PBS seem to enjoy sentiment in favour of the PBS. the because the non-Muslim indigenous the confidence of significant seg­ Chinese community in the state must constituencies, all strongholds of the ments of each of the various com­ have been sorely tempted like never PBS, account for only 14 of the 48 munities in Sabah. Hence although before by the many "carrots" seats. the trend in voting has been along dangled before them by the Barisan. communal lines, nonetheless, and These included fmancial grants COMMUNAL fortunately for the future of ethnic given to Chinese medium schools. SENTIMENTS relations in Malaysia it was not en­ the promise of a university in Sabah, tirely so. • the creation of a new Chinese-based What the PBS has shown Barisan component party (SAPP}, through its victory over the Barisan ANILNETTO

Aliran MonJhly 1994:14 (2) Page 14 ( ... Conversation during Malaysia's on-going dispwe THE PRIDE with the USA over the East Asia Economic Caucus {AND SHAME) (EAEC), 1991 till now ... ) OF BEING Are you a Malaysian? A MALAYSIAN YES, lAM. Wow, we are so Impressed by your country and your Prime Minister. He has be«< a true cham­ LIVING OVERSEAS pion of economic democracy for the South. He has shown his commitment towards promoting the economic welfare of Southern countries. He ( .... Conversation during the Earth Summit, /992 ... ) has so strongly opposed the economic domina­ tion by Western countries which mwely promote the sham of protectionism and unfair trade under Are you Malaysian? the guise of free enterprise via APEC. Wowl You must be very proud to be Malaysian. YES I AM. WELL, YES I AM! Wow, we are so impressed by your country and your Prime Minister. He is really just what we the peoples of the South need to challenge the grow­ • . Ing arrogance and power of the West. Did you (... Conversation during the political drama in Kota see how he criticised the Western countries for KiiUJbalu, February 1994 culminating in tht 36 hour their hypocrisy towards environmental issues GovernorGate (sic) political crisis of 19-21 February over CNN? Wow! You must be very proud to be 1994 ... ) Malaysian. Are you Malaysian? WElL, YES I AM! • YES, lAM. \' ( ... Conversation during tht on-going genocide ofBos­ Wow, what IOnd of democracy do you come nian Muslims informer Yugoslavia,/991 till now ... ) from? I mean I cannot understand how yow ruling National Front party led by UMNO and your Prime Minister in particular can blatantly Are you Malaysian? abuse government machinery to assist In hs election efforts in Sabah. I mean, charges of YES, lAM phantom voters; your Prime Minister's claim that assem~ymen were being detained; as­ semblymen being enticed to switch sides even Wow, we are so impressed by your country and your Prime Minister. He Is so brave to take such before a government Is formed; I mean why was a firm stand, to challenge the inactivity and mur­ all that GovernorGate drama necessary? After all, he did win a simple majority. I mean ••• Wow! derous rhetoric of the hypocritical West. Wow! You must be very proud to be Malaysian. And to think that Malaysia has so painstakingly built up Its reputation for being the champion of the South. Oh, dear, dear me ... maybe it is! You WElL, YES I AM! must be pretty ashamed! • WELL, YES I AM! PEROND,I.BANGKOK

'

Alira11 Mo11Jhly 1994:14 (2) Page IS HEART TO HEART Wist comes from the Ips rsaches th9 6a.r, what comss from the heart reaches the healt • -Arab proverb In rural Java, death co01es to a fighter and a drea01er Goenawan Mohamad

JAKARTA- The story of Mar­ ~~.. . Marsinah dared to activist and because she was a sinah shows the ugly side of be part of a woman. economic growth in Indonesia. She liberating tidal force As part of an overflowing labour was brutally murdered, apparently force in the world's fourth most for having dared to press for im­ fo r stronger rights ... " populous nation, women in In­ provement in worlcers' rights. Her 550 rupiahs, which was payable only donesia find themselves in a weak mutiliatcd body was found in ~tly if an employee showed up for worlc. position. near Jegong. a village on Java, the This, of course, was not enough They are also vulnerable in main island of Indonesia. to live on. Marsinah and some of her today' s cultural environment This is Marsinah is a shining symbol of fellow workers joined to demand a world that has only winners and the fight for human rights. She that the daily meal allowance be losers. It is a world obsessed with demonstrated that such rights are not built inro the regular wage. violent verbs soch as ganyang a luxury, nor are they something that Making such a demand took (crush). bwiUh (kill) and gebuk those with power willingly confer. courJge - the workers had created a (clobber). These are the metaphors Marsinah was only 23 when she disturbance. They had disrupted the of fighting and male virility, but also died. Although she lived in poverty, "peace," "harmony," "order" and of despotism. she was determined to better her own "unity" tJ1at are the watchwords of Whoever murdered Marsinah life and the lives of those around her. Indonesian industrialization and must have thought that the death of She was an adopted child of a poor development. a village woman worlcer would not farming family. Even as a child, she In Indonesia, owners of capital stir much attention. They must have worked hard to make ends meet, sell­ accumulate wealth by all possible thought that the body dumped on the ing snacks. When it rained, she used means. Managers and executives roadside would instill fear among banana leaves as an umbrella. Her can multiply their incomes. But others who challenged local order. family lacked the money for her to workers should never ask for more. Fortunately,Marsinah'scaschas continue her education beyond high Indonesia's economic progress, in­ attracted wide attention. ln their ar­ school. vestment in manufacturing and rogance, the killers failed to realize But she had dreams. She rising export earnings have hinged that the moment she and her col­ believed that there would always be on meagre labour wages. leagues went on strike to demand opportunity for any Indonesian to So at Marsinah's company not better wages, worlcers could no find a decent place. She attended only tl1e bosses and foremen but the longer be ignored in Indonesia. And computer and English classes. To security apparatus. acting on behalf because Marsinah dared to be part of Jearn more, she read nelo\ spapers and of the state authorities, immediately a liberating tidal force for stronger watched television at a neighbour's took action to silence the rebellious rights that is gathering strength in place. She once told an acquain­ workers. Some were fired. Marsinah Indonesia, women have ceased to be tance. "Knowledge will change was murdered. marginal .• one's destiny." We do not know just who was The writer, aformu editor in Marsinah was determined to responsible for her death, but it chief of the newsweekly Tempo, is change her lot and escape from seems clear why she was killed. The chairman of the Council of poverty. She worlced at a shoe fac­ horrible wounds to her abdomen Founders of the Foundation for tory for a year. Then she got a job showed that she had been sexually the Center for Hunu1n Rights with a watch-making company. Her assaulted and stabbed. Her pelvic Study, in Jakarta. He contributed daily wage was 1,700 rupiahs (about bones were shattered. Marsinah was this convnentto the International 80 cents), plus a meal allowance of victimzed both because she was an Herald Tribune: 13 January /994

A/iron Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 16 MEDIA Majalah Aliran BIDS FAREWELL

bout three years ago, the pennission granted by the government to our application to publish Majalah A/iran (MA) was received with a sense Aof great happiness. This is because the opportunity given was indeed the moment we'd been waiting for (about eight years) to enable us to achieve what we had set out to do. The primary objective of publishing the MA was to gain rapport with the Malay-speaking readers by spreading to them our ideas and thinking. We believed the readers we were aiming at were humans who craved for serious topics, ideas, opinions and alternative discussions, that is, intellectual sub­ stance which was scarcely available in our society. We also assumed that our ...... readers required a platfonn (via articles and letters to 1 MAJAL ·Hl editors, for instance) to voice their feelings. We felt that we had the capacity to play this role in order to fill this vacuum.

LIRA1 ( ,I· i' Unfortunately, what we hoped for could not be achieved until this day. Even though we had received a few written contributions, we feel·that on the whole we had failed in our effort to propagate our ideas as well as to create a discursive environment amongst our readers. This is based on one main factor - the lack of reaction among the readers to what was published in our magazine. Financial­ ly, this meant that the MA , since its birth, had been operating at a loss which accumulated over time. Our failure also raises a few questions: isn't there a space in our .. ._,. ...,_ ...... ~~·"'· ...... • ..... ·--·· -l--. 4 ...._~-._ .,...-~ ...... 0¥ '·""··-..... ~~- "-~:. .. ,:.:::-:'~ .,_ •: I,,: ' "••: "·-~.::.:., :.: ...... , ,.,. •~• society to allow for a serious magazine like the MA to -··.. _._ .... M...... _ Oo ...... , ·- ~o

(Translated version of the Editorial as published in MA Vol3, No 11 & 12)

Farewell issue

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 17 A few excerpts from the letters received In response to the reported closure of the Ma}a/ah A/Iran Terharu dengan penutupan Majalah A/iran

' ' Saya telah membaca dengan perasaan amat tatharu akan keputusan Aliran (Udah Pengarang, MA Jil 3, Bil 11/12) untuk memberhentikan penerbitan MA atas alasan kurang mendapat sambutan yang mengakibatkan pihak Aliran mengalami kerugian. Sungguhpun saya dapat memahami akan tujuan dan rasiooalnya, pihak Tuan mengambil tindakan sedemikan rupa. namun, rasa.'lya tindakan ini adalah suatu yang menyiKiihkan dan menyayatkan. Sesungguhnya, saya secara peribaci, semenjak MA mula·mula diterbitkan, merupakan salah seorang pembaca setia yang mGndapat manafaat yang bukan sadikit danpada MA. walaupun tidak bennakna saya S80basa menyetujui idea dan pandangan Aliran. Say a percaya beg1tu juga dengan ribuan rakyat mathaen yang lain ...

Komitmen Tuan dalam mempe~uangkan kebenarlW"I yang terpancar melalui aktiviti dan semestinya, melalui MA atau A/iran Monthly, seharusnya dipuji. Bukan sedlkit masyarakat yang dapat menimba pengetahuan di samping 'menjentik' dan 'mencelikkan' minda mereka; pengalaman teman·teman seperjuangan (kalau boleh saya gunakan perkataan tsb) menunjukkan MAdan AMmenjadi 'kawan' atau tidak berlebihan dikatakan sebagai rujukan, terutama dalam keadaan aliran maldumat yang tidak adil di kalangan media cetak aliran perdana. Tulisan dan pandangan altematif yang diterbitkan di dalam MA banyak membantu membentuk dan mewarnakan lagi cara berlikir, bukan sahaja di kalangan mahasiswa, tetapi pada setiap rakyat yang prihatin ...... Sesungguhnya tethentinya penerbitan MA merupakan kehilangan besar yang sukar dican ganb ln1 juga satu tamparan kepada cita-cita mengujudkan tanahair yang leb1h demokratik dan aman sentosa Kalau pihak Tuan menganggap tragedl Highland Towers sebagai 1nsiden yang seluruh Malaysia berkabung, maka kehilangan MA juga suatu tragedl yang seluruh rakyat yang prihatin pertu berkabung.

Sekian, tenma. ka s1'h . ' ' t.t. Ahmad Nlzam Hamid 1Jmbala1 Pres/den Persatuoo Mahaslswa Unlversltl Mc:Jaya

Penutupan Majalah A/iran: Mengurangkan ragi bahan bacaan adil

' ' Saya merasakan amat sedih dengan pengumuman saudara bahawa Majalah A/iran (MA) Jilid 3 Bil 11/12 adalah naskah yang terakhir. Pengumuman penutupan keluaran majalah ini dibuat ketika kita kekurangan teramat sangat bahan bacaan yang memberi liputan dan ulasan yang adil mengenai keadaan politik, sosial, ekooomi di negara ini, terutama dalam bahasa Me ayu. Selepas satu demi satu bal'lan bacaan yang cuba memberi liputan yang adil ditutup. Pengumuman penutupan MA menambahkan lagi keparahan itu. Ternyata usia MA terlaJu pendekjika cibanding dengan proses kelulusan penerbitannya yang memakan masa hampir Iapan tahun selepas campur tangan mahkamah ... Saudara, saya adalah pelanggan tetap majalah im Bag1 saya MA adalah bahan rujukan yang terbaik dalam usaha menambahkan pengetahuan... Saya hairan bagaimana masyarakat kita tidak berupaya untuk menilai sesuatu yang terbaik untuk diri mereka ... Sekarang sudah tidak ada lagi majalah, makalah maupun suratkhabar yang cuba mengajak masyarakat untuk mengupas persoalan yang berkait dengan politik, ekonomi dan sosial secara lebih profesional di negara ini... Semoga Aliran terus berusaha untuk mengeluarkan masyarakat dari penyakit itu dan lnsyallah kami akan mem­ bantu·mu. Sesuai dengan tajuk MA yang terakhir, 'Malaysia Berkabung', bagi saya berkabung di atas kematian satu lagi bahan bacaan dalam bahasa ibunda tercinta ...

Salam hormat. t.t. Kansorl Mohanad'' l'fll'ldang Kedah

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 18 /SPY ... found it convenient to sing one of our popular bogey tunes. The youth movement claimed a Zionist harwJ in this I Spy A!legaaiom Chat opposition politicians had lealrod state episode. We can't wail to know who the secrets fo tbe Au&1ralian secret service was one of the more Zionist-sympathisers in govanment are. iDiriguins bits ofnews in the local press which had lifted the The double-standard attitudes on the part of our leaden report from The Sunday 7'tltgraph of Austlalia. Intriguing. and the media are really quite disgustins- Does that mean because what i:OU.Id opposition politicians possibly offer the thac what is treachery fer the opposition is not so for the AUSirl.liao inleUigenc:e? rulina party? Surely secrets for money. whether by a A c:ornmoo thought running through most Malaysian politician from lhe opposition or the ruling party, or by any minds • the tqMllt wu: lf the Aussie Malaysian for lh4l matter, is equally lteacberous? iutelli&enee chaps were truly Such altitudes on the part of our intellitent. they would have saved leaden and tbe media are really quite their bribes for top govenuncnt deplorable. The Iauer is supposed eo lei'Vants. who would surely know be a watchdog, to bart when public much more than the average interest is being encroacbed upon or pGiitician. whelber opposition or abused But if it barb only when it ruling party. suits the interest of the As expected. media houses powers-that-be, then it does not connected to the rulins paper deserve die title of watchdog. It might higbliafltcd the story with great glee as well be a songbird in a cage, arwJ much insinuation - on their fronr singing tunes ascoached by its owner. pages. And as~ in an ~tra. The newly-appojntcd IGP bad ,JOVmJmlml figures and leadets came promised an invesligation when it out loudly demandin& names and wu still thought that these deaails. 1laat was, wWI Tl¥ Canbe"a international hawkers of government Timn. also of Australia. poiolaJ out secrets were from the opposition. tbal tha'e t.d been a mistake. Let's hope that the police too, wiU not The recipieuts of the rmancial change their tune. larps;se from the Aussie tecret service Actually, this would not be the were apparently not opposition (U'Sl time lh4l government politicians ~iticiaus as initially reported (or should we say flave been implicated in espionage activities. The Prime mislepolted). but govemmmt politicians. Not SUI"pril.ingly, Minisaer hiinself was victim to not unsimiJar accusations both tbe print and elecf.ronic media which bad reported the when he was Minister otTradcand Industry. Inthat incident, •mi.sreports" witJuucbabandon. weremucbrnorerestrained the foreign eouncry involved was Russia. about this. The allegations wereeveniUally found eo be baseless for At tbe same lime. those who had earlier danancJed more they were politicalJy motivaled. the figmem of an ambitious details ax! explanation lroni the AUSlralian government imagination ofone man 'fo'bose political career. incidentally, have also CalJen 8011JeWh4l silent. One of them was UMNO nosedived sborlly after a plane ctasb. The same ambitioas §.-..Y~~ror•re:t..ms they have yet to divulge. have person was said to have also tried to implicate bolb Mahathir 1 and Musa Hitam with the bogey-of-the-time. the Some of them are so obsessed wilh making money from Communisls. lihares speculation that they have borrowed money or This was revealed by Dr Sycd Husin Ali, the Pani secured overdrafts from banks for capital. 1bey were also Rakyat Malaysia politician, shortly after he was relca.'ied spending a large part of their office hours calling their from detention Wider the lSA. It b'eCilled that during his remisicrs and checking on shares prices on the office phones. interrogation, the Special Branch bad tried to UliCSyed Husin Obviously none of them .-e aw.-e (if they arc, lhey to fmgl:l' Mahathir and Musa as Communist sympalhiSCI'S. obviously couldn't care Jess) about Rule 16 of the Again, it was sheer fabrication and Syed Husin refused to Government Officers regulations (Behaviour and do what they wanted Discipline) 1993, which disallows them from speculating in either the commodities or funaes markets whether as a buyer or seller. The Chief Secretary's nagging isa case of too little, too late. Government servan&s are in this too deep and too • big to care much about what he has said Teachers. for im1ance, bave been long famous for their love, not for teaching, but for playing the ma.rket. Before lhe WE,VE GOT ff ALL? crazy nineties. it was said that the stock market would be Wlu.~ly active and brokering firms Wlusually crowded used 11 appears that RTM2, which lo broadcast a catchy during school holida~ thanks to dlC plCliCOCC of teachers- It jingle boasting that ·we've got it all", has not quite got it all would appear thai some teachers nowadays. do not bother at all One of the things it has not quite got all of seem.~ to to wail till the school holidays for parents of students have be audience, according to a recent report on TV audience: complained that these teachers play truant by frequenting share released reu:ntly. RlM2 loses out not only to TV3, securitie.'> firms during !~Chool h~ but even to its duUer si.~. RTMl. It is likely that this is happening so openly in so many In terms of overaU viewing time, TV3 commanded 31S government dcpanmcnL

First an earthquake of 5.0 on the Richter scale hit the state. Then came !Ievere floods that dislocated several thousand people Jiving along one of the stale· s biggest river • systems. All acL'> of God as some Malaysian Ministcn will tell you and occurring in the state of Sarawak. TO MARKET, TO MARKET ... To the lnldition-bowld and superstitious groups in Sarawak's interior, these natural calamities can only mean The professionals do it, businessmen do it, hawkers do one thing - the god.'i must be anpy. The flood~ whkh it. housewives do it. Ahnost everyone seems lo be doing it. desloryed homes and fields along lhe Bclega, Balui and We are talking, of cowse, of the crv.c over playing U1e stock Linau river systems were attributed to heavy rai11,' market. Social commentators have described the new craze coinciding with high tides that locals refer to as lhe King over the stock market as yet anotllCr indication of tl'IC Tide. materialism that has descended on the post-NEP society. Another lilcely reason U-aat wa.~. however. not mentioned Tile mania seems to cut across ethnic Jines, so p«..-rhaps is ellcessive deforestation that had taken place in these parts. Voltaire was right when he said that. "when it is a question Large tracts bared through logging are no longer capable of of money, everybody is of the same religion". And most retaining run-off and as a re~lt, the lowest lying areas, distwbing of aU is the attitude that come.~ wilh playing the namely, the valleys llvough which the rivers flow. become stock market - making money for doing noUling. the unforttmate repository of such run-off. Is this why govenunent !oll!rvants are among some of the But farmorescriouslhao gnunpy godsi.<~the impli~ation most fervent speculators~ After all, they have pcrfecled of eanhquakes occurring in an area where one of the largc..;;t "doing nothing" into an art. so why not make some money dams in the world is to be builL Even a mild quake would from it? It appears that some of them have been so active in have dire consequences for a dam lhe lllagnitudc of lhe the market that tlle Chief Secretary to U~e Government has proposed Bakun. Would this not suggest a rethink on the found it necessary to warn them against using office time 1""1""" to ''"' ..,h • ma.<>i•• d>m in 1M parti

1

Aliro11 MontiJJ /994:14 (2) Pflle 20 the country? Or do we need to wait unlil the Jods arc buly businessman. All kinds ofartifacts- from keychains bearing furious before we eomc to our aemes? his face lo books on his life and accomplishments -arc being hawked in OUna. At the same time, the event has invoked among CCI1ain !l'!gments of the populace, deep national pride. But the older • generationwouldsurelynotforgetMao'sroleintheCultural Revolution which saw the penecution and death of millions of Chinese nor the famine and starvation that n:sulfed from SENT TO PRISONS that foolha.-dy economic policy of his, lhe Great Leap Forward. Hard IS it may be lo believe, Malaysia's flamboyant It is for these reasons that the older Cllinese would not crime-buster, Datuk Zanwt Khan, only learnt Chat his wish lo celebrate the memory of Mao whom some have appointment IS the chief of Malaysia's prisons was official companxl to Stalin for his cruel treatment of those he from a cartoon done by His coUeagucs were probably l..IL coosidcred his rivals or adversaries. And every Russian in too cmburassed his right mind would prcfCF to forget Stalin for sood. lo lcll him. The However, what appears to have seized the imagination prisons job, after ofthose outside China was the fus.'l kicked up by the Chinese all, is considered government over a BBC documentary on Mao that to be a sort of suggested that he was partial to YOWl& girls and loved Siberia among Western dancing - with the young girls, naturally. top law Actually many biographies on Mao have pointed to the enforcers. The fact and besides, why should Mao have been different from job is tough, any other man in power? He enjoyed, in his time, absolute unglamorous pow« of quite an uncbccked and unchallenged nature, and and one sets that, as they say, tends to corrupt absolutely. attention only when something scandalous or stupid happens. Zaman's • career prospects. it is said, /EXIST? collapsed toJether with Unding a hand to the poor and helpless is something to Block. A of be lauded One of the dailies recently carried a front page Highland Towers. The powers-that-be were said lo be stOI)' of an elderly gentlemen who had forgotten where he displeased with his allegedly uhlm kilhul command of the lived and how a local politician helped him fmd his way n:scue operations and replaced him midway tlvouJh the borne. The story was accompanied by a colour photograph rescue which, come to think of it, was not much of a rescue showing the elderly person being carried home in the arms at all. Anyway, lilc.e the sport that he is, Zanw1 has said that of two others, including the politician. he is ~c:ccpting the post with •considerable zest and The incident, while admirable. somehow came across colhusiasm". as choreographed and self-serving. One does not doubt the sina::rity of those helpina the lost gentlemen, but must it be performed in the glare of a flashing camera? Why is it that good deeds nowadays, whether it is to reach out to the old • and neglected or the orphaned and unloved, become a media event? Does a kind gestlB'e acquire additional value when MAO, THE TOURIST PRODUCT reported by the press? That politicians do it is understandable for most of them do DOl believe that they The Chinese in the •s Republic of China may be People exist unless lhey see lhc:mselves on TV or read about CommwUsts, but they know a good ~ness opportunity thenuelves in the papers. when lhey see one. And lhe chance of the moment this time But this appetite to publicise one's good deeds seems to was none other than their deceased supreme leader, have enaulfed a host of other individuals and groups. This a.aimwl Mao who. tOJethel' wilh the similarly embalmed is partkularty evident during festive !lCaSOOI wbeo banks. Leain, DJUJt be two of the most famous prcsevations in the bolels and well-known individuals will insist that their worid. generosity and charity be made known to all and sundry Mao's ocntenuy- he was born on 26 December 1893 - lhrouJb the media. h really makes one doubt lheir motives. it being celelnted in a commercialised frenzy that would tring a deep blush to the cheeks of any Hong Kong byNNP ESPIONAGE

1

By NORMAN ABJORENSEN

alaysia and Singapore h3ve been looking in the wrong places for Rcipients of MfmanciaJ brgesse from the Australi:m secret service. ASIS. A newspaper report ~ month said Opposition politicians from both countries h3d been paid by ASIS - bullhe recipients were in f3Ct government politicians. according to highly placed diplomatic and intelligence sources. "What would be the point of cultivating people out of power with liUie hope of winning power? It

Allro" Montltl:~l994:/4 (2) P11p 12 stall himself as Chief Minister over the rightful winner, Joseph Pairin. This time around, he more LETTERS than made amends to Pairin for his "misdeed" by turning up not once but twice at the lstana gate to give Pairin a much-needed moral boost. He even tried to persuade the guards at the Istana gate to iet Pairin in but whatever influence he held over the guards in 1985 seemed to have long since vanished. WeU, it was a long wait outside the Istana gate and just when the main protagonists were about to throw in the towel and return home, someone had a bright idea - SABAH RESULTS such deeds. Perhaps he has failed bring a mobile toilet to the lstana to realize that communication link gates to ease the situation FROM BBC! to the mass media is a dynamic LinaOtten area and we need capable leaders PENANG The climax of any elections at the helm. must surely be the announcement Harban Singh of the results. SELANGOR It was indeed most disgusting THE PAIRIN CASE: and disturbing to note that the BARISAN'S Sabah elections results were deliberately delayed due to the RACE TO THE REACTION STRANGE defeat of Barisan Nasional! Poor losers indeed! ISTANA GATES I was impressed by our Barisan Nasionalleadcrs' intention to im­ It looks like an essential in­ prove the existing laws pertaining gredient to state elections in Sabah to corruption. The intention arose seems to be the tense moments after the verdict by the Sabah High waiting outside the lstana gate Court on Pairin Kitingan 's corrup­ which are guaranteed to grab the tion trial. where he was found attention of the world's media. "guilty" and subsequently fined Apparently, it is not enough only RM1,800.lt is worth noting winning a majority of seats in the that some of the Barisan leaders election to be sure of forming the were "disappointed" over the ver­ new government. The winners dict and started indirectly question­ have to dash to the Istana gate for ing the "credibility" of the Court Datuk Ratvnat: No .-ults because fear that some other parties might as an independent body and the Barisan lost? steal a march on them by being at prosecution's handling of the case. the Istana gate fl!St and using their The dissatisfaction was Fortunately, I could rely on the influence to deprive the winners of brought to public notice by one of Singapore Broadcasting Corpora­ their right to form the next govern­ the top Barisan leaders and it was tion and the BBC. Isn't it sad that ment. aired on TV3 the same day. The you have to tune in to foreign It is also interesting to observe foUowing were the statements radio stations to get the latest that the same three parties were in­ made by the super leader. "Kalau Sabah elections results which were volved in the drama at the Istana dulu UMNO seluruh parti di bawa held in your own country? ground in 1985- the Governor, ke mahkamah dan parti dihararn­ Datuk Rahmat should be Pairin and Mustapha. In 1985, kan oleh kerana kita tersilap responsible and accountable for Mustapha raced to the lstana ta in- register ahli-ahli UMNO di Johor

A/iran MonJJaly 1994:14 (2) Pag• 23 tetapi Ices rasuah yang melibatkan ing that their action might back­ ing towards developed nation ahli part.i pembangkang, kita ingin ft.re on them and cause more status and Vision 2020? - tahu apakah Ices rasuah melibatbn damage to their new-born party in It is this lack of fair-play and ahli pembangkang harus dibawa Sabah. As it is, Mustapha has put the impotence of the other com­ Ice mahkamah atau sebaliknya ... ". UMNO Baru in a dilemma ponent parties of the Barisan Let's look at the reason why By releasing Jeffrey Kilingan, Nasional towards their Big UMNO was dissolved. It was the the Barisan is trying to impress Brother that really puts me off. I brainwave of a few key master­ Sabahans with its "good guy" read with disdain their attempts to minds to dissolve the party so that image with the hope that their tac­ match Big Brother in the numbers a new party could be fonned. Ap­ tics would work this time. game (membership, that is). plications from Tengku I would like to advise those I know I am not alone among Razaleigh's "gang• could then be Barisan members who wish to the silent minority (who are not rejected. This would allow these amend the corruption law: please hard-core opposition members). key members to have a peaceful don't do it, we don't want to see We are willing to give the Barisan life in UMNO Baru without any many in the ruling coalition being Nasional component parties a try challengers especially for the top investigated by the ACA and con­ as many of us did in the 1982 post. If UMNO was not victed as weU. (Is the ACA an in­ general election. deregistered and elections were dependent body?) We do not need to sign up a!. held again, I think the chances of If this is the government which members to give you a shot at it these key UMNO leaders retaining plans to rule Sabah, God save Just convince us that you can their post would be nil. Knowing politics in Sabah. stand your ground on matters of this fact, these UMNO leaders Mani principle. Don't toe Big Brother's could not afford to allow the old BUTTERWORTH line every t~e. UMNO to continue. And they now Loyal Malaysian claim that the old UMNO was PENANG SABAH ELECTION: BLATANT ABUSE OF WHAT ABOUT MEDIA SUDAN AND EAST The people of Sabah have TIMOR? spoken. I take my hat off to those who have stood their ground in the Our Prime Minister Dr face of the Barisan onslaught. I Mahathir has been very eloquent have searched my own heart in the and forthright in his speeches in in­ run-up to the election day and I ternational forums and assemblies, know I would have voted on the speaking in support of the Mus­ Pairin: Fined only RM1,800 tor promise of development and lims of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He corruption, which disappointed some progress. condemns in no uncertain terms quarters Yes, it's a reduced majority­ the lukewarm responses of the punished unjustifiably compared Buletin Akhir (1V3) just an­ Western powers, their insincerity to other cases involving opposition nounced it's 25 for PBS-plus and and hypocrisy, downright selfish­ parties. Who are they kidding? 23 for Barisan. But didn't I read ness and cowardice in dealing Now let's look at Pairin's case, somewhere that in a democracy with the need to help the Bosnian he was brought to "justice" for al­ it's the 49 per cent foiJowing the Muslims. leged corruption (after the party wishes of the 51 per cent and not As Malaysians we are proud of left the Barisan) and finally con­ the other way round. him for speaking up against the victed and fined RM1.800, not Seeing the blatant abuse of the powerful and rich nations on be­ RM2,000 which would have dis­ electronic and print media, I can half of the unfortunate Muslims of qualified him from politics for a fathom better now the Bosnia period of five years. UMNO Baru government's reluctance to pennit Now I want to plead with him leaders are playing a safe "hit and the use of satellite dishes. So what to raise his voice in indignation at run" game. Tiley smear Pairin's is this talk about the nation march- the injustices and brutalities meted name but dare not do more, fear- out to the poor Christian peoples

AlinJn Monlh/1 1994:14 (2) Page 24 of Southern Sudan and East Timor. done slowly and carefully, accord­ It's high time the rakyat In these two countries, the ing to the experts, was all rubbish. replaced the Barisan government atrocities and injustices have been The fact the Malaysians listened to of Prime Minister Mahathir. It's far worse than those in the former these experts showed that the not a caring government, as it republic of Yugoslavia. Malaysians were seriously locking often claims to be, rather a callous, TKTan in direction and leadership. In an incompetent government. IPOH operation like this, the Bomba S M uthu Pi/Jai should have taken command. The TRONG Police should have taken care of law and order. HIGHLAND TOWERS We should have taken the lead and should have given them THE TRAGEDY IN "RESCUE" (foreign resuce teams) instruc­ REFLECTS tions, not receive instructions. BOSNIA­ Shame on us! The Bomba with the HERZEGOVINA GOVERNMENT help of the Air Force could have INCOMEPETENCE brought in helicopters to lift the Would the crisis in Bosnia be huge concret slabs out of the rub­ different if Hammarskjold was the The Highland Towers tragic ble and thereafter slowly dig out UN Secretary-General instead of fiasco will go down in history as the victims. Even if this were to in­ Boutros Boutros Ghali. This is be· how incompetent a government jure any victims (supposedly cause when Hammarskjold was could have been in the face of a alive) that would have been more the Secretary-General he handled crisis. The onus of the tragedy worthwhile than to let them die be­ the crisis in Congo (now Zaire) should be solely borne by the cause of inaction from us. with fuU determination and government. The government The fl.rst thing they should decisiveness. should publicly apologise to the have done was to sit down and He was never influenced by or victims' families to show that it is plan what to do. Common sense frightened of powers like the a caring government. otherwise it will dictate this in any crisis. Only United States or Russia, unlike is a careless government. when there was an impasse did Boutros Boutros Ghali who is not Why did it take eight days they have a brain-storming ses­ decisive and cannot make before the bodies could be dug up? sion. By that time it was too late. decisions that are forceful. For ex­ The victims should have been dug Why were rumours spread that ample, recently he threatened the up the flTSt day itself. Common there were people still alive in the Serbs that he would start having sense will dictate that the residents rubble? Was it to justify the NATO air strikes if the Serbs did were on their way out. They knew government's imcompetence? If at not allow the Tuzla Airport to be that the building was going to col­ all there were victims still alive opened and if they stopped the lapse and they were on their way after the fifth or sixth day, why food aid to the people of Bosnia. down. So if at all they all died on then did the pathologist's report But what happened when the impact, they ought to be found (press conference) state that all the Serbs still had things going their from the third or fourth floor victims died on the frrst day? way? Were there any air strikes? downwards to the basement Why? The government here clear­ The NATO air planes just flew That's where the authorities ly contradicts its own stance. low in Bosnia! What was the mo­ should have dug, not burrowing Where was the Prime Minister tive of this? Maybe they wanted to tunnels here and there. when the tragedy struck? He went have a closer look- at the tragedy in Who were the first to arrive at to India! Trade matters were ap­ Bosnia which has been going on the site? The Police, the Bomba? parently more important to him for about 22 months! Zaman Khan chivalrously held up than the rakyal's sorrow. He could I pity the Bosnian President a child and that was aU he could have cancelled the trip to show and the Prime Minister (Alija Iz­ do, nothing more. When the child that he is a caring Premier, to be betgovic and Haris Siladjic) be­ was brought out, there was clap­ with the rakyat at their hour of cause it looks like the UN with its ping all around. A task ac­ grief. The G-15 summit was not so-called Security Council nee complished, it may have seemed, much of a summit anyway with taking them for a ~joy ride~. I feel but far from it. most of the leaders of the South ab­ Boutros Boutros Ghali as the The talk that the search and res­ sent Secretary General of the UN cue operation should have been

A/iran MonJhlJ 1994:14 (2) Par• 25 --~------should take full responsibility for all Aliran members the best of about millions of dollars, as this is what is going on in Bosnia. everything. not the only centre in the whole of­ The fll'St step he should take is East and West Malaysia. to to lift the arms embargo on Bosnia The letter the Press: Most or aU we are talking so that the people of Bosnia can "I sincerely implore the Minis­ about our brothers and sisters defend themselves. try of Health, the Home Ministry's who have only a very short span Secondly, Zhirinovsky who is Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation or lire to be lived in pain and an­ a Russian ultra national should be Centre and other relevant guish. Aren't we supposed to be prosecuted for creating war authorities concerned,to take a a caring society? propaganda in the West. Just be­ very serious view on what I am Lastly, we should salute Am­ cause in the recent elections in the reproducing here. These facts and barn Singh, the commandant of Soviet Union he managed to win figures were gathered from The this centre for speaking out one seventh of the Russian seats in Star, 19 October 1993: without fear or favour, a bit be­ Parliament doesn't mean he can go • The number of cases tested lated though - I am certain his round spreading propaganda. positive for human immuno­ mouth must have been gagged by Lastly, being a human being deficiency virus (HIV) at this so-called Perintahs. Indeed he has himself, Boutros Boutros Ghali centre has doubled over the past the interest of the inmates at heart. should have some pity and some few years. The country needs more people conscience of his own to stop the • 27 of the 100 cases admitted like him. He might face the wrath ethnic cleansing in Bosnia. since January 1993 were tested of some over-zealous officers for If the crisis in Bosnia doesn't positive for the virus which causes bringing these shocking mailers to stop. the people of Bosnia would AIDS. the press and, subsequently. to the defmitely lose their country as it's • 86 of the 539 inmates are public. The Government shouldn't just a matter of time before the HlV patients. let anything happen to Ambara Serbs conquer the whole or Bos­ • This centre has no facilities Singh. On the contrary, he should nia-Herzegovina. whatsoever to treat or care for be rewarded. He has done what is HlV inmates. GRavindran right PENANG • No doctors since 1991. Not Ex-Commandant even hospital assistants. Shocking­ JOHORBARU ly, the medical unit of this centre is being manned by hospital atten­ DRUG REHAB dants. • Shocktngly, this centre hap­ WE ARE HUMAN, CENTRE PLAGUED pens to be a drug counselling train­ BY AIDS ing centre for senior officers from TOO Asian countries. We all know that Bosnians, I I was introduced to your I truly dread to think of the im­ mean, the Bosnian Muslims. have magazine by a reader in Johor pressions they might have carried come here to Malaysia looking for Baru. I am glad he did. home, leave alone the negative safety and guidance under the I am impressed with your pub­ manner they must have exploited Malaysian Government. We can lication and wish you the best in the issue at hand in their mass­ see from here that our Govern­ all your undertakings. media to stun the rest of the world, ment is caring towards their neigh­ The letter below was sent to with the aim of ridiculing our bour. both the New Straits Times and country in its earnest efforts to con­ But, I've always wondered The Star for publication. but for trol the disease. why do they (Malaysian Govern­ reasons best known to them. it was Name of Centre: Pusat Serenti ment) care for Bosnian Muslims not published in either paper until Drug Rehabitation Centre, Sungei only and not for Christians as now. Petani,Kedah. well? Leave aside religion, aren't However dear Sir, would it be If the above is true. the they human too? I was really taken possible for the contents of the at­ authorities most certainly owe the aback when I heard the news over tached finding a small space in parents of the inmates in particular the radio. Our Prime Minister was your publication please. and we the tax-paying public at saying. "What is the UN doing for I thank you for your co-opera­ large an immediate explanation. our Muslim people in Bosnia?" tion and I wish you, your staff and Please remember we are talking about lives here. We are talking What has happened to the sensi-

A/iran M onJhly 1994:14 (2) PDgl 26 tive heart that Malaysians used to religion? Your statement gives a IT'S RUDE! have? negative view on the Islamic Don't be so insensitive to Hudud Law. "There was no com­ I do feel that Aliran should not human cries, Mr Prime Minister, pulsion in religion"; this was use the term "The Great One". because they are all human - Mus­ quoted from the Qu'ran. If the "The Great One-to-be" because it lims and Christians alike. This is Kelantan government was given a seems rude and even smacks of the perfect situation to show we permit to establish an ICC, it polythiesm. are a caring society, and this goes would only enforce it on the Mus­ FW for you too, Mr Prime Minister. lims, not on the non-Muslims. PETAUNGJAYA But from what I see, all I can There is nothing to get scared or say is that, there is no caring panicked about. Non-Muslims society at all! should try to understand this! CanneliJa Xavier Your second statement really HIGHLAND PENANG hurts me. "This would mandate the amputation of limbs of convicted TOWERS: A SAD persons for certain offences". I STORY wish that you had not just stopped CONGRATULATIONS, there. You should have given your The disaster that befell the resi­ readers a further explanation as to dents of Highland Towers, Kuala TERENCE! what kind of offences would re-­ Lumpur is a sad story. The in­ quire such punishment. Without ability of the authorities concemed I sincerely congratulate this further explanation, non-Mus­ in supervising the building and Terence Gomez for having lims and, perhaps uneducated Mus­ construction of such apartment answered Khalid Jaafar's letter so lims would view the Hudud Law blocks. It is tragic that families well that it left no doubt in the as a primitive and barbaric law, lost their loved ones within minds of the readers about his sin­ even though it is not true. Amputa­ minutes before their eyes. The cerity and fairness in dealing with tion of limbs is only required for the topic of money politics in "serious crimes". UMNO Baru. {AM 1993:13(12)] I am a law student and I I also wish to add that what l~d the Sharia in a religious was said by Terence Gomez that school. As far as I can remember, certain corporate figures are mere we were never required by our proxies of UMNO Baru is true, by teacher and the Holy Qu'ran to their own admission to their close compel non-Muslims to convert to associates. Islam or to follow our way of life. DaJo' Hishamuddin bin Hqji Does this constitute a violation of Yalulya the freedom of religion? KUAULUMPUR Klulirul Anuar bin Abdul Halim BUKn' MERTAJAM, High'-nd Towers: Pronouncements on PENANG •tric:t regulation. are alway• an {Tite articl~ you r~~rred to was not atter-thougtil MISLEADING VIEWS written by A/iran or its writers. It was authorities say they are going to be ON HUDUD r~produced from Critiqu~. a report prepared by the Law Committe~ for strict from now on - obviously an after thought! What use is this to I refer to your article on human Human Righls, New York which reviews and analy~s the US StaJ~ the dead and those in grief? The rights in AM 1993:13(11). What Departmenls' Counlry Report for situation at the scene of sorrow did you mean when you said that, accuracy, completeness and can be described as follows: "the report's discussion of freedom objecti~ity. We felt tiUJI the article was 'There standing, they looked of religion ignores efforts by the topical and would be ofinleresl to our horrified and pale, state government in Kelantan, readers, besides encouraging heallhy The young stood stiff. the old ruled by Malaysia's Islamic Party discussion and debaJe on the human rights situaJion in Malaysia. - Edltor] held the rail, (PAS), to introduce an Islamic The well built building guaran­ Criminal Code (ICC)"? teed to last, Are you trying to say that the ICC violates the freedom of

A limn Monthly 1994:14 (2) P11ge 27 Crumbled to dust with no out­ It is also the same with Hin­ ces where foreign workers only side blast, duism. Christianity and other come to hospital when their illness Loved ones, friends all gone, major religions. As far as I know, become serious or even life­ They did no wrong, had no all religions are universally ac­ threatening. If the government guilt, cepted because they welcome new decides to enforce the grossly Buried under the "strong" converts and do not restrict them higher rates, this tendency among building the builders built.' based on race, country or colour of employers to resist bringing their Kcul Singh Hans the skin. workers for treatment will increase. JOHORBARV In Malaysia, we are led by the Foreign workers are already in local mainstream media controlled a disadvantaged position. Their by UMNO Baru to believe that work-permit ties them to a par­ only lslarn is universal and not the ticular employer. They are express­ RELIGION: other religions. ly forbidden from joining trade Any conversion to Islam by unions and from setting up their AMATIEROF foreigners is highlighted by the own associations. They have little PERSONAL CHOICE local Press. In reality, more for­ social support, and many are not eigners especially westerners are fluent in Bahasa Malaysia or In response to Mrs Ferida attracted to Buddhism but this is Engli,sh. Restricting access to Chaudhary's leuer published in never mentioned in the local Press. health will certainly only worsen Aliran Monthly 1993: 13(11), I All this is done with the intention their situation. welcome her view that religion is of encouraging more non-Muslims According to the Star article, personal and should not be forced to convert to Islam. Muslims who this decision was taken bccaue upon any person marrying a Mus­ embrace other religions in foreign many patients from neighbouring lim in our country. How nice it countries are not mentioned in the countries fly in to take advantage would be if the majority of Mus­ local Press for fear that locals of our radiotherapy and other lims, if not all. share this view - might imitate their actions. similarly expensive services. If UMNO Baru. Seman gat 46 or This is the reality in our this is so. surely charging first­ even PAS would not be able to ex­ country today. · class rates to foreigners on social ploit religion to gain political Hari Krishnan visit passes or on business visits mileage from the Muslim majority. KVANTAN wiU suffice. If, in addition, the I hope one day all state laws government wishes to pass on the which restrict conversion of Mus­ costs of health care of foreign lims to other religions will be workers to their employers, this repealed and religion would be­ HOW CARING ARE could be done by means of a come a personal choice for every health levy that every employer citizen. We have already witnessed WE? has to pay to the Health Ministry how the white minority govern­ upon employing a foreign woticer. ment of South Africa has started to I wish to comment on the Compulsory payments of a dismantle apartheid and is giving report in the Star (12 November health levy which is not linked to equal rights to all its citizens. 1993) that all foreigners in actual requests for health care by Islam is a universal religion. Malaysia, whether on work permit particular workers is far less likely for that matter all religions are or on a social visit pass, will be to lead to denial or delay in treat­ universal. Let's take Buddhism for charged double the fust-class rates ment of foreign workers. Further­ example. Buddhism is not only when admitted to government more, it is also a form of insurance practised by the majority of Sri hospitals. This decision, if imple­ for the employers as the costs of Lankans but also the Thais and the mented, will aiTcct immigrant caring for sick immigrant workers Japanese. workers in Malaysia adversely. are then spread out among all As we all know. the Thais, the Even now, without these employers. Japanese and the Sri Lankans do double first-class charges. We pride ourselves on being a not talk the same language neither employers arc already reluctant to "caring" society. The manner in do they pmctise the same culture. send their immigrant workers to which we resolve this issue of But they all share the same hospital. Time away from work proper health care of a large but doctrine of the Buddhist religion represents a large opportunity cost relatively disadvantaged and which is considered universal. for the employer who is short of powerless sector of our society labour. As a result, government will show how genuine all our hospitals are already seeing instan-

Aliron Monlhly 1994:14 (2) Page 28 pronouncements regarding tice (CLP) rather than against the guarding the CLP are dis­ "~ng" really are. CLE. If the CLE has closed its criminators of the worst kind. R Veerasenan doors to foreign students and The CLP can restructure its TELUKINTAN blacks to the better part of its train­ policies of entry so that students ing, the CLP is in no better posi­ who travel more than 15,000 miles tion with slightly open doors only to do a degree can return home to LLB holders. The CLP has and rest assured that they can do CLP'S ENTRY structured only one narrow step to the Bar examinations at home REQUIREMENTS its examination but there are many without any feeling of humiliation. ways to the legal profession in SadaSivam England. DISCRIMINATORY KOTA KJNABALU It's high time the Law Minister P.S. The abov~ l~tter was senl to the The criticism by our Law Mini­ calls for the review of the CLP's N~ Straits TimL but was not ster against the discrimination policy of entry qualifications to published. practised by the Council of Legal enable other law degree holders to Education is viewed as a brave at­ take its course. tack against an establishment If we have a group of racists in which is not only historical and the CLE then the people so closely traditional but which has been criticised by British society itself as discriminatory. The con­ spicuous classes in Britain: upper, upper middle, middle, working ARTICLE ON HOTEL METROPOLE IN class, punks, blacks, gypsies and ALIRAN MONTHLY 1994:14(1) so on continue to exist in a society which preaches all sorts of so­ In your article at page 18, a sblement reads 'Land Office called liberal thoughts to the rest records show that BHL Bank provided the required financing to of the world. Dolphin Square.' The Ox-Bridge graduates and This is to put on record that BHL Bank has never lent to a bor­ upper class are seen as potential rower of that name. Factually, your article was erroneous in that material for the Barristers profes­ Dolphin Square was never at any point of time the bank's customer. sion thus hindering lesser groups Consequently, the other parts of the article in reference 10 the pur­ on its doorsteps, and creating a ported loon to Dolphin Square are therefore incorrect, including the sub-culture of its own. subjective conclusions derived. Antiquated system of legal We would appreciate it if the error is rectified as we are certain training have been wiped out in that notwithstanding this, your esteemed publication is very careful the United States and elsewhere. about the accuracy of its reporting. Even the Solicitors branch of the Thank you. profession in England has changed Yours faithfully its course structure and, for the for BAN IUN LEE BANK BERHAD flfSt time, potential Solicitors will (IDRUS BIN ISMAIL) be sitting for the legal practice Secretary course (LPC) in 1994. A sig­ nificant element is the importance [A/iran Monthly stands corrected. We apologise for this error­ given to skills training to local and Editor) foreign students. All prospective students of the LPC can say with brevity the change will see them through the best of the lawyers' training. Just as charity begins at home, everything else must. Our Law Minister should now re-route his criticisms towards the trustees of the local Certificate in Legal Prac-

Alirtln MonJhly 1994:14 (2) Pt~~• 29 HUMAN RIGHTS DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL Detained without details and denied the right of defence

What disttngutshes the detention manager is Mr Suresh NL Unni In what appears to be a travesty of Mr Dhannakoundar ami Mr Nambiar. of justke, two worker leaders Nadesan from many other deten­ were detained without specific tions under the Emergency Or­ Harassment and charges being preferred against dinance, is that their detention Interference them under the Emergency appears to be closely related to the Tension and discord between Ordinance 1969. worker-management dispute that workers and management com­ has been ongoing in Ladang Sungei menced in early 1992, when the THOLILALIYIN THOLAR Kawang since early 1992. management began to interfere with provides the background to this the internal affairs and running of the epi..,ode and raises the possibility Ladang Sungei Kawang Temple Committee. \thether these two worker Ladang Sungei Kawang is Initially. it appears that the leaders could be innocent victims Situated near the town of Lanchang management wentoutofits way and of a plot to cow the workers. in Pahang. It is a rubber estate owned interfered in Temple Committee by the plantation agency Kuala elections by tr) ing to replace the ex­ Lumpur Kepong (KLK) and isung Committee with it'i own slate. managed by its subsidiary Taiko When this attempt failed, manage­ n 25 January 1994, two Plantati on. Some 250 workers live ment retaliated by giving numerous worker leaders, Mr Dhar­ and work in Ladang Sungei problems to the Temple Committee, makoundar all Munisamy 0 Kawang. The manager is Mr Tan inter alia the refusal to deduct temple and Mr Nadesan all Munisamy were Tian Sang while the assistant dues from the wages of consenting detained b} the Temerloh Police workers. a practice of many years. under Section 3( I) of the Emergency Management abo (Public Order and Pre\-en- demolished the house in llon of Crime) Ordinance which the temple equip- 1969. They are presently ment was stored and ac­ being detained at the Balai cused the Temple Polis Temerl oh. Committee of being in­ Section 3( I) of the volved in gangsterism. Emergency O rdinance em­ Management, it wa'i powers a police officer to claimed, also visited and detain a person tor inve~­ hara.o,sed workers while tigation purposes for a they worked. Taking ad­ penod of up to 60 days Mr Dharmakounder (right) talking to Mr Baradan of the vantage of their position During this period, the per- Star, on 11 September 1993 as staff, it was funher al­ ~on may be served with leged, they would try to either a two year detention underm ine suppon for the order or a restriction order Temple Committee by signed by the Mi ni:-ter of visiting workers at their Home Affairs. There is no work place. Those who pmvi:,ion under this law for gave in and agreed to a detainee to be brought "cooperate" were alleged­ before a magistrate or to be ly rewarded with con­ charged formally in any tract'> and high-yielding coun. to enable him to tappmg blocks while make his defence ami prove those who resisted and hi!> innocence. The wives of the detainees and some of their children resented such interferen-

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 30 ces were harassed and victimiLcd. The Secretary of the Temple in a bu., company. However since his It appears that threat-; and a-;­ Committee, for eJ~.ample, was tran-;­ wtfe is sti II a worker on the estate, he saults on the workers were in­ ferred the very day after he returned resides together with her and thetr stigated, encouraged and became a from the meeting with Dato Scri Dr three children in Ladang Sungci common occurrence in the e~tate. S S.tm)' Vellu. Ths transfer coupled Kawang. Several of these a<;Saults y,ere con­ with being unfair!)' denied Sunday According to reports Mr Tan has ducted in full view of the estate work opportunities meant that his openly referred to htm as "kurang auxiliary police and several staff. salary dropped from $600/month to ajar" to the Temple Committee. Mr The Chairman of the Temple $35saults. More than 25 should not be employed, in a ctr­ teeth. pollee reports had been lodged by cular letter issued to the managers of The Chairman of the local worker... allcgmg \!Ctnnizatl()n, surrounding estate!>. NUPW committee has also been as­ harassment and as.;ault. Mr Dharmakoundcr has thus rn­ saulted and in another mcident. In September 1993, the workers itiated legal proceedings against Mr threatened with ass,tult by the assis­ dcuded to take their grievance~ to Tan for defamation in the tant manager During ttus second in­ the pn:ss. They complained to the Magistrates Court in Temerloh The cident. the assistant manager and Star that they were the vtctims of case that has already come up for another staff also threatened and per'> is tent harassment and victimtz.a­ mention is to be heard on 15 Man.h reportedly exposed themselves to a tion by the management. Following 1994. female worker the publicizing of the tssue in the MrNadesan press, calm de~cended on the e~tate. Workers Seek Justice The management assured the Mr Nadesan the older hrother of In order to address the problems workers th,tt there would be no fur­ Mr Dharmakoundar i'> employed as that they were faced with the ther problem~ in the estate The a ~taff of TNB Temerloh Hi" w1fc workers undertook \·arious actions. thrcal\ and as,aults on the \.,orker... was employed as a rubber tapper m Between November 1992 and stopped and workers y,ho had been Lad~ng Sunge1 Ka\loang and hoth he September 1993 no les., than seven victimiLed, hnd their entitlement and his wife re'iided on the est~lle till letters and telegram'> y,ere sent by returned to them by the manage­ May 1993 when she resigned on ac­ the Temple and local NUPW Com­ ment. These past four month., the count of alleged management mittees to Tmko Plantation head­ estate has been calm and peaceful harassment They arc presently quarters in Ipoh, calling on senior unttlthe sudden detention of the two residing in M~ntakab with the1r five management to add res.., the problem worker:-.. chtldren. Taiko however did not sec it tit to It appea~ that while Mr reply even one of these letters. In­ The Role of Nadesan, wa.., re-.idtng in Ladang stead, 11 appears that several of these Dhannakoundar and Sungei Kawang. several pctllions letters y,ere sent back to the Ladang Nadesan and complaints were sent to TNB by Sungci Kawang management rc<;ult­ The management of Ladang the Managcm~nt of the estate It was ing in further hara-;smcnt and bully­ Sunget Kay,ang re~nts and blames alleged that Mr Nndcsan had mg these two person~ for assi..,ting the misused hi-; authority a~ un The worker'> also sought the help workers. Because of this it appears employee of TND. This led to an of both. local and national that the management has gone out of internal mvestigation wllhin TNB politicians. They first approached its way to defame and cau...e which however cleared Mr Nadesan the local MIC leaders as well as the problems for the two brothers. of all the charges. -;tate assemblyman for the area l'v1r The Plight of the Families Sinnathamby. They then sought the Mr Dharmakoundar asststance of Dato M Mahalingam Mr Dhannakoundar was the Th~ wtves and children of the who vtsited the estate on 23 Secretary of the Temple Committee detainees are under considerahle Februai) 1993 when Mr Tan first came to Ladang stress and anxtety awa1ting the result Further to this m May 1993, 78 Sunger Kawang. He ~ub-.equently of the police invesugauon. The detention ha'> caused considerahle worke~ went to meet Dato Seri Dr became the secretary of the local S Samy Vellu in Kuala Lumpur. Fol­ NUPW cornmtttee till he suffered a financial difficulties for the two lowmg this meeung. many of the heart attack and res1gned a' a worker wives. They have had to struggle to workers who formed part of ttus at the end of April, 1993. He IS maintain their present employment delegatron were victimized. presently employed ~a conductor while having to also travel frequent-

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 31 ly in order to visit their husbands a~ Office and finally the making of a Nadesan broods ill for the honest well as to lobby for their release. statement to the Press. It is difficult effort of workers to protect their to understand how these actions can rights and struggle for better work­ A Travesty ofJustice in any wa) be construed as bemg ing and living conditions. Section 3( I ) of the Emergency violent or detrimental to national Large corporations which under­ Ordinance 1969 permits a police of­ security. stand the importance of and ha\oe ficer to detain a person for 60 days, It is a measure of the maturity of consented to partake in the building when he has reason to believe that worker leaders in Ladang Sungei of a caring society should not re~trict the per.,on is acting in any manner Kawang, and in particular Mr Dhar­ such participation to only monetary prejudicial to public order or that it makoundar and Mr Nadesan, that in donation but should also be sensitive is neceo;sary for the suppression of the face of physical violence, vic­ to the concerns of the1r employees violence or the prevention of crimes timizauon<; and harassments, they and strive to o;ee to it that they are involvmg violence. have managed to keep a cool head given a hearing and treated fairly! One wonders why the Emergen­ and respond in a responsible and ra­ It is for these reasons that we cy Ordinance, enacted during the tional manner. make a call: turbulent May 13, 1969 period is It is a great miscarriage ofjustice, l. that Mr Dhannakoundar and being uo;ed against worker-leaders and an appalling state of affai rs, that Mr Nadesan be released immedi­ involved in what is essentially a moderate and responsible persons ately and unconditionally; management-worker conflict. The are detained 10 such a manner and 2. that Taiko Plantation under­ use of the Emergency Ordmance treated like violent criminals! take a serious inve~tigation as to the means that the allegations that have causes and reasons for the discord been made against the two brothers Immediate Release that has been part and parcel of will not have to be proved in an open rn the dawn of the era of a caring Ladang Su_!!$ei Kawang for the pa.<,t court of law - where strict rules of society and v1sion 2020, the deten­ two years• evidence apply Neither will either tion of Mr Dhannakoundar and Mr of the brothen., their faJIDiies or lawyers, have the right to know the specific details of these allegations Endeavours to secure the release of or the identity of the person/persons the detainees who have made these allegations. One wonders why the police In order to secure the release of the two detainees, the wives have department apparently complacent written and '-Ought meeting<> w1th severn! persons including: in the face of more than 25 police * The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs reports, cun now after almo!>t 4 *The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Horne Affairs months of peace and quiet in the area * l11e Inspector General of Police see it fit to arrest these two persons ' * The Ketua Polis Daerah Temerloh under the Emergency Ordinance. *The Ketua Polis Pahang One further wonders whether * Dato Seri DrS Samy Vellu this detention is linked to the civil * Dato Dr Siti Zaharah, MP Kawasan Mentakab suit which )las been filed against Mr In respon'IC to these reque.~ts for meetings. the Timbalan Ketua Polis Tan by Mr Dharmakoundar. Mr Negeri Pahang agreed to and met the wives in Temcrloh on 4 February, Dharmaloundar may conveniently 1994. The wives also managed to arrange a meeting with Dato Scri DrS be under "preventive detention" Samy Vellu on 22 February 1994. when his ca.'>C is heard on 15 March, It is the belief of the wives, that the detention of their husband<> io; 1994. related to the ongoing management-worker dispute in Ladang Sungei The act1ons of the workers of Kawang and the result of false reports made to the police. They thus Ladang Sungei Ka~ ang have al­ belie\ e that intervention of persons in authority could c;ecurc the release ways been both moderate and Within of the two detainees. the confines of the law. The workers Friends of the detainees, members of the Temple Cornm ittee, the local have restricted their actions to peti­ NUPW committee and local MIC leaders have been working closely with tions and memorandums to Taiko the wive~ by collecting signatures calling for the release of the two Plantation and to national detainees They have also sent letters to the authorities, attesting to the politician<;, meetings with MlC good character of the two detainee. leaders and national politicians. the lodging of pOlice reports and labour complaints to the Temerloh Labour

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Pagt 32 ACCOUNTABILITY

''I'm not aiilused by all this nonsense''

PRESENTER : Well, the political storm over the Pergau OLIVER SCOTT: In what way are you not happy? Are Dam h~ got markedly \\C in the last few hours. you saying that these reports are all false? Relations between the British government and the Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad staned RAFIDAH : Well, it accused the Prime Minister and to deteriorate last month after a British Parliamentary accused Ministers and members of the Cabinet of corrup­ committee investigated the dam project. tion in dealing with some tender bids of British com­ panies. That's not nice. First, there were allegations that British aid for the dam project was linked to arms sales; then. British Press OLIVER : Are you also saying these reports are entirely reports alleged there were also bribes to Malaysian untrue? politicians accompanymg those deals. RAFIDAH: (pause) Definitely they are not true. I mean, Well, so angry has the Malaysian government become how can some people do that, you know? And you expect that it has revived the punitive policy of· Buy British Last· us to be pleased? that operated in the early 1980s. Anwar Ibrahim, the OLIVER: Why, though, are you apparently targetting Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, announced that British firms or British trade if what you are really angry measure today along with the reasons for reimposing it. about is the British Press? (Recording of Anwar's statement:) "We believe the RAFIDAH: Now, let me put it this way. We are not foreign media must learn the fact that many developing targetting British firms or British trade; but if it has countries, including a country led by a brown Muslim. anything to do with the Malaysian government, the have the ability to manage their own affairs successfully British will not get it... okay?

OLIVER : That almost amounts to ... In the light of these developments, that almost any deal with British companies tS presumed to have its shad) RAFIDAH: ... The private sector trade is not affected. undertones and thus may result in scurrilous attack, the The private sector connections are not affected. It's the Cabinet has decided not to entertain any new contract~ government. with British companies particularly involving govern­ me-nt nid or assistance " OLIVER: So, in other wordc; Rrilic;h inlere..,l<;, private corporations, whatever.. .. PRESENTER : But even he fore that trade ban, there was no mistaking official Malay c;ian government anger and RAFIDAH: That's not affected at all... concern over the Pergau darn \tory and the way it was being covered in the British Press. My colleague Oliver OLIVER: But they are not going to be able to do trade Scott called Kuala Lumpur carher today (25 February) with the Malaysian government or its agent<; ... and spoke to a member of Dr Mahathir Mohamad's RAFIDAH: Not with the government. They've accused Cabinet, the Trade Minister, Ratidah Aziz, who left him the government ... or rather the Press have accused the in no doubt that feelings in the Malaysian capital are government. Somebody had better put it right. running high. OLIVER : Could I just ask why you are adopting this RAFIDAH AZIZ: Well. I would like to put things right. attitude considering it's the British Press ... We are not happy with the recent Press reports that have come out in London pertainmg to an accusation and RAFIDAH: ... I've just explained to you ... accused the allegations of corruption m thic; government and .. cor­ Malay-,ian government, members. leaders, of corruption ruption and allegations .. the Prime Minister ... pertaining and ... you know, these are all very, very '>erious allega­ to some contract.-; that Briti ~h companies bid for. tions. I'm a member of the Cabinet. I'm not amused by

Aliran Monthly /994:14 (2) Page 33 all this nonsense... you know... so I would want to put this RAFIDAH: (pause) Po.,-,ihly. right. OLIVER: How would }ou like to see the present posi­ OLIVER: Well. I understand your point that serious tion rescinded'> What would H take to make )OU lift or allegat1on~ are being made but they're also being made change this policy? by a free nncl independent Press. They're not being made by the British government. RAFIDAH: I would like to see... peNmally. I would like to see amends being made... you J...now ... please stop RAF1DAH: No, I wouldn't want to talk about this free doing this and soembody had better put all things nght. and independent Press. J mean, nobody is free and inde­ That's all that we're saying ... I'm saying that. pendent to accuse people, lea~t of all the government of Malaysia. members of government, of which I'm a mem­ OLIVER : But wouldn't the most appropriatctour-.c of ber. .. nobody is free to do anythmg so blatant as all action in the Circumstances be for the Malaysian go\ern­ that... right? mcnt to sue the newspaper\ that you· re concerned \\ ith for libel in court? So we have a right to do what we want Anyway, as I said, u's our premgauve to deal with anybody we like British RAFIDAH: No. we're not interested m \uing. Come on. companic\, American ~ornpanie" In this case, we don't we are not 1n the bu-;incss of <;uing and libel. Th1c; I'> not want to deal w1th British cornpanic~ as far as government (inaudible) We've got the business to run the country. dealing" are concerned. The private sector dealings can There're more important things to do than to sue the go on. That IS not of contention at all. newspaper<> who so blatant!) accuse us ..

OLIVER: And how long will these sanctions be applied The first thmg is to get people to sec things right. do not for? make such accusations. Period Now , I'm not going to teach the Bnti<;h newspapep; :.nd the Briti~h go\·ernment R\FlDAH: Well, \\e .. Don't use the word sanctions. I what to do. The) should know for thcm-.che~ \~hat they did not use the word sanctions Please. It is just '>ayi ng need to do. I mean. you kno\\. I don't know . ~ople do that where there arc government bids that you want to have some wi~dom ...so ple:be do the needful. • come mto well. plca\t: remember that the British will not get 11

OLIVER: I'm just trying to get the tune-scale clear...are you saying thts policy will remain in force unti l further notice'

Legifunate 01atter for investigation Nothing will stop us continuing investigations, vows Bntish newspaper editor.

PRK~ENTER : Well. the Malaysian government took I've the Editor of The Sunday Times Andrew Net I on the particular exceptton, of course, to a report in last "eck's line with me ... Now, Andre". you'\ejust heard Ali-.tair Sunday Times making the allegation that British fi rms (the British Foreign Office Mini'>tcr) .,a:ymg everyone '>eeking contracts in Malaysia had offered bribes to a knows the government can't stop the Press. Why do you group of Malaysian politicians. The Malaysian govern­ think these implications that it can arc flouting about') ment mmtster you heard earlier (Rafidah Aziz) clearly felt that it was the Bnt1sh government's responsibility to ANDREW: Because I thmJ... the ~1alaysian Prune Mini­ '>top the Pres~ here in Oritam from publishing that sort of ster thinks that the British government can act in the way \tory. that he acts. 1 mean, there is bound to be ~orne J...ind of cultural confl1ct between a democratic -...x:1et). which is

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Pagt 34 PROifk HIORO EUKTRfl< investigating this. And indeed, the Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd will appear before that Committee this coming Wednesday (2 March).

PRESENTER: Of course, some people, ami I men­ tioned those ConscrvativeMPs earlier, have been 5aying. "Don't raise this over because British jobs are at stake. You often need bribes to get arms deals (whether they were made in this case or not, I don't know) ... but you often need them, so don't make a fuss about it."

ANDREW: Well, that's... where is the logic of that? You see, that's true in the harsh world particularly if you're dealing with authoritarian regimes which often live on back handout-;. It may well be that that's the case.

But is anybody seriously saying that simply because it is custom and practice, we shouldn't write about it or inn~~­ tigate it for people to make up their own minds whether it has to be done or not? Where do you stop with that? Do you say then that we should not have been investigating Pergau: The deal is said to have cost the British the decision.to sell arms to Iraq in the run-up to the Gulf taxpayers one quarter of a billion pounds. War? I'm sure that embarrassed the government too.

what Britain is, and an authoritarian society, which is I mean, I remember in my history classes the record of what Malaysia is. the Press in this country in the 1930s in dealing with Nazi Germany. Essentially, the Press in this country did not And he really wants John Major, the British Prime Min­ report what was really happening in Nazi Gennany; and ister, to call up the editors of newspapers and television look where that Jed to. So there you sec it f(Jr yourself. and radio programmes and tell them to back off, tell them not to cover this story. That's how he runs his Press in The problem is ... with a free Press you take the rough with Malaysia. But it's not how it's going to happen in Britain. the smooth. And since there are major British interests I'm sure John Major often wishes he did have the power involved, this is a legitimate matter of investigation: and to do it. neither the British Foreign Office nor the Malaysia1,1 government will stop us continuing. PRESENTER: So, you haven't been called, and no other editors you know have been called, even unofficially, by PRESENTER: Now what about the record of the Press the Foreign Office to say "lay off"? with patronising Third World countrie~ and racism? Be­ cause we heard the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister ANDREW: No,l haven't, but I think he knows that will saying, "Ah, you' re only doing this because we're brown be counterproductive. If he attempted to do that it will and Muslim." And briefly, why do you think he said that? only be another story. We would write a story saying the British government was trying to put pressure on us. ANDREW: Well, that's absolute nonsense. The problem is that this is a regime in Malaysia with a colonial chip on You see, I think the thing is that although Malaysia has its shoulders and it's fundamentally anti-British. I mean, been caught up in the back-wa~fl of this, the thrust of our they've already banned Australia from doing anything in investigation is into the British government - and there Malaysia and now ... are major British interests at stake here. A quarter of a billion pounds of British taxpayers· money was spent on It's nothing to do with colour at all; I resent that altogether a dam which nobody wants, which has been said to be of because, as I say again, the thrust of our investigation is immense environmental damage to Malaysia... but was not into Malaysia, which is, frankly, of second intere!>t to spent in that way in order to secure an arms deal between us. It is about a government in London which b entire)) Malaysia and Britain. white and almost all male. That's the one we're really investigating; that's what we're out to expose; not the Now, that i<> a matter of legitimate investigation, not just Malaysian government- that is simply n by-product or for the Press ... But the Select Atfairs and the Foreign our investigations. • Affairs Committee of the House of Commons is also

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page35 now is nothing short of a genocide. The Bosnian Mus­ lims have been subjected to one of the most barbaric and CURRE~I~f harrowing experiences ever witnessed by the civilised world. Innocent children, CONCERNS women and men have been killed, butchered, raped, dis­ possessed and displaced from the sanctuary of their homes. This is the reason why a peaceful solution, which we in Aliran would normally sup­ port, is no longer tenable. It is the same reason why we have previously supported the call for the lifting of the arms em­ bargo which has made it im­ possible for the Bosnian Muslims to defend themselves effectively and made them so vulnerable to the Serbian ag­ gression. We recall not so long ago, the swiftness with which the US and its NATO allies struck back at the Iraqis for its "ag­ CLINTON IS lydally with regard to using air gressiOn" against Kuwait. strikes against the Bosnian DILLYDALLYING Xot to act with the same Serbs on account of disagree­ expediency, in this case, espe­ It is most disappointing ments among NATO allies. cially agamst an aggressor that US President has been The whole world is aware who is involved in deliberate, persuaded to believe that the that the Serbian aggression systematic ethnic cleansing, Bosnian conflict constitutes a against the Muslims which exposes the double standards civil war and continues to dil- has lasted for several years practised by the so-called champions of democracy. Even if its NATO allies refuse to sup­ port the air strikes, the US has the capacity to act on its own In fact, many peoples and govern­ ments of the world would applaud the US f'>r being courageous if it went ahead and acted unilaterally. For, given the cir­ cumstances, air strikes would show Double standards: Nato air power over Iraq was swift and decisive. the Serbian aggrcs-

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (2) Page 36 sors that the world would not In a sense, it is not not to betray the trust and only condemn their aggression democracy that is on trial but mandate given by their elec­ but they would not go un­ the individual integrity and torates. punished for their dastardly character of each elected rep­ * ALIRAN urges that the deed. Indeed it is the only way resentative which is being due process of the law should left to achieve a long-lasting tested. Will they remain true take its course and in keeping peaceful solution which is just to their vowed principles and with the democratic tradition and docs not benefit the ag­ policies or will they succumb to the leader of the party with a gressor. the temptation of money and clear majority should be sworn We urge President Clinton position and betray their elec­ in to head the new state to use the air force against the torates? government. Any delay will Serbs immediately. Failure to Politics need not be deemed only contribute to further con­ do so would reveal not only as merely a contest for power fusion and unnecessary ten­ that it practices hypocrisy and and position but should be sion in the state. double standards but it would regarded as a challenge and an * ALIRAN suggests that suggest that deep down, per­ opportunity to serve and the Federal Constitution be haps, there is no sympathy for safeguard the interests of the amended to make it a punish­ the dying Bosnians because people. able offence for party-hopping. they are Muslims. By remaining true to their Lately there has been talk P Ramakrishnan declared principles and about politics and morality. President upholding the policies that What better way to infuse 26 January 1994

ACID TEST FOR DEMOCRACY Now that the Sabah state elections are over, the acid test for democracy begins. The people of Sabah were given a chance to express their choice of government and they have made that choice in keep­ ing with the democratic process. The question now is whether the democratic decision exercised through the ballot box by the Sabahans will be respected and honoured. Or whether that Sabah: Will the powers-that-be allow democracy to thrive? democratic choice will be sub­ verted and democracy they had espoused during the morality into politics than to demeaned by frustrating the recent election campaign for deprive elected repre­ will of the people, only time which they had been elected, sentatives of their seats when will tell. elected representatives can en­ they betray the trust of their It is not uncommon, when noble politics. electorates and switch parties. the victory is not overwhelm­ In view of the prevailing * ALIRAN also proposes ing, for money politics to rear circumstances in Sabah, that it be made mandatory for its ugly head once again to en­ * ALIRAN calls upon all the all elected representatives to tice elected representatives to elected representatives to declare their assets publicly as party-hop and make a mockery remain honourable and true to soon as they had been elected. of the electoral process. their declared principles and This will help to keep politics dean and will serve as a whether Datuk Pairin enjoys The due process of the law reminder to politicians that the support of his eletted rep­ requires the swearing in of the they had been elected to look resentatives or not Datuk leader of whichever party that after the welfare of the people Pairin is not obliged to provide had won the maJorit) of the rather than their own. any such proof. seats contested as the Chief By and large politicians Minister of should be accountable to the Sabah. That is people. Any legislation that all. The moment will strengthen this the oath of office democratic principle will un­ is administ<>red, doubtedly receive .the whole­ the leader of that hearted support of aJI the party becomes Malaysians. the leg1timate P Ramakrislman chief executive of Presidmt the state. If Dr 20 Februal'} 1994 Mahathir re- quires any fur­ ther proof as to RESPECT whether Datuk TIME-HONOURED Pairin enjoys the confidence of the DEMOCRATIC State Assembly, NORMS then he has to be a little pahent ALIRAN is perturbed by and wait for the the statement quoting the next sitting of the Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Sabah State As­ Mohamad as saying that the The PM: Requiring PBS elected reps to publicly declare sembly to be con- elected representatives from support for Pairin is absurd vened. It is at this PBS must publicly express point in time that their open support for Datuk the Barisan can Pairin m order to estaulish the The only proof that is re­ call for a vote of confidence in fact that he enjoys majority quired under our syste~ of the Ch1ef Mimster to deter­ support before he could be parliamentary democracy to mine whether he has the sworn in as the Chief Minister convince anyone that a party majority support of his party ofSabah. leader enjoys maJority support colleagues. This is an absurd and need­ is the will of the people ex­ If Datuk Painn survives less requirement. This is not a pressed through the ballot box such a vote of confidence he prerequisite under any writ­ in the democratic process. will continue as the Chief Min­ ten law. The Sabahans have ex­ ister of Sabah. OtherwisP he Moreover, this is something pressed their political will will be vot<'d out of office. that he himself has never put through the ballot box. At the In the meantime we should into practice. Did he ever end of the day, and as con­ refrain from resorting to politi­ demand that all the BN MPs firmed by the Chairman of the cal chicanery to subvert the should gather publicly to ex­ Election Commission, Datuk democratic process. Time­ press their confidence in him Pairin had secured a mandate honoured democratic norms before allowing himself to be through a simple majority to should not be sacrificed for sworn in as the Prime Minister run the government of Sabah political expediency of Malaysia? Was this the case for the next five years This is P Ramakrishttatt in all the other states before an indisputable fact, clearly Presidettt the Menteris Besar and Chtef under::;tood by the vast Ministers took their oath of of­ majority of Malaysians who 21 Februaf"} 1994 fice? l:.lUbscnbe to the parliamentary It is not necessary for Dr democracy that we have been Mahathir to bt.> convinced practising all these years

AliraJJ Momltly 1994:U {2) Page 38 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY OBSERVING A DAY OF NONVIOLENCE & FORGIVENESS

he moment babies lca\e the womb. they enter a \\Orld that is strangling itsdf with greed, arrogance and anger A' they learn to T speak and read. they discover how promises can be empty, how words can be hollow and how colour and creed are often used to divide and cause great harm to innocent people.

A., the) gmw, they di~co\er how politics. religion and culture and the search for wealth divide people. There appears to be no refuge from the problems created by humankind. It is a'> if ~------~·.. - human beings arc benton destroying them- selves. Soon they learn. as we have learnt, that this is the way of the world. To make a state­ ment. one throws a bomb rather than choose a dialogue with all parties con­ cerned; to show the depth of one· s som>w. entire communities are torched: to seek redress. one resorts to violence rather than reconciliation. We must tind "ays to teach ourselves that violence can only lead to more 'iolence .lnd that, in the linal analysis. no one wins when blood is spilt. As events have shown the people who '.:. ~uffer most are the women and children. • _ _ the young and the infirm. Yet we have it ...... ,. --= ~ within our power to change all this. A' women, and a-; nurturers, we ~hould take "Soon, they learn, •• we have learnt, ... to make • atatement, one throws • bomb... " the lead. We should come together to remind ourselve' and the world of the Jove and compa.,sion in our hearts. We mu~t promote peace and understanding between peoples. Because of this and more, let us join hands across the ocean and observe, as a start. a day of non-violence. With this, we must strive to forgive. We must tr) to return to the beginning to make a fresh stan of our existence on earth. Only then can we create a safe world for those we love. And what better day tocelebratl! this than on International Women's IY..ty which tails on March 8 SISTERS IN ISLAM Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Jamwn J

A/iran Mmllhly 1994:14 (1) Page 39 ·dah Aziz BBC interview with International Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz on 25 February

Full account on page 33

Full account on page 34

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