For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity

For Justice, Freedom & Solidarity PP3739/12/2009(022904) ISSN 0127 - 5127 RM4.00 2009:Vol.29No.2

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 1 COVER STORY Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban? Will the River burst the Dam? Surveying Batang Ai before the 7 April by-election by Yi Ge Qiu

atang Ai – the River. By BB consensus, this was the BBB source area from which the Iban spread all over Sarawak.

Batang Ai – the Dam. This was the River, dammed at the Irup rapids in the mid-1980s, to become Malaysia’s largest operating hy- dro-electric dam.

Between the River and the Dam is a tale of pain and hardship for 21 longhouse communities of about 520 families or 3,600 people. Tan Seng Keat The ghost of Road to Sayat flooded resettlement

Between 1982 and 1984, they were torn from a homeland and cata- pulted into a resettlement. They were wrenched from a way of life, many left without rice lands in the resettlement when rice cultivation still lay at the heart of Iban culture and its annual cycle of life and ritual.

They were promised development and modernity which turned out to be principally out-migration in search of employment and income. From 1991 – when Vision 2020 was proclaimed – to 2000 – Tan Seng Keat when the new millennium by the Anwar at Jawah's long house

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 2 EDITOR'S NOTE

Barely a week after assuming the top posts in Umno, Najib Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin will CONTENTS face a referendum of sorts – a triple by-election show- down. COVER STORY Yi Ge Qiu surveys the Batang Ai state seat ahead of ••• Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban? polling day. A defeat for the BN could spell long Will The River Burst The Dam? 222 term trouble for the Taib Mahmud-led ruling coali- ••• A Referendum On The Perak tion in the state. Win or lose, PKR will have to do Power Grab 888 some soul-searching over the choice of its candi- • MIC's Future Hangs In The Balance 101010 date.

Over in the peninsula, Anil Netto takes a look at the FEATURES Bakit Selambau state seat in Kedah and the Bukit ••• A Philosophy Of Happiness 121212 Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak. At Bukit ••• Genocide And Ethic Cleansing 151515 Selambau, the MIC faces crunch time as Samy Vellu ••• Tree: God's Gift To Humanity 191919 promises to go house-to-house campaigning while ••• People's Hope In The Judiciary Bukit Gantang should indicate to us whether the Has Been Misplaced 232323 people regard Nizar as their “Mentri Besar yang ••• Did You Know...? 252525 sah”. ••• Sungai Siput: One Year After 404040

The results will have deeper significance for the future of our fledgling democracy, still trying to break REGULARS free from the old order. Our centre pages feature the ••• LettersLettersLetters 323232 historic Perak State Assembly held beneath the now •• Current Concerns 33 famous Democracy Tree. ••• Current Concerns 33

Even after winning elections, there is still much work to be done in transforming local communities, as OTHERSOTHERSOTHERS Jeyakumar Devaraj shares with us his experience in ••• Subscription Form 181818 Sungai Siput. ••• Brave Heart 272727 ••• The Horror Of Southern Thailand, In our new Statistics Corner, readers will get a rare And A Solution 292929 glimpse at the distribution of ASB holdings among the bumiputera community. On a lighter note, Angeline Loh reviews the movie Brave Heart, which Published by still carries a relevant message for freedom lovers Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara everywhere. Finally, Koon Yew Yin shares with us (ALIRAN)(ALIRAN)(ALIRAN) his philosophy of happiness based on compassion 103, Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, for others. Penang, Malaysia. Tel: (04) 658 5251 Fax: (04) 658 5197 Email (Letters to Editor): ALIRANALIRANALIRAN is a Reform Movement dedicated to Justice, Freedom & Solidarity and listed on the [email protected] roster of the Economic and Social Council of the Email (General): [email protected] United Nations. Founded in 1977, Aliran welcomes Homepage : http://www.aliran.com all Malaysians above 21 to be members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or visit our webpage. Printed by Konway Industries Sdn. Bhd. Plot 78, Lebuhraya Kampung Jawa, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 3 western calendar was celebrated – the sub-district of Lubok Antu, Basic facts about Batang Ai the Pool of Ghosts, lived up to its name as people left it in droves. Size of constituency 1,340 sq km (about twice the size of Penang state), includ- Scars of their experience may be ing the 240-sq km Batang Ai National Park in the catch- seen from Lubok Antu’s demo- ment of the Batang Ai Dam. Total dam catchment is 1,200 graphic pattern. Its population sq km. growth rate of 0.6 per cent per year was one of Sarawak’s lowest. Its PopulationPopulationPopulation proportion of people over 65 was In 2000, 10,200 (for Lubok Antu, the sub-district corre- one of the highest; at 6.5 per cent, sponding to the constituency); projected to be 10,800 in it far exceeded an average of 4.3 2009, based on 1991-2000 growth rate per cent for Sarawak and 3.9 perc ent for Malaysia. And Lubok Antu Ethnic composition had one of the lowest sex ratios: 95 percent Iban 97.4 males for every 100 females. Principal cultivated land use The impact of the Dam can be seen Oil palm under Sarawak Land Consolidation and Reha- in raw electoral numbers, too. bilitation Authority Lubok Antu has 8,000 voters out of a population that is slightly Electorate in 2009 lower than 11,000. In contrast, Ma- 8,006 voters laysia in 2008 had 11 million voters in a total citizen population of about 25 million. those who continued to live in native sues in response to a demand by customary rights lands in upstream Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Nicholas Escaping Batang Ai (without the Project) … Bawin. impoverishment At the time of the [ADB’s] Mission, Problems from In Sarawak, one clue to the eco- their incomes were restored or ex- long ago nomic fortune of a rural area is the ceeded expectations due to employ- level of its Chinese population. ment in Kuching and other towns and Today, 25 years later, the roads in The Chinese population in Lubok at industrial locations. the resettlement are yet to be tar- Antu declined between 1991 and sealed as is evident from the sud- 2000. In other words, the promised de- den promise of RM12 million an- velopment turned out to be im- nounced by the Barisan When the Asian Development poverishment which the resettled Nasional’s Director of Operations Bank, which partly funded the could only escape by out-migrat- for the Batang Ai by-election. Batang Ai Dam, reviewed the im- ing with unstated consequences pact of the project in 1999, it found, to their communities, culture and How amazing it is that a little among other things, that: way of life. organised opposition and a fear of possible defeat have the won- Resettlers’ average income from their As though this wasn’t enough, derful effect of concentrating at- plantations was substantially lower land issues have plagued the re- tention on matters neglected for (about RM230 a month) compared settlement since Day One. This over 25 years! How interesting it’d with the income (RM523 a month) was conceded by Parti Rakyat be to track whether the promises that was envisaged from plantations Sarawak (PRS) President and are kept should BN lose the elec- after 10 years. This also compared Minister for Land Development, tion – that is, whether the prom- unfavourably with the average James Masing, on 25 March, when ises constitute electoral bribery or monthly family income of RM675 of he promised to address such is- express genuine concern and re-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 4 spect for what is, rightfully, the people’s due.

This is especially pertinent since the problems of resettlement are hardly a revelation to BN. James Masing and Deputy Chief Minis- ter Alfred Jabu knew but did little to resolve the problems. Masing was a SESCo officer in the early 1980s when Jabu headed the resettlement committee. But, to Jabu, all such problems are, of course, simply the result of the people’s bad attitudes, his government being Perfection itself. Tan Seng Keat Anwar, Jawah, Bawin In those 25 years, the Dam’s ben- eficiary, the Sarawak Electricity because they can’t live on the pit- A quick calculation shows that Supply Corporation (SESCo), now tances offered as wages. A field even in a bumper year such as Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), employee, working at slashing 2008, when the average oil palm raked in billions of ringgit in rev- and spraying, recounted that he fresh fruit bunch (FFB) price was enue. made the grand sum of RM300 a RM638 per tonne, SALCRA’s month that was reduced to a net doubled dividends amounted to Yet, approaching the end of the cash receipt of RM50 after deduc- an average of RM3,000 per partici- first decade of the 21st century, the tions for provisions supplied on pant. Very likely, more than half resettlement has no access to tele- credit by the retail store! the participants received less than phone services, fixed line or cel- that amount. lular. Today, telephone services At those wages, even two work- are a necessity, not a luxury, es- ers would not take a household Thus far in 2009, the average FFB pecially not when families are to the poverty line income. That price has been less than half that separated by out-migration for would require three workers. For of 2008. Assuming the same pay- employment. a notional household of 4.7 per- out rate, the average participant sons, Sarawak’s official poverty will be lucky to get RM1,500 for Poverty line economy line income in 2007 was RM830 2009. a month while the food (or hard Lubok Antu’s timber has long core) poverty line income was The Batang Ai resettlers who have dwindled although there has re- RM520. Given the great infla- just over a hectare per family un- cently been some new and re- tion of 2008, that poverty line in- der SALCRA oil palm would have newed logging. Besides subsis- come is now well over RM900 a received about RM1,200 for 2008, tence-oriented agriculture, pepper month. payable in two tranches. That they gardens and some rubber, its survive at all is testimony to their economy now centres on the Rich and miserly own ingenuity, endurance and Sarawak Land Consolidation and initiative. Rehabilitation Authority’s Every year, Alfred Jabu, also the (SALCRA) oil palm plantations self-appointed Iban hero, proudly Worse, despite its mission as a that blanket the area. announces the millions in divi- socially-oriented, rather than dends paid out by SALCRA. Jabu profit-maximising, agency, However, the plantations are un- may have no intention of mislead- SALCRA’s ‘profit-sharing’ is attractive to local people, not being the people but his mathemat- most miserly. At 2008’s average cause the people are ‘choosy’ but ics is perhaps poor. FFB price, the net returns should

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 5 have been about RM6,000 per headed by James Masing. the little that they have. The fear hectare (even for an indifferently is not unfounded: other commu- managed operation yielding 15 That it is party and not just per- nities have felt the government’s tonnes a hectare). Yet SALCRA sonal loyalty can be seen in last wrath when they failed, in the lo- only paid RM1,000 per hectare. At year’s parliamentary elections. cal parlance, to undi perintah (‘vote Sarawak’s average yield of 20 The PRS did not re-nominate its government’). tonnes per hectare, the net returns five-term incumbent, Jawah per hectare would have been Gerang, who had sided with the Even so, this makes Sarawak a around RM8,000. businessman-fixer, Sng Chee house of cards. The moment there Hua, against James Masing in the is a whiff of a realistic chance that Persistent loyalties factionalism that broke out after the party that has ruled these 45 PRS had claimed the mantle from years will fall, people will be fall- These circumstances have per- PBDS. ing over themselves to vote for the sisted all these years. It is hardly prospective new perintah. Indeed, surprising, then, that Lubok Antu, Jawah is a well-known local son. individual politicians and parties comprising the two state constitu- Still, his absence hardly made a in BN are likely then to queue up encies of Batang Ai and Engkili, dent to the vote for his PRS suc- to support Parti Keadilan Rakyat should have been one of the cen- cessor, Nyalau Badau although for a new direction. tres of the Iban ‘revolt’ of 1985- Nyalau was put up as a spoiler in 1995, which, in those balmy days, the 2004 contest won by Jawah. Hence, Batang Ai is critical to both took the shape of Parti Bansa BN and PKR/Pakatan Rakyat. A Dayak Sarawak (PBDS). A perintah of cards? loss for BN could swell the River into a torrent that sweeps BN Of the two constituencies, Batang However, it would be foolish to away. But a loss for PKR may turn Ai was unafraid to vote against think that this is only loyalty to the River into a rivulet and, in the ruling party. This partly ex- the Dayak party and that BN af- Sarawak at least, leave PKR with plains the current concern of BN filiation has no role. In Batang Ai, the same fate as befell past chal- and, in particular, PRS, given the as elsewhere in Sarawak, despite lengers. considerable rumble across all the broken promises and Sarawak among the bumiputera worse, there is widespread fear Yet a loss could also be a test of collectively labelled Dayak. that standing up to the ruling PKR’s mettle and its ability to party without any prospect that it organise and persuade the popu- In the wake of ‘March 8’, it was as will be deposed may mean that the lation, especially its Dayak com- if a light was turned on and people people will be deprived of even ponent, that it is time to take a risk. began to countenance the possi- bility of a change of government. Even government employees were talking openly about such a prospect.

However, there is considerable party loyalty in Batang Ai. Its people were originally supporters of the Iban-based Sarawak Na- tional Action Party (SNAP). Then they switched to the breakaway PBDS, stood by it in opposition, and continued to support it when the PBDS returned to the BN fold.

When PBDS was declared illegal, Tan Seng Keat they turned to the successor PRS Sayat long house

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 6 For people utterly weary of the one became President and only regime they have ever of the Sarawak known, it would be time to rise to Dayak National the Iban political battle-cry that Union (SDNU) once swept the place: Agi Idup, Agi but he stepped Ngelaban – ‘To live is to struggle’. down in 2007, hoping to spare A muddied pool SDNU the ob- stacles and barri- But PKR’s choice of candidate for ers it would have the 7 April by-election has mud- faced under his died the waters somewhat. leadership. In 2006, he con- Anwar with Tajem and Gabriel In its first outing in Sarawak, PKR tested the Batang could have sent a clear message Ai seat as an Independent. In 2008 seduced by his wealth regard Sng of Change to the Dayaks, and the he fought the Lubok Antu parlia- with suspicion because of his role Iban in particular – a message of mentary seat. Both times he ob- in the PBDS break-up. First, Sng true regard for their rights and tained 43 percent of the valid votes sided with the Tajem faction place in Malaysian society, sig- cast. against the Masing faction. nalling a departure from 30 years Shortly after, Sng turned around of disempowering politics. A missed message? to side with the Masing faction against the Tajem faction, and Nicholas Bawin, the front run- Bawin, seen to be incorruptible, went on to split PRS after it had ner to be PKR’s candidate is not has become a much respected supplanted the de-registered an impressive personality or face in the fight for native rights. PBDS. orator but he represented that In both his recent outings, he message. He is a native son of campaigned on issues. He didn’t A crucial vote Batang Ai, from one of the resort to money politics; nor had longhouses that remained in the he the means to do so. For the 7 All this has cast a cloud over dam catchment. He has trav- April by-election, activists PKR’s campaign. elled a long and winding road. across Sarawak had mobilised The losing BN candidate to support his candidacy. In- Win or lose in Batang Ai, PKR against then opposition PBDS deed, quite a few in the BN ranks must do some soul-searching – if in 1987, Bawin provided criti- would not have been upset at a it is to be the party of the future, if cal expert testimony in the na- Bawin victory. it is to fulfil hopes of a reformist tive customary rights case of Nor perintah that severs the nexus of Nyawai. For that, he was pun- Unfortunately, for whatever rea- politics and business in Sarawak ished by the BN government, son, Anwar Ibrahim saw fit to se- and advances the rights, interests stripped of all the perks it had lect Jawah Gerang, instead - a de- and well-being of its people. given him for his role in 1987. cision which reminds people of the days of the ‘old Anwar’. To their immense credit, Bawin’s Subsequently, Bawin, together supporters and Bawin himself with the well-known native rights Jawah was famous for his fieri- have kept a stoic silence. For them, lawyer, Baru Bian, and others, at- ness in the heyday of PBDS. Since it seems more crucial than ever to tempted to register the Malaysian then, he has become a quiet MP. maintain a public front of unity to Dayak Congress. Their attempt His alliance with Sng Chee Hua accomplish their most important was predictably turned down by in PRS’s factional in-fighting led task: Defeat BN! the Registrar of Societies, appar- to much talk that Jawah owes his ently on the state BN’s veto. candidacy to Sng. The people have been through much. Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban! Against Jabu’s opposition, Bawin Activists and Dayaks who aren’t They deserve better. q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 7 COVER STORY A referendum on the Perak power grab The Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak by Anil Netto

his is turning out to be a TTT referendum on the recent power grab in Perak led by Najib with Zambry as figure-head. The by-election pits Nizar, who needs no further in- troduction, with Ismail Safian, a Solid Waste Management and Public Cleaning Corporation human resources director. A USM graduate from the Housing, Build- ing and Planning faculty, Ismail is the Kampung Kubu Umno deputy branch chairman.

In the larger scheme of things, it will also be a referendum on Najib’s ascension to the top post Nizar: ‘Menteri Besar yang sah’ Ismail Safian in the land as well as the Pakatan’s claim that Nizar is the “Mentri Besar yang sah”. The prospect of Najib taking over the country will figure prominently over all three by-elections.

Taking overall charge of all three by-elections will be the new Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin. This means Najib will no longer be directly involved in the three by-election campaigns – after leading the BN to two embar- rassing by-election losses in Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu. But we can be almost certain he will be keeping a close eye on how all three campaigns Bkt Gantang

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 8 are progressing.

Locally, the by-election will be a big test for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who has been tasked with spearheading the Batu Gantang by-election. Zahid polled the highest among the three Umno vice-presi- dents.

The Pakatan, on the other hand, will rely on Nizar and Perak Speaker Sivakumar as their main trump cards. Between the two of them, they should be more than a match for the BN.

The seat fell vacant following the death of its former MP Roslan Bkt Gantang Shahrum from Pas on Feb 9.

About the Table D: Voting History in P059 Bukit Gantang constituency 200820082008 PERAK: P59 - Bukit Gantang Voters: 55,471 Bukit Gantang lies south and west of Taiping and it has 56,000 vot- Party Candidate Votes Majority ers including over a hundred UMNO Datuk Azim Zabidi 18,449 postal voters. It is a Malay-major- PAS Roslan Shaharum 20,015 1,566 ity area (63 per cent) with 32 poll- IND M Morgan 872 ing stations and 111 voting 200420042004 streams or rooms (saluran). PERAK: P59 - Bukit Gantang Voters: 53,880 Party Candidate Votes Majority Within the Bukit Gantang parlia- GERAKAN Tan Lian Hoe 16,846 8,888 mentary seat lie three state assem- PAS Dr Lo Lo Mohamed Ghazli 10,144 bly seats: Kuala Sapetang, Changkat Jering, and Trong. coalition in Perak. It was here that Trong,Trong,Trong, a 70 per cent Malay- In Kuala SapetangSapetang, a seaside es- the PKR’s Mohd Osman Jailu up- majority area, is an Umno tuary famous for its sea food es- set the Umno incumbent Mat Isa stronghold but Pas’ Nor Azli pecially crabs, the PKR’s Tai Sing Ismail in the 2008 general election Musa managed to reduce the Ng defeated the Gerakan incum- by 1,102 votes. Osman has since incumbent Umno assembly bent See Tean Seng in the 2008 declared himself a pro- BN inde- member Rosli Husin’s major- general election by 564 votes. This pendent so it will be interesting to ity from 3,020 in 2004 to 916 is a Malay majority area (60 per see what extend the voters here in the 2008 general election. So cent) with a sizeable Chinese mi- will punish the BN for frustrating how will Nizar fare here? In nority (32 per cent). the popular will of the Perakians. many ways, this will be a real Their anger will be telling, their test of Malay support for Nizar It will also be a referendum of sorts frustration will be punishing. as he has been accused by in the Changkat Jering area over Malays make up 64 per cent of the Umno campaigners of being a the PKR defections to the ruling voters in this area. puppet of the DAP. q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 9 COVER STORY MIC’s future hangs in the balance The Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah by Anil Netto

Manikumar flanked by Anwar and Kedah MB Azizan Abdul Razak S Ganesan

This is shaping up to be Muthupalaniappan was pre- Some Pakatan supporters be- TTT both a referendum on the vented from contesting after the lieve Samy Vellu’s mere pres- future of the MIC and the bulk of his nominations were re- ence will be enough to give Pakatan government’s jected. A defeat in Bukit Selambau Pakatan the edge! In any case, it performance in Kedah. could hasten the party’s demise. would be hard to see the MIC getting the majority of the eth- There has been local disgruntle- It would be interesting to see what nic Indian votes especially after ment about the choice of PKR can- kind of reception the 73-year-old the Makkal Sakthi uprising. didate, with the PKR leader seem- Samy Vellu, who has vowed that Support for the MIC has eroded ingly opting for someone with a this would be his last term as MIC considerably in the area. In the business and academic back- president, would receive in this 2008 general election, indepen- ground, S Manikumar, a political area. He had promised to dent candiate V Arumugam, greenhorn. champaign door-to-door to garner who later switched to the PKR, support for his party and the BN scored an upset victory by a But the MIC too is recovering from Malays make up half the 35,000 2,362 margin over the MIC, the shambles of its just concluded voters while ethnic Indians com- which in 2004 had won the seat presidential election, in which M prise 30 per cent. by a 7,695 majority.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 10 But Manikumar will be up against Table B: Voting History in P014’s N27 Bukit Selambu an experienced politician, S Ganesan, the Kedah MIC deputy 2008 KEDAH chief and former Lunas state as- N25 - Bukit Selambau Voters: 34,977 sembly member. The Pakatan's Party Candidate Votes Majority campaign will also be hampered MIC S Krishnan 10863 by a police ban on ceramah in IND V Arumugam 13225 2,362 public places, confining the PR 2004 KEDAH to indoor forums - which effec- N25 - Bukit Selambau Voters: 30,322 tively prevents them from reaching out to a larger audience via Party Candidate Votes Majority outdoor rallies. MIC Datuk V Saravanan 14196 7,695 PKR Mustafa Khalid Hanafi 6501 DAP G Ghanagaru a/l Ganisan 2120 Umno’s new deputy president Muhyiddin is likely to show up now and then during the campaign but it is Hishamuddin Hussein, who polled the second highest among the vice-presi- dents, who has been tasked with spearheading the local campaign.

Anwar is likely to be spending most of his time shuttling between Bukit Selambau and Batang Ai, while Bukit Gantang is assumed to be in the safe hands of Nizar and the strong network of Pas campaigners, supplemented by the DAP.

About the constituency

Bukit Selambau lies northeast of Sungai Petani and is one of two state seats under the Merbok parliamentary constituency. It’s a fairly large state seat with 35,000 voters. It used to be a predomi- nantly a rubber plantation area, lying close to a railroad, which explains the relatively large ethnic Indian population (30 per cent), many of them descendants of rubber plantation workers.

There are 22 polling stations and 64 voting streams or saluran. q Muhyiddin: Overall in charge of all Hishamuddin: Heading the Bukit three BN by-election campaigns Selambau BN by-election campaign

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 11 HEART TO HEART "What comes from the lips reaches the ear, what comes from the heart reaches the heart" - Arab proverb A philosophy of happiness Compassion has now become the true sign of personal maturity by Koon Yew Yin

ow to live and how to die ficially is not good enough. You just could not go on living. HH are two questions that have to feel what you read. Let Whether we like it or not, there is HHH have been puzzling hu- your conscious beliefs be so vivid hardly a moment when we do not mans since the begin- and emphatic that they really benefit from what others do for us ning of time. The pursuit of hap- make a deep impression on your e.g. someone must have purified piness and the ability to die with- sub-conscious mind. the water for us which we take for out fear is every one’s aim in life. granted. And when we move into Melancholy, our later years, this becomes more Bertrand Russell, the 1950 Nobel guilt and shame poignant and needful, especially Prize winner for literature, has for the house bound and the bed- written a famous book called ‘The For a good start, we must remem- ridden. Conquest of Happiness’, in which ber that melancholy is a passing he says that happiness needs to mood. We must believe that our Even Bill Gates, who seems to be conquered. You cannot expect moods can change and we can have just about everything, still to waltz through life reaping hap- feel better if we want to. needs people to buy his products. piness without putting in some At birth, we needed the expertise thought and effort. If you do make All of us have some hidden se- and dedication of doctors, nurses, this effort, you can, given average crets, which occasionally make us and all the staff of the hospitals; fortune, attain happiness. feel guilty and shameful. Yes, we without all of them, we would not all have done something unpleas- have been alive. Then, as we grow The conquest comes in three ant or said something we should up and progress towards matu- stages: first you need to learn not have said. Although we now rity, we are sustained by parents, about the principles that lead to realise that we could have done teachers, and so many others. happiness, next internalise them better, we must stop worrying and finally put them into practice. about these problems and be de- Humility and less self It is like playing golf. You keep termined not to be bothered by learning new tricks. Although them. importance you know that you can never be able to play a perfect game, you Our survival We don’t all age the same way. keep trying. depends on others Many achieve a wonderful inner wisdom and peace as they grow After having lived for so long, I As we move on in years we be- old. They take a closer look at the would like to share my life-long come more and more aware of how people around them, and learn to experience with you. As the years much our survival depends on appreciate them more, especially went by, I gathered more knowl- others. Our very existence from family members. They never fail edge and experience. As a result, birth was the result of others’ ac- to acknowledge the simplest ser- this article has been revised a few tions, and we survive every day vice or gesture of kindness. They times. It will definitely uplift you. in varying dependence on very have a way of directing attention But just reading this article super- many people. Without them, we away from themselves and their

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 12 ailments, even when in great pain. tive to others and allow them ful, and we will immediately feel There is something really beauti- sometimes to get what they want. better. Do not get caught in the ful about such people. Very often competitive treadmill and feel en- it comes from a life-time of caring How to stop worrying vious of someone’s success. Feel- and compassion. and be happy ing happy is the only true success. Without contentment and Others have an unfortunate sense Worrying is bad for health, and peace of mind, we will never be of their importance, again the re- this can be serious. Worry causes truly happy. sult perhaps of a life-time of or- ulcers and reduces our immune dering others around. These tend system to fight diseases. Pro- Compassion to have little happiness in their longed worrying can lead to men- later years. They are still demand- tal depression. Mentally de- One of the biggest developments ing to the point of being plainly pressed people can have a sui- in the corporate world in recent unreasonable. But there have been cidal tendency and too often their decades has been the change from exceptions here too; people who attempts are successful. Without IQ to EQ as a criterion for personal change their ways and attitudes, good health, we can only die faster progress. EQ has to do with emo- learn to smile and be agreeable, and cannot solve whatever prob- tional intelligence, with having find some deep wisdom and, in lems we have. From experience, we control of our emotions, above all time, come to appreciate the people know that all problems can be re- with being sensitive to the feelings around them. solved; we have found solutions of others around us. Empathy has and we did not die. Worrying is become the name of the game. This Relationship with useless. Why worry at all? The means having a sense of where people more we worry, the more we have other people are, especially those to worry. The more we focus on close to us. The more we ponder Gentle people sense the good our worries, the more they grow, along these lines, the more we qualities in others, which very till all that is positive is sup- ‘feel’ for people, the more compas- demanding and impatient people pressed. Even if we have a life- sionate we become. cannot see. An important axiom threatening condition, we must of all great traditions is: relation-elation-elation- face it calmly and a solution will Compassion has now become the ship is all.all.ship How we relate with oth- eventually be found. true sign of personal maturity. ers is the key, on the one hand, to Those without it, are classified as a pleasant and happy life, or on Greed and being still immature. If we want the other, to a life of anger and contentment others to be happy, let’s practise much personal misery. Deep compassion. If people, especially down, we all have the wisdom to One of the keys to happiness is those who are close to us, are not make the best choice; it is a matter simple contentment and thankful- happy, we too cannot really feel of using that wisdom. ness for what we have. Happiness happy. If we want to be happy, does not really depend on one’s practise compassion. When we It is hardly surprising that mostmostmost wealth. Even a poor person can feel love and kindness towards of our happiness arises in the be as happy - if not happier - than others, it not only makes others feel context of our relationship with a wealthy man. We cannot be re- loved and cared for, but it helps others.othersothers So, it is vital that we must ally happy if we continue to be us also to develop inner peace & have good relationships with greedy for more and more. As soon happiness. people, especially those who are as we have acquired enough to in constant contact with us. We cover our basic needs, we must The magic of a smile must not behave as if we are more treat the extra income as a bonus important than everyone else; we to help the needy. How much is We always feel nice whenever must not get angry if someone enough? someone smiles to greet us. In the does not completely agree with us same way we must also smile or be impatient if we do not get The trick is to compare ourselves when we talk to people, especially instant service. We must be sensi- with someone who is less success- when we want to influence them

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 13 to do things for us. A smile costs ness and discrimination that ex- is too late. Say our confession, say nothing but can be very effective. ists within our hearts because of sorry for whatever bad things we It can encourage people to per- ignorance, selfishness, race, reli- have done so that we can have form better. A smile is a form of gion, gender and circumstances. peace of mind. Prepare for death charity which we can always af- by living more fully now. Work at ford to give away. Happiness gen- What makes it difficult for us to loving more deeply, less erates more happiness and sad- die is not so much fear of the after- discriminately, more affection- ness creates more sadness. No one life or even fear that there might ately, and more gratefully. Tell likes to be sad. No one likes to talk not be an afterlife. What makes it those close to us that we love them to a grumpy person if he or she hard to die is that we believe that and death will never catch us like can avoid it. we have so much more life yet to a thief in the night. finish. We had no control over how Charity we were born but we can choose Studies have shown that most how to die well. Death is inevi- people in their dying days invari- Everyone is trying to maximise table. We cannot avoid doing this ably think of the happy times they one’s income all through one’s last act. have spent with their friends and life, spend carefully and save as loved ones. No one wants to re- much as possible. Accumulation So, we must do this as well, if not member the unpleasant events. of wealth is a life-time pursuit. We better than all the things we have They only want to remember their need to realise that when we die done in our whole life. Remember good deeds so that they can die we cannot take it along and it is to do what we need to do before it peacefully and with no regret. q wiser to spend it before others spend it for us. As mentioned above, our survival depends on THE WINDS OF CHANGE others; we could not have accu- mulated wealth without others’ help. After we have more than we The winds of change is on the go, actually need, we must give back It is alive, never let go. some to charity to help the unfor- Feel it, taste it, tunate; otherwise we are busily Caress it, love it, dashing about aimlessly and life Fresh blood, new faces, loses all meaning. Positive steps, no more traces, How do we prepare of days long ago. to die? No more a stranger in this gathering of joy, We are brothers, come rejoice. How do we live so that death will More hands to serve, not catch us unaware? What do we do so that we don’t leave this More heads to count, world with too much unfinished More views to seek, business? These are imponder- No more the lost sheep. able questions. Build up community, In this land of victory, We get ready for death by begin- ning to live our lives as we should No one is alone, have been living them all along. In this world of love, The best way we can prepare to Where sharing and caring, die is to begin to stretch our hearts has set the tone. to love ever wider and wider, to begin to love in a way that takes us beyond the natural narrow- - by Edmund J Lee

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 14 INTENATIONAL Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing Countless innocent Tamil lives were lost in the wanton and indiscriminate aerial bombardment of the Tamil areas by World Tamil Relief Fund

he first victim of Sri genocide. A Tamil child had to disillusioned the Tamil party, TT Lankan government’s obtain higher grades to seek ad- Tamil United Front, met at TTT ethnic cleansing were mission into any seat of higher Vaddukkodai under their veteran the Indian Tamils, learning. Bombing of schools and leader, Chelvanayakam, and re- brought in by the British more than other educational institutions in constituted their party under the a hundred years earlier to estab- Tamil areas was a deliberate at- name, Tamil United Liberation lish the plantation industry in Sri tempt by the Sinhala government Front. In their first convention on Lanka. The labourers were sent to obliterate the intelligentsia, 14 May 1976, they passed a reso- to clear malaria-infested jungles quite reminiscent of Pol Pot’s re- lution to create a separate State of to start these plantations and, in gime in Cambodia. Tamil Eelam. This was the begin- the process, a high proportion of ning of their quest for separation. them succumbed to diseases. All attempts by the elected Tamil Within two years of independence representatives to negotiate an Liberation Tigers of the survivors were disfranchised agreement with the Sinhalese Tamil Eelam and made stateless. Most of them leadership came to naught. The were repatriated to India. Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Meanwhile the impatient Tamil Pact of 1957 and the Senanayake- youths, who were disappointed The passing of the ‘Sinhala Only’ Chelvanayakam Pact of 1965 were with the slow process of the nego- act of 1955 set in motion a process signed to seek a solution to the tiations, opted to take up arms to that would make the Tamils, who ethnic problem. On account of the fight for their rights. Thus the Lib- had been living in their homeland pressure from the in the north-east of the island for opposition lead- more than 2,500 years, second- ers, who led the class citizens. Successive state Sinhalese masses sponsored riots from 1956 to 1983 against these sent more than a million Tamils pacts, both these out of the Sinhalese as well as pacts were abro- their Tamil homeland as refugees gated unceremoni- the world over, including the ously by the Sin- United States. halese leadership. Peaceful protests, Cultural genocide that followed, were broken up Depriving Tamil children of their and crushed by education and the burning of the Sinhalese thugs Jaffna Library, which was a re- and police. pository of the culturall heritage Internally displaced people as a result of military of the Tamils, constituted cultural Frustrated and operationoperationoperation

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 15 eration Tigers of Tamil Eelam Convention. Countless innocent Tamil lives (LTTE) emerged in the late seven- were lost in the wanton indis- ties. Norwegian brokered criminate bombardment of the ceasefire Tamil areas. Thousands of civil- Velupillai Prabhakaran, the ians lost their homes and became leader of the LTTE, who led the When the Norwegians brokered displaced refugees in their own resistance against Sri Lankan the Ceasefire Agreement of Febru- country. These innocent people opression, was always mindful of ary 2002, the Tamils expressed a are not combatants in the conflict. the fact that seeking a military so- sigh of relief, as this would ad- Sri Lanka is the only country in lution would only aggravate the dress their daily existential prob- the world that bombs and maims sufferings of the civilians. He lems. Unfortunately, agreements its own citizens. made every effort to seek a politi- reached at the negotiating table cal settlement that would enable could not be implemented and the Freedom fighters, the Tamils to live in a confederate Norwegian negotiators made not terrorists state, if not an independent one, strenuous efforts to get both the in peace, dignity, security and warring parties to reach a settle- The fact is Tamil freedom fighters progress. With this in mind he ment. The Tamil negotiator, are not terrorists although they entered into ceasefire agreement Anton Balasingham, tried his ut- might have retaliated in Colombo twice; once in 1994 and again in most to reach a settlement that for attacks on their homeland. It February, 2002. His efforts came would bring immediate relief to is the Stri Lankan regime that used to naught, as the Sri Lankan gov- the civilians. He even renounced inhuman methods of torture, in- ernment used the ceasefire to the Tamil desire for a separate discriminate shooting, mass ar- strengthen itself and at an appro- state. rests, rape of peasant women and priate time broke it. girls. Richard Boucher had ac- The December 2004 tsunami cepted that LTTE was not export- The policy of successive Sinhalese brought a window of opportunity ing terrorism and was not a threat governments had been to impose for the three communities to co- to any foreign government. a settlement on the Tamils that operate. Although most of the vic- would reduce them to a state of tims were Tamils and Muslims, “The most problematic issue re- second class citizens. To date the the Sinhalese were also affected. lating to terrorism and armed Sri Lankan Government has not Food, medicine and tents sent in conflict is distinguishing terror- produced any meaningful solu- by the overseas Tamil Diaspora to ists from lawful combatants” tion to the ethnic crisis, and this their brethens in Sri Lanka were emphasised UN Special Rappor- has brought untold sufferings to prevented from reaching the vic- teur, Kalliopi K Koufa. You have the Tamils and destruction of tims and were distributed among also acknowledged that painting their properties and livelihood. the Sinhalese or turned up in the all libration groups with the same black market in Colombo. brush was not helpful in solving The economic embargo imposed problems. by the Sinhala government further The Sri Lankan government took exacerbated the hardships faced advantage of the 9/11 tragedy Wayne Madsen, an on-line jour- by the Tamils. Food, medical aid and the US government’s policy nal contributing writer has high- and other essentials were denied on the `war on terror’ to list the lighted the danger of regimes us- even to the sick in the hospital. LTTE as a terrorist group. This ing the anti-terror slogan to sup- Prolonged enforcement of this excuse was used to get aid and press genuine freedom fights, embargo, coupled with the miser- armaments. Instead of continuing such as the one the LTTE has been ies of the war, brought untold suf- with the momentum of the peace waging against with the Sri ferings to the civil population. initiative, the Sinhala Govern- Lankan regime. “Forces of repres- Patients, who were transferred to ment unilaterally terminated the sion have been emboldened by main hospitals for emergency sur- ceasefire in January 2008 and this new global context. The lan- gery, were prevented from doing launched an all out military offen- guage of anti-terrorism has been so. This is a violation of Geneva sive to bring the conflict to an end. used to smear and justify violat-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 16 ing the rights of ordinary politi- the 60th anniversary of the widows and 20,000 orphans. cal opponents.” This is precisely Universal Declaration of Hu- Geopolitical priorities of the Inter- what has happened in Sri Lanka. man Rights. It is therefore all national Community and India the more imperative to exam- has brought them to this state. The year 2008 brought nothing ine the human rights viola- The deafening silence of the Inter- but misery to the Tamils. Their tions, which are well docu- national Community, including agriculture, farming, fishing and mented in Sri Lanka and bring the United Nations is baffling and other economic activities were the culprits to justice. Also, a imcomprehensible, especially purposely wrecked by the army. political solution must be when there is such a hue and cry Their homes, built by them with found to the conflict, so that the internationally over the Israeli their life’s savings, were bombed right to self determination of bombing in Gaza. In the case of under the guise of flushing out the the Sri Lankan Tamils can be Gaza, it can be argued, the Pales- LTTE. It was reported in a Tamil firmly established. tinian rocket attacks on Israel daily that 57,000 houses had been prompted Israeli bombings. In Sri damaged in Kilinochchi alone. • As in Kosovo and East Timor, Lanka President Rajapaksa start- start a process to examine a ing the war was totally unpro- Consequently, the Tamil popula- system that would give the mi- voked. tion had been reduced to the sta- norities the right to govern tus of beggars who depended on themselves. The Tamils have The Tamils and also the LTTE relief aid from the UN and other exhausted all avenues of nego- have always longed for peace. We NGOs from countries that are tiating a settlement with the only want a place under the sun sympathetic to the Tamils. Even Sinhalese. In a referendum 90 to live in peace and happiness. these NGOs, other than the Red per cent of them opted for a Many US officials in the past have Cross, are barred from the war separate state. In any case, the accepted the fact that the only ide- zones of Vanni and Mullaithevu, Tamils lived in their own king- ology the LTTE fights for is to be further aggravating the plight of dom all throughout history, masters of their own destiny. As the refugees. until in 1833 when the British we had been in the past, we would brought them under one roof continue to be honest friends of Bring an end for administrative purposes. the United States. Sooner rather to misery Restoration of that status quo than later, the Tamils will have to should be in order. seek US protection. We humbly request that the new administration in the United Today the Sri Lankan Tamils are The Tamils stand has always States, which is committed to international orphans. In addi- been that “fighting for survival, change, to do all within its power tion to the deaths of 100,000 dignity and self respect is not ter- to find a speedy resolution to the Tamils, the war has created 30,000 rorism”. q conflict and bring an end to the misery and suffering of the Tamils, and put them on the path The cost to the civilians has been documented as follows: to peace, progress and prosperity. We request the following: • over 100,000 Tamils have been killed • over 28,000 Tamils have disappeared • Start a process through inter- • over 12,600 Tamil girls and women have been raped national organisations, such • over 30,000 women widowed as the UN, to declare a ceasefire • over 20,000 children orphaned between the warring parties to • over 1.2 million Tamils have been displaced facilitate the movement of food (internally and externally) and medicine to the exhausted • over eight billion USD worth of property owned by Tamils and desperate victims. has been destroyed • The year 2009 commemorates

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Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 18 Trees: God’s gift to Humanity rees and forests are God’s gift to mankind. chop down the tree or poison it. TT They provide life-sustaining oxygen. It is TTT believed that the Brazilian forests provide Let us reflect on the beauty of the message conveyed 30 per cent of the world’s oxygen needs. by a notice of the Forestry Department of Bhutan: More, trees beautify Mother Earth with many- coloured blooms and in autumn the kaleidoscopic “The forest is a peculiar organism of unlimited kind- colours of trees is a sight to behold. ness and benevolence that makes no demands for its sustenance and extends protection to all beings Wordsworth’s elevating nature poetry was written offering shade even to the axeman who destroys it.” in the company of trees and birds in the Lake Dis- trict. In the Garden of Eden there was the Tree of Tree lover Knowledge. Lord Buddha attained Enlightment Penang under a tree in Benares. I was told that the idea of seeking independence for Malaya occurred to Tengku Abdul Rahman when he was seated under a raintree at the Springtide Hotel, Penang. Poets have waxed lyrical at the beauty of trees:trees:of Very seldom does anyone plant a tree and live to seek umbrage under it. Jennifer M Granholm, the I think I shall never see Governor of Michigan, said: “Sometimes leadership A poem lovely as a tree. is planting trees under whose shade you’ll never A tree whose hungry mouth is prest sit.” Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day So it came to pass that a raintree, probably planted And lifts her leafy arms to pray, by the British provided a venue for a historic Perak A tree that in summer wear State Assembly meeting. It has since been A nest of robins in her hair; immortalised as the Tree of Democracy. Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who immediately live with rain. The Tree of Democracy is apolitical. The political Poems are made by fools like me, controversy is between UMNO and Pakatan about But only God can make a tree. who the legitimate State Government is. Some evil people have already smashed the plaque to com- - Joyce Kilmer memorate the Perak State Assembly Meeting under the raintree. Let no evil mind devise any plan to

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 19 The historic Perak State Assembly meeting under the Democracy Tree on 3 March 2009

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 20 Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 21 Scarred!

Removed!

Smashed!

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 22 RULE OF LAW People’s Hope in the Judiciary has been Misplaced The much anticipated reformation in the judiciary is illusory by P Ramakrishnan

onfronted by crisis in CC Perak, the people had CCC reason to believe that the judiciary would be our last hope for justice to prevail. That hope is apparently misplaced. What a disappointment that proved to be!

It is difficult to believe or accept the decision of the Judicial Com- missioner, Ridwan Ibrahim. To say the least, Malaysians are shocked into disbelief by his ver- dict. Technicalities were used to prevent a fair trial and counter arguments to help the judge to ar- Perak State Assembly Speaker V Sivakumar was denied representation by rive at a sound decision. lawyers of his choice

In this instance we are reminded Tommy Thomas, representing the representation by lawyers of the of Aeschylus who said, “Wrong Speaker of the Perak Assembly. Speaker’s choice on mere techni- must not win by technicalities.” This fair request was denied. cal grounds is perplexing. The But that was what happened in argument that the five lawyers the Ipoh High Court on 3 March What is at issue in this instance chosen by the Speaker to represent 2009. It is a matter of grave disap- concerns every Malaysian and them have no locus standi is diffi- pointment to all of us. they have a right to know what cult to accept as justifiable persuasive arguments have been grounds to deny the Speaker his To begin with,with his decision to hear presented to support this case that defence. That goes against natu- the case in chambers – not with- has been brought to the Ipoh High ral justice. standing his discretionary pow- Court by Zambry and others. We ers - came as a complete surprise have a right to know what pre- To insist that the Speaker should to the nation. Knowing that the vailed upon the Judicial Commis- be represented by the office of the entire country is very concerned sioner for his decision. Now, we state legal advisor is indeed baf- with what is happening in Perak, will never know what transpired fling. It is incredulous that the the appropriate thing would have in the chambers. court failed to see the obvious in- been to hear the case in open court herent conflict of interest. The le- as requested by senior lawyer, Secondly,SecondlySecondly the decision to deny gal advisor is currently represent-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 23 could the court not allow representation before passing judgment? “Fairness is what justice really is,” said Potter Stewart. Where is that fairness in this case?

Fourthly,Fourthly,Fourthly, the court has issued an indefinite restraining order - to stop the Speaker from summoning the sitting of the State Assembly - after a one-sided 90 minutes of submis- sions and 10 minutes of delibera- tion. Does this decision take into consideration the consequence of that ruling? It has been stated by legal experts that if the Assembly does not sit at least once within a span of six months then the Assem- bly is automatically dissolved.

The much anticipated reforma- Rejected PR lawyers l-r, Chan Kok Keong, Augustine Anthony, Tommy tion in the judiciary is illusory. It Thomas & Phillip Koh Tong Ngee. will not take place with the present set up of the judiciary. It would ing ‘the other MB’ Zambry Abd resentatives of the Perak govern- take a complete overhaul of the ju- Kadir in a case brought to court ment? That being the case, how diciary with new appointments of by the legitimate MB Nizar can Zambry and the others then competent people of absolute in- Jamaluddin. How could the legal be represented by private lawyers tegrity. advisor now seriously and con- and not by the legal advisor? sciously defend the position of the Shouldn’t the same argument pre- The crisis in Perak cannot be Speaker? Is it even possible? This vail that this so-called government solved by the judiciary. The pro- is stretching absurdity to the ex- must be represented by the state ceedings in the Ipoh High Court treme limits! legal advisor? Why this double brought to mind what Thomas standard? Fuller rightly observed, “Rigid jus- If it is true as is claimed that the tice is the greatest injustice.” “officer” of the government – in Thirdly,ThirdlyThirdly we are appalled that the this case the Speaker - must be rep- request by Tommy Thomas to Ultimately, it is the will of the resented by the legal advisor, does hold a watching brief with speak- people of Perak that must solve it mean that the court recognises ing rights was denied by the court, their dilemma - not someone else that the Speaker and his Execu- which ruled that he could hold the or some other institution. Aliran tive Council is the legitimate gov- watching brief but could not sub- hopes and pleads that common ernment in Perak? mit or participate in its proceed- sense will prevail in the larger in- ings. This decision is clearly ab- terest of the nation. Or put another way, since the le- surd and incredible! gal advisor is representing “the As we see it the only solution lies other MB” on behalf of the gov- How could the court in the name in the dissolution of the Perak ernment in the High Court case in of justice choose to pass judgment State Assembly and holding fresh Kuala Lumpur, does it not imply without hearing the other side? elections. Let the sovereignty of the that Zambry and his Council How could the court arrive at a people decide once and for all who members are accepted and just decision without the benefit should form the government in recognised as the “legitimate” rep- of the counter argument? How Perak. q

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 24 STATISTICS CORNER Did you know…?

mno often points to the Amanah Saham UU Bumiputera (ASB) scheme as one of the UUU many things it has done for Malays, in particular, and bumiputera, in general.

As it is restricted to only bumiputera, it is also often everyone into a realisation that the ethnic game is a pointed to as an example of the discrimination in huge diversion from the real issues facing the coun- the country. Non-bumiputera, in particular, point try. to the consistently high dividends (and bonuses) paid by the ASB, higher than, for example, the Em- It may also shock the majority of bumiputera to realise ployees Provident Fund (EPF). that the most-touted scheme benefiting bumiputera in fact benefits a tiny minority. However, a closer examination of the distribution Take a look at the distribution of holdings as shown of holdings and dividends of the ASB may just shock in the graph below.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 25 The solid curve shows the dis- refer to the graph above. The idea of the wealth distribution tribution of holdings. From dotted diagonal line represents within the bumiputera popula- the curve, it can be seen that the line of perfect equality, tion, as ASB holdings represent the bottom 80 per cent of ASB while the solid curved line rep- one form of wealth. However, participants hold about 5 per resents the actual distribution it is likely that the poorest cent of ASB units, while the top of ASB holdings. The further bumiputera, for instance, the 5 per cent hold around 65 per the curve deviates from the Orang Asli and a large propor- cent of the units. dotted diagonal, the more un- tion of the non-Malay equal the distribution. The Gini bumiputera of Sabah and This is a hugely unequal dis- is simply the ratio of the area Sarawak, are not participants. tribution, much more unequal between the dotted diagonal At the other end, it is probable than the distribution of house- and the solid curve to the area that the richest bumiputera, hold income, for example. of the triangle under the dot- too, are not participants as they ted diagonal. have other options for invest- If you have looked at the vari- ing their wealth. Thus, although ous Malaysia Plans, you might We can use the information for the ASB distribution gives a have noticed that a number, the distribution of ASB hold- good idea of wealth distribu- called the Gini or Gini ings to estimate the Gini coef- tion among the bumiputera, it coeffcient, appears in the sec- ficient of their distribution. It is likely to be an underestimate tion on household income dis- comes out to be about 0.85! of the extent of inequality. tribution. This is a measure of inequality ranging from 0 to 1, Almost all ASB holders are To give a more concrete idea with 0 representing absolute bumiputera adults above the of the meaning of this inequal- equality and 1 representing ab- age of 18. In 2007, there were ity, let us look at the distribu- solute inequality. For the coun- more than 6 million ASB sub- tion of dividends per ASB try, the Gini coefficient for the scribers. They represent more holder in 2007. The table be- distribution of household in- than three-quarters of the to- low shows the average divi- come in 2007 was around 0.44 tal adult bumiputera popula- dend, not including bonus, re- tion above 18. In other words, ceived by ASB holders accord- To understand this graphically, ASB participants give a good ing to the size of their holdings.

Average Dividend (excluding bonus) by Size Category of Holdings, 2007

Size Category of Percent ofofPercent Percent ofofPercent Average Dividend per Holdings (units) Subscribers HoldingsHoldingsHoldings Subscriber (RM) <5,000 78.8% 4.9% 43 5,000-10,000 6.2% 4.6% 518 10,000-50,000 10.8% 25.6% 1,640 50,000-500,000 4.1% 59.8% 10,049 >500,000 0.1% 5.1% 48,125 All 100.0% 100.0% 695

Source: calculated from ASB Annual Re’port, 2007

Almost 80% of subscribers had less than 5,000 units, averaging about 540 units. These subscribers received a grand average of RM43 in dividends in 2007. On the other hand, the 0.1% of subscribers holding more than 500,000 units averaged just over 600,000 units and received a comfortable average of RM48,125 in dividends, tax-free, in 2007.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 26 MOVIE REVIEW “Brave Heart ” – The struggle against tyranny Not fairy-tale or fiction but based on reality: speaks of political intrigue, corruption and double-dealing by Angeline Loh

he movie Brave Heart, a ruled with an iron fist and seemed army and more advanced weap- TT Mel Gibson directed pro- not to possess scruples or con- onry of the time. TTT duction in which the fa- science. To keep his barons mous actor himself also happy, he instituted rules and Yet the Scots under Wallace’s starred as the protagonist of the policies that were oppressive and leadership did not give up. They story, should be recognised as a immoral against the common continued the struggle to keep the classic. Based on the historical fact people, even making it a right of freedom and independence of of the 13th century Scots rebellion the overlord to rape a newly wed their country. led by William Wallace, a Scottish woman on her wedding night. peasant knight, against English While Wallace was campaigning control of his country, it reflects The common people of Britain at for independence, the Scottish ar- political tactics and situations we that time were no different from istocracy was in two minds as to have become familiar with today. anyone anywhere in the world which side to be on. According to today. They wanted to go about history, 13 Scottish nobles Bribery and corruption are age- their daily lives in peace and did claimed to be the legitimate rulers old tactics practiced by regimes not want trouble. William of Scotland when Alexander III of since time immemorial. ‘Party Wallace, as portrayed in the Scotland’s granddaughter and hopping’ is also nothing new; it movie, had the same attitude de- successor died in 1290. She was is in fact ancient. Yet, the movie is spite his father being murdered by only three years old (Factbook of not a comparison of political ide- the English King when he was a History, 1990). ologies or the moral perfection of child. Inevitably, the oppression human beings, but about the will turned from bad to worse. He These 13 Scottish aristocrats of a people, their virtues and vices. realised he could not ignore the asked Edward I of England to ar- It is the story of a peoples’ journey situation any longer when the bitrate their claims to the throne to freedom and dignity as a sover- English murdered his wife. of Scotland. A descendant of the eign state and the strength of their royal Scottish family, John Balliol, leaders forged by the fires of trial This persuaded him to join other was chosen but did not last long, and tribulation that come with rebels and ultimately lead the re- as he rebelled and was deposed oppression. bellion against English control by Edward. Edward then as- over Scotland in 1297 (Factbook sumed direct rule of Scotland. From peasant of History, Rainbow Books, Lon- to rebel leader don, 1990). The initial campaign Shifting loyalties in Falkirk, Scotland, was a failure. (frog leaping) The English monarch, Edward I The Scots were routed by the En- (known as Edward Longshanks) glish, who had a better- trained Scots clan loyalties were divided

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 27 and Robert Bruce, a distant cousin and incredulity William Wallace his lips. of Balliol, was amongst the ‘fence- would have felt on discovering sitters’, according to the movie. such treachery by one he thought After Wallace’s death, Robert William Wallace made a number was an ally. Bruce either in remorse for his ear- of attempts to form an alliance lier treachery or convinced of the with Robert Bruce and his barons The producers of the movie show cause for Scottish independence, to end English control of Scotland. Robert Bruce’s humanity, portray- succeeds Wallace as rebel leader. Robert Bruce and his barons, on ing him as a human character He defeats Edward II, at the other hand wanted to main- with a conscience. He is appar- Bannockburn, Scotland in 1314 tain their political status and in- ently riddled with guilt for his part and becomes ruler of Scotland, terests given as favours by the in this treachery, despite the hard- when Scottish independence is English monarch in exchange for line stance of some of his barons. recognised by England in 1328. their loyalty to the English crown, Nonetheless, Wallace is also an at the expense of Scotland’s sov- imperfect human being, initiating The attempts by Edward I to ‘buy’ ereignty and independence. a spree of assassinations of Wallace over with promises of Bruce’s barons to avenge this wealth and power using his These aristocrats, despite their treachery against him. daughter-in-law, the Princess of unease with foreign rule, felt they Wales, as emissary to negotiate had too much vested interests at In the context of this medieval pe- these deals, have not yet been men- stake to free their own country riod, it is to an extent understand- tioned. Despite Wallace’s obvious from English control and able that the principle of “an eye attraction to the Princess, he is Edward’s tyranny. They decided for an eye” seemed for some neither taken in by the motive for to pay lip service to the cause for people to be valid, despite the her visit and clearly refuses these independence while remaining in prevalence of Christianity in Eu- offers. The Princess is impressed favour with the English crown. rope. Moreover, there were no by his strength of character and laws of armed conflict apart from later becomes one of Wallace’s At a skirmish in Stirling, in which a Code of Chivalry, which was closest friends until his execution. Robert Bruce and his barons had only a knights’ code of conduct promised to join forces with and did not lay down the rules of This movie is not fairy-tale or fic- Wallace against the English, they war as such. But there were action, it is based on reality and doubled-crossed Wallace by turn- cepted customs regarding negotia- speaks of the reality of political ing up after the battle had begun, tion before, during and after war. intrigue, corruption and double- keeping a distance away from the dealing. The theme that runs fighting and withholding rein- Today, we have the Geneva Con- through the story is one identifi- forcements to Wallace and his fol- ventions and other international able in almost every contest for lowers. laws and customs that must be political power in every ideologi- observed by both opposing par- cal system. It speaks of the Yet, Wallace valiantly managed to ties when war is waged. Any con- strengths and weaknesses of the force the English to retreat and travention of these rules consti- human condition. went in hot pursuit of Edward’s tutes a war crime, e.g. killing non- entourage. He was stopped-short combatant civilians, rape and “Brave Heart” should be recom- by a knight in the rearguard of the looting. mended viewing; there is much to King’s entourage sent to prevent learn from this story especially his advance. The fight ends when True to historical reality, William when citizens feel robbed of hope Wallace manages to un-horse this Wallace is ultimately captured and their hard-earned fundamen- knight and, wrenching off his hel- through betrayal by the barons, tal human rights, by autocratic met, reveals his identity as none publicly tortured and beheaded and self-interested leaders. q other than Robert Bruce! for refusing to beg for the King’s mercy and swearing allegiance to “Power corrupts; absolute power Mel Gibson did a good job of the English monarch. Instead, he corrupts absolutely...” showing the shocked disbelief dies with a cry of “Freedom!” on - Lord Acton (1834-1902)

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 28 BOOK REVIEW The horror of southern Thailand, and a solution A courageous and compelling study of the insurgency in the far South by Chris Baker

lean book that is short and grip- Tearing apart the land: ping enough to read in one sitting. Islam and legitimacy in southern Thailand After the last flare-up in the 1970s and 1980s, McCargo argues, the Author: Duncan McCargo, government set out to control the Publisher: Cornell University far south by co-opting local elites. Press/National University of Local Islamic leaders and teach- Singapore ers who co-operated in new edu- 264 pages, USD28 or SD38, cational schemes were richly re- paperback. warded with funds and honorary posts. More locals were recruited to the bureaucracy. Local politicians were elected to Parliament his book is the best in- and local government, and re- vestigation in English of warded with the perks and recog- TTT the recent troubles in nition of office. Thailand’s southern border provinces. For a time this seemed very successful. But this co-optation de- It does not tell you who exactly is stroyed these elites’ foundations behind it, what they really want, ing across officials, soldiers, ex- within local communities, and or how they can easily be stopped. rebels, politicians, academics and offered no real participation for But it puts a lot of new informa- local bystanders. He collected the mass. Teachers lost respect tion on the table, and sifts through many unusual documents, and and influence. Politicians includ- it with great common sense and watched what was going on. He ing Den Tohmeena and Wan clarity. Without doubt, its conclu- has also read the literature and Muhammed Noor – who sought sions will be controversial, and followed the press reporting, but success at the national level – the security forces will try to dis- in this book he deliberately draws found their local support eroded. credit them. That will be a mea- mainly on his own data collection. The Wadah politicians were pun- sure of its considerable achieve- The historical and social back- ished by the electorate after 2001. ment. ground is sketched in a single Although Thaksin’s abolition of page. The reader is expected to SBPAC in 2002 removed the insti- Professor Duncan McCargo spent know this. The focus is on events tutional instrument of this co- a year in the southern provinces. of the last four years, in a context optation strategy, McCargo He interviewed 270 people rang- of the prior decade. The result is a emphasises that the policy had

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 29 Thai state and society. Who are the militants? By deli- cately analysing the Krue Se inci- McCargo condemns the Thai se- dent on 28 April 2004, McCargo curity forces from top to bottom. suggests there are two strands at Thaksin’s 2002 decision to put the work. corrupt and hated police in charge of this delicate region, and the The first is somehow related to old subsequent campaign of killings militant organisations such as and disappearances in 2003, led Pulo and the BRN-Coordinate. directly to the explosion in 2004. Their operations follow the tradi- But the army has been no better. tional pattern of symbolic attacks In McCargo’s words, “The core on government personnel and in- pursuits of the Thai military are stallations. playing politics and engaging in business activities.” Army units The second strand is less struc- do not have the training, exper- tured and more frightening. A lo- ThaksinThaksinThaksin tise, or equipment for this kind of cal religious teacher recruited warfare. young men, lectured them on the already failed by its own internal evils of the Thai state, persuaded logic. They are incompetent at even them they were protected by simple procedures such as man- magic, put crude weapons in their McCargo argues strongly against ning a checkpoint. Their intelli- hands and dispatched them on the oft-made linkage between im- gence is poor and conflicting. They suicidal attacks against the secu- ported reformist Islam and mili- rely on tactics used in past anti- rity forces. He then disappeared. tancy. Certainly, several local communist campaigns when the scholars have been educated conditions and context were very McCargo argues that this second abroad and returned with new different. As a result, measures pattern of small cells of local re- teachings on stricter practice and such as the surrender campaign cruits who work virtually inde- a modern, globalised vision of Is- end-up totally counter-produc- pendent of any wider lam. But McCargo argues these tive. organisation, and who blend eas- “new school” teachers and ily into the social landscape, has preachers appeal mostly to a Instead of converting militants increasingly become the norm. modernised, middle-class intelli- into peaceful citizens, it often The juwae (fighters) seem moti- gentsia, and their influence turned bystanders into either en- vated, not by any complex Islamic waned from the early 1990s on- raged militants or sitting ducks for ideal but by simple but passion- wards. He estimates some 70 to assassination. ate hatred of the Thai state for 90 per cent cling to the “old colonising their homeland and school” of folksy traditional Islam, The militants now have the ini- subjecting them to the oppression and the militancy has sprung tiative. Large tracts of the three of disdainful officials and preda- from this segment of the popula- provinces are wholly or partially tory policemen. tion. “no-go” areas, effectively beyond state control. In the face of failure, There is some organisation that McCargo also finds no significant the military increasingly subcon- enables many of these units to links to international Jihadist tracts its work to rangers and other participate in complex, co- organisations. Certainly the mili- paramilitary forces who are even ordinated attacks. But the figures tants use Islamic and Jihadist lan- less well-trained, competent and – especially those overseas – who guage to recruit members and ex- sensitive. McCargo concludes that occasionally claim to talk on be- press anger. But the flare-up “is a military “victory” is unimagin- half of the movement probably an insurgency not a Jihad”. It is able. The generals who pop up have no control. not “about Islam” but about the regularly to predict imminent suc- position of Malay Muslims in the cess should simply be ignored. The movement is a “network with-

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 30 out a core”, which constantly frus- Militants seem to dislike being words, substantive autonomy”. trates the military who are trained described as either “separatists” That was the solution most of his for set-piece battles or campaigns or “terrorists”, preferring the sim- informants favoured. against the rigid structures of com- pler “fighters”. They seem moti- munist insurgency. vated by resentment against their In the past, this solution has al- treatment by the Thai state, rather ways been blocked by the fetish- Over 2004, the incidents at the than by any specific political goal. ism of a unitary state. But in Narathiwat armoury, Krue Se today’s world when the stature of mosque and Tak Bai market won McCargo’s analysis leads to a the state has been diminished, the movement great sympathy simple but compelling conclusion. and Thailand flirts tentatively among the local population. The The Thai security forces cannot with multiculturalism, this fixa- army realised that it was being prevail. To put it another way, the tion seems outdated. Besides, lured into delivering martyrdom, militants have already won. Al- McCargo argues, Thailand has which increased hatred of the though the army has restored the already lost much of the territory army. pre-Thaksin structure for manag- and most of the people so politi- ing the region, the situation has cal re-incorporation would be a In subsequent incidents at spun beyond the point that old gain. Saiburi, Kapho and Tanyong methods will deliver the same old Limo, the army refused the gam- results. This is a very important book be- bits to draw them into similar cause of the courage it took to re- traps, even though this meant the There is little sign the militants search, the new information it con- sacrifice of Teacher Julin and sev- wish to separate, either to join veys and the clarity and power of eral soldiers. Malaysia or to constitute a its argument. McCargo asks us to scarcely viable state of Pattani. view the South as a typical minor- But this failure to engage deliv- What they seem to want is a way ity problem, which has been very ered the militants victory in an- to live within Thailand without badly handled but which should other form. Territory slipped out being treated as a form of outcasts. be susceptible to a disarmingly of effective control. Patrols were The solution, McCargo argues, is simple solution that has been on reduced to driving around at high “to give Malay Muslims substan- the table for at least the past 60 speed to evade attack. The mili- tial control over their own affairs, troubled years. q tants keep up a daily stream of while retaining the border region bombings and killings, increas- as part of Thailand. In other Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com ingly directed against civilians, especially those suspected of co- operating with the state.

Whether for love or for fear, few in the three provinces would now dare side with the security forces. What do the militants want? Fa- mously, there has been no formal manifesto or demands. McCargo lays out what little can be gleaned from various seized documents and statements by ex-militants, and advises that any conclusion from this material is inevitably tentative. A multi-stage plan for establishing a Pattani state has been found, but McCargo doubts it is a guiding document.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 31 One of the greatest books, and a Prime Minister will take over the particular favourite of mine is helm as the 6th Prime Minister of Animal Farm by Georger Orwell. Malaysia when Datuk Seri It is an amazing and delightful Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will go satire on communism — the Rus- into retirement to lead the life of sian version lasted only 74 years an ordinary citizen. (1917-1991). We are now facing the most diffi- I have read the book more than a cult time because of the economic Letters must not exceed 250 dozen times and during a recent ills that slowly could plunge this words and must include the read lo and behold, I found in the country into recession. As we can writer's name and address. book the answer to the question see now the people particularly Pseudonyms may be used. Send troubling me: What went wrong? the lower income group are los- letters or emails to Editor (see All that the reader of the book, a ing their income and jobs. This page 3 for address details). mere 70-odd pages, needs to do is time around we are placing much Views expressed need not reflect some substitution — for Manor hope upon Datuk Seri Najib as the those of Aliran. If e-mailing, Farm read Malaysia, for Farmer new captain of an old ship that include message in the e-mail Jones read “the British; and for the needs a lot of overhaul and resto- body itself. creatures on the farm read “rakyat ration work to be fit enough for Malaysia”. him to steer and chart its course from the brink of disaster. Malaysia, I urge every Malaysian to read the Oh Malaysia! book to better understand why we So what Najib needs now once he are where we are. I also call upon takes over from Pak Lah is to re- We became an independent na- all Malaysians who think, feel place the existing Cabinet (that tion on 31 August 1957. The multi- and care for this beloved country has become obsolete) with a new religious and multi-cultural of ours to do the needful to put set of efficient workers who can population was also multi-tal- our nation on the right path to work with him as a team and not ented. There was so much hope achieve the vision of our Found- function just as “Yes Men” for BN and promise to develop and ing Fathers. Have faith and con- to regain its lustre especially after progress into a modern secular fidence that the forces of Good are the 8 March 2008 General Elec- democratic state. The nation had stronger and far outnumber the tion; he needs to have a Govern- a wonderful opportunity to be a forces of Evil, which have divided ment that is prepared to be a good mini United Nations, a shining us, raped our dear land, robbed listener; honour all the promises example to the world of a peace- and plundered our wealth, and and wipe out corruption (at all ful and harmonious multi-ethnic, we can defeat them. levels) so that the rakyat can once multi-religious and multi-cultural again have confidence and sup- society. I hope and pray that in the not too port the BN Government as their distant future, all Malaysians in choice. People of goodwill must After 51 years of Merdeka, Malay- one voice exclaim proudly “What struggle to bring about changes so sia is described as a failed state, a a great country!” that together we can rebuild the lost democracy. Why are we country we choose to live without where we are? In every field of Patriot fear and with complete freedom. national endeavour — good gov- Penang ernance, civil rights and liberties, To Najib we wish him all the luck the economy, education, national A new captain and may God bless our beloved unity etc. etc. — the nation has de- to shape our future country. faulted and slipped badly. What went wrong? This question has At the end of the month Datuk Seri Dato Tunku Yusuf Jewa often troubled me. Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Deputy Kota Bharu

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 32 and taken to court to be judged for his alleged offence?

The obnoxious thing about the ISA is that there are no charges against a person and no right of defence is available to the unfortunate detainee. He is simply detained for no definite reason.

He was detained on 12 Septem- ber 2008. RPK challenged his de- tention. The High Court released him on 7 November 2008. Can’t we let matters rest at that instead of pursuing it further to put him A record of Aliran'sAliran'sAliran's stand on current affairs. away?

Drop ISA charges As far as the people are concerned, against RPK the widespread perception is that the government is intent on put- Aliran would like to echo the plea ting him away because he has of secretary-general Jean-Francois damaging information that could Julliard of Reporters Without Bor- discredit the BN government. The ders requesting His Majesty the BN is worried that his articles will Yang diPertuan Agong to inter- expose the BN and ridicule it in cede in the case of Raja Petra the eyes of the public. This is a Kamarudin who is better known very persuasive belief. as RPK. Aliran hopes that His Majesty will RPK was detained under the ISA intercede to ensure that every sub- for posting certain articles in his ject of his will be treated with cour- web-page that were deemed to be tesy and accorded justice, which a “threat to internal security.” He dence even to hint of this possi- is a fundamental right of a per- has been posting many, many bility. son. provocative articles for years. His articles have been eye-opening, He is already facing a series of P Ramakrishnan thought-provoking, sensational, court charges for some of the ar- President and simply incredible. His web- ticles. Aliran has no quarrel with 19 February 2009 page has an amazing number of this. If anybody felt defamed or daily hits, proving that he has a hurt by his articles, the aggrieved Perak Speaker’s case: large following. party should sue him and take Declare a mistial him to court. The government His readers are from all back- should not be suing RPK on be- It was another day of absurdity grounds. They are amused, an- half of the aggrieved party. when Judicial Commissioner gry or incredulous but no one has Ridwan Ibrahim, incompre- rioted or threatened the security While some of the cases are on- hensively ruled on 11March 2009 of the nation because of RPK’s ar- going, why is it necessary to de- to deny the Speaker of the Perak ticles. This is why it is difficult to tain him under the ISA? Instead State Assembly his right of de- believe that RPK is a “threat to in- of resorting to the ISA, can’t RPK fence. His ridiculous decision has ternal security.” There is no evi- be pinned down by existing laws given the judiciary a bad name

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 33 tarnishing its reputation and ru- straining order when he does not the same attitude and chose to be ining its image. have the authority to do so; one-sided in suspending Gobind Singh. On two previous occasions, on 3 lHe has decided to hear the case and 5 March he had ruled that the against the Speaker when the law No sufficient notice was given for Speaker could not have lawyers does not allow him to do so under this motion which has serious of his choice to represent him in the Federal Constitution. consequences for our parliamen- the suit brought against him. And tary democracy; no adequate de- on 11 March, he ruled that the The many grave and glaring er- bate was allowed, and the person Speaker could not even act for him- rors of the judicial commissioner in the centre of the storm was re- self. have been very well argued by the fused permission to defend him- former Court of Appeal judge, N self. His bewildering decisions have H Chan, in his article “How to shocked and stunned the legal judge the judge”. It reminded us of that famous quo- fraternity and the man in the tation of Sojourner Truth who street. These decisions went In view of the many discrepancies, said, “The majority rules. If they against the grain of natural jus- Aliran urges the Chief Justice to want anything, they get it. If they tice. They were neither supported declare a mistrial and dismiss the want anything not right, they get by legal precedents nor justified case in the interest of justice. it, too.” by logical reasoning. Alternatively, there must be a fresh There wasn’t even the pretence of Even the lay man is allowed to trial presided by a senior judge being fair – it was just blatant and represent himself. No court has who is well versed with the law brutal the way the motion was al- denied him this right to defend and who understands the prin- lowed to be carried with the Op- himself. Why then this exception ciples of justice. position staging a walk-out in in the case of the Speaker? protest. The BN with its majority P Ramakrishnan rode roughshod, oblivious to the Justice has not been served by the President protest and the need to be just and following decisions of the judicial 13 March 2009 fair. commissioners which is startling, confusing and baffling: The arrogance of the Parliament Speaker Tan Sri majority Pandikar Amin Mulia mentioned He has refused legal representa- that action was taken against tion of the Speaker’s choice thus The suspension of the MP for Gobind for breaching Standing going against natural justice; Puchong for one year on 16 March Orders and “for mentioning a 2009 demonstrated that logic and matter which was sub judice...” lHe has refused the Speaker the procedure are not important as right to represent himself denying long as one has the numbers. Ap- I am no lawyer and have no train- him his inalienable human right; parently in the numbers game, ing in law but from my little un- justice is not important and fair- derstanding of the Altantuya case lHe has refused to allow the ness is not relevant. The arrogance the question of sub judice does not Speaker’s leading lawyer to hold of the majority, it appears, will arise. The deputy premier, Datuk a watching brief with speaking decide the day, and they will pre- Seri Najib Razak, was neither rights, thus refusing to hear the vail no matter what. charged in this case nor has he Speaker’s side of the case; been summoned as a witness to Just as in the Ipoh High Court pro- provide evidence. This being the lHe has ruled that the Speaker is ceedings involving the Speaker of fact in this case where is the sub a public officer when the law does the Perak State Assembly where judice, pray tell me! not support his contention; natural justice was ignored and the right of reply was denied, Par- Perhaps the Speaker being a law- lHe has issued an indefinite re- liament, it would seem, adopted yer may want to educate people

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 34 like me by providing some clarifi- not enough. They had to use the quences of those laws. He may be cation on this matter. sledgehammer to show that they right, he may be wrong in his in- are in power and that their major- terpretation. But the man is en- Malaysians seem to think that ity can do whatever it wants to. titled to his views. Gobind should have been referred to the Rights and Privileges Com- And so they suspended him a sec- His understanding of the laws in mittee in all fairness so that he ond time, this time for a year with- question does not make him a could have participated in the out salary and financial perks, criminal. He is entitled to his free- proceedings. It would have been without bothering about proce- dom of thought. That is no crime better if he had been found guilty dures and natural justice. They in a civil society. after he had defended himself. had the numbers and so they That would have satisfied our no- wrapped up the case without In stating his views, Karpal did tion of natural justice. qualms and in the shortest pos- not use harsh words to disparage sible time. His Royal Highness. He did not The Barisan Nasional govern- demean the royal personage of the ment should take note that Malay- Then they went for the father. They Sultan of Perak. He was not rude sians by an over-whelming major- charged him under Section 4(1) of or crude in speaking his mind. He ity of 96 per cent voted that the Sedition Act. If convicted he simply stated what recourse there Gobind should have been referred would face a maximum jail sen- was under the law. That was all. to the Rights and Privileges Com- tence of three years or a fine of mittee in a live television survey RM5,000 – and this would mean The thousands of Perakians who conducted by ntv7 yesterday. The he would lose his seat and be in- took to the streets on the day BN can only dismiss this senti- eligible to stand for election for five Zamry was sworn in as Menteri ment at its own peril. years after completing his jail sen- Besar of Perak did not do so be- Before anybody dismisses this tence, just like Lim Guan Eng and cause of what Karpal said. They survey result as not reflecting the Anwar Ibrahim who had to sit out were not agitated by Karpal to true sentiments of Malaysians at for five years after completing demonstrate and protest. Karpal large, let’s wait for the outcome of their jail terms. had no part in it. They did what the three forthcoming by-elections they did on their own from their on April 7, 2009. Those results What was Karpal’s crime? As a own sense of justice. Karpal can- will remove all doubts once and very eminent senior criminal law- not be faulted for that. for all! yer, he stated what the law said. In commenting on the Perak state But who are the people who P Ramakrishnan crisis, he referred to the relevant twisted Karpal’s views and mis- President laws in existence and pointed out represented his stand? These are 17 March 2009 the implications and conse- the people who lodged police reports against Karpal. It is these Karpal cannot be people who had acted in a sedi- faulted tious manner to agitate others and cause disaffection among a small Is there a pattern in the way the number of people for their own Opposition is being targeted? Is political agenda. this going to be the new strategy to contain the Opposition? Malay- It is important that we separate sians are genuinely perturbed by fact from fiction. It is important the new trend that has emerged. that truth must prevail and lies must be buriedforgood. First it was the son that they went for. They suspended him for the P Ramakrishnan day and that should have been the President end of the matter. But no, that was 18 March 2009

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 35 SUNGAI SIPUT: ONE YEAR AFTER Continued from page 40

2009. The table below categorises We met with JPS (the department probably played a part!) the cases, and does not include in charge of the rivers). They those seen and settled by our full- agreed that siltation is the major We then held meetings with the timers. cause. They told us that they had six affected kampungs. People applied for RM12.6 million to quite readily could accept our The high volume of these cases, dredge the Sg Pelus, but this was analysis that it was poor plan- and the amount of time it takes for not approved for the 2008 budget ning and neglect that had led to them to be handled has led to a lot nor the 2009 budget.(Budget allo- their flooding: many would talk of soul-searching in the branch. Is cation is from the federal govern- about how the river is now so this what we won this seat for – to do ment.) Wasn’t there a fund set up muddy and how so few fish are welfare work? Aren’t we supposed to by the state government to handle left compared to before; the floods build the people’s movement instead environmental problems occa- were much more infrequent 20 of arranging hand-outs? This has sioned by logging, we asked. Af- years ago, they said. Of course, been a recurrent theme of discus- ter all, the state government re- being socialist activists, we would sion in the Sg Siput party and I ceived royalties for umpteen offer the analysis that the rich log- will return to it later. years. Zilch. No one had thought gers had made the profits, the gov- that far ahead! ernment had earned and spent the Floods in Tok Sirat royalties, but the poor villagers are We then met with the Land Office the ones paying the cost of devel- Kg Tok Sirat, a settlement set up and proposed that since the river opment. by the government to house 30 could not be deepened in the near poor families from the Sg Siput future, perhaps we should offer We then organised a signature constituency, suffered floods 16 the badly affected families – num- campaign asking the Menteri times last year – and we are talk- bering about 70 from six villages Besar to stop logging in the hin- ing of flood waters coming into on the banks of Sg Pelus - alterna- terland of the Sg Pelus. The peti- the houses. The first time it hap- tive sites to build houses. The tion also asked that the state gov- pened I was away, and other party Land Office agreed to this pro- ernment immediately put funds members went to visit. They were posal. (The fact that it was a for river deepening work. The pe- asked, “Aren’t you going to give Pakatan-led state govrenment tition with several hundred sig- us any money? Dato Seri used to give us RM300 each time.”

Of course not having any alloca- Individual cases received: Jan – Feb 2009 tion from the government or from the party itself, we were not in a CasesCasesCases NumberNumberNumber position to do so. Malays are gen- Request for financial help 26 erally a polite people, but it was Medical problems 21 clear that the Tok Sirat residents Socso 20 were unhappy. Legal help 13 House problems 10 We got the maps, and looked into BC/IC 10 the problem. It quickly became Drains/Street lights 6 clear to us that this was not an Job related 7 “act of God”. Recurrent flooding Passport/Foreign spouse 9 of Tok Sirat was due to siltation of Conversion / “Interfaith” 3 the Sg Pelus, a tributary of the Others 9 Perak River. The hinterland of the TOTAL 1 3 4 Sg Pelus has been extensively logged for the past 40 years.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 36 mobilises them around efforts to Networks of affected communities address their problems. The mobilisation will build their self- NetworkNetworkNetwork Malay Kampungs asking for land / grant confidence and group cohesion. IssueIssueIssue Five such kampungs The whole process is part of the NotesNotesNotes Had a seminar to discuss how they could develop party’s goal of building a peoples’ the land without being cheated by middle men movement.

NetworkNetworkNetwork Vegetable Farmers – six areas My challenge to the party mem- IssueIssueIssue 450 vegetable farmers being threatened with bers is – can you discern the sys- eviction temic causes that have made this NotesNotesNotes Police reports. Letter to the Land Office and to the particular poor individual come MB. Formation of a committee to us for a hand-out? Can we group people with a similar prob- NetworkNetworkNetwork Orang Asli in Lasah lem and work together with them IssueIssueIssue Reps from 24 kampungs have attended our meet- to solve (at least partially) their ings problem? How effectively can we NotesNotesNotes Five meetings in Ulu Lasah. Visit to land schemes transmute “welfare” work into a being run by OA communities in other places programme that can empower people and create independent NetworkNetworkNetwork Orang Asli In Jalong Tinggi structures of the people? IssueIssueIssue Reps from six kampungs have been coming The jaringans NotesNotesNotes Three meetings. Participated in visit (networks) NetworkNetworkNetwork Urban Pioneers IssueIssueIssue Four areas In very much a similar way, we NotesNotesNotes Committees have been formed in each area. Surveys have set up seven other networks, have been done. Land office has agreed to settle the bringing together communities issue. facing similar problems. All have interesting stories of their own, but NetworkNetworkNetwork Housing estates I do not intend to detail them in IssueIssueIssue Five areas facing problems due to poor construction this report. The basic details of these networks are listed in the NetworkNetworkNetwork Workers network table below to give a flavour of the IssueIssueIssue To monitor the effect of the economic downturn kinds of issues that we are deal- NotesNotesNotes Just formed. ing with. The recent change in the political equation will definitely have an natures was handed in to the PR Welfare work vs impact on the growth and consoli- Menteri Besar in December 2008. organising work dation of these networks. Take Tok Sirat for example, taking me Tok Sirat managed to identify I have been using the example of or any party member along when government land adjacent to their Tok Sirat within party discus- going to meet the new Zambry kampung. The Land Office agreed. sions as an example of how, what state government to ask for funds We then formed a committee to initially was a request for a quick would probably jeopardise their source funds to help them build cash hand-outs can be turned chances! And in any case we the alternative houses. We were around into a programme that would not want to go and see this supposed to take them to see the educates the people that develop- new fellow as that would amount MB in January 09 – but then there ment is skewed towards the rich to an endorsement of him as the was a coup! and well-connected and then MB.

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 37 It is therefore quite probable that stituencies. Of course our re- this includes everything, parlia- the communities that require gov- quest was turned down! ment attendance allowances, ernment help in terms of funds or driver’s salary, etc. Of this, I take grant approvals might want to re- 4. We have held meetings in the RM5,000 for my personal use – align themselves. I have put for- town hall of three new villages slightly lower than what I used to ward the analysis to our team that in an attempt to meet the Chi- earn in my laid-back medical prac- corruption and self-serving nese community. The turnout tice which is now barely keeping behaviour is so deeply interred in has not been too encouraging. afloat as I have cut my days there the bones of the BN leaders that drastically! there is an even chance that some 5. I am coming out with a set of of the communities will have to the speeches I made during the The balance of RM10,000 is not turn back to us to help them fight- debate on the 2009 budget in quite enough to maintain an of- back an attempt by the new BN November and December 2008 fice, pay three full-timers, print the leadership to shortchange them – – I spoke a total of 12 times, and pamphlets and book, pay for and this is more likely to occur for the speeches constitute a small seminars for farmers and stu- the vegetable farmers, the urban 55-page book. The plan is to dents, and study tours for the Or- pioneers and the retrenched work- translate it into three lan- ang Asli. We are tight financially, ers. But there is no doubting it – guages and make it available but somehow do manage – our the loss of the PR government in to as many voters as possible. volunteers and the full-timers use Perak will impinge on our work their own money for many ex- in Sg Siput. 6. We try and use the Press, but penses and refrain from claiming. are not particularly successful. Feedback to Perhaps they find me rather I have on occasions approached the rakyat boring! I remember in the first friends to help out in specific cases session of Parliament, a few In- – We believe that we should pro- dian reporters approached me • wheelchairs for a few needy mote dialogue with the voters of and asked what my plan for people, Sg Siput. But given the vastness the Indian community was. I • a special motorbike for an old of the constituency that is easier replied that I was not an MP man with a stroke, said than done. Let me enumerate specifically for the Indian com- • tuition assistance for a girl tak- the efforts that we have taken in munity – that there are a lot of ing a pharmacy course (the this direction: Malays and Chinese and Or- child of a single mother), ang Asli in Sg Siput as well. • tuition classes for seven kids 1 . The Jaringan meetings are a They were not too happy with who did not go to school be- way to meet with certain sec- the stand. Also, I suppose I am cause they did not have a birth tions of the population. not too interesting to cover as I certificate (we have managed do not get into name-calling to register them in school and 2. We have come out with multi- arguments with the BN are subsidising their tuition lingual bulletins giving brief people. after school hours), etc. details of our work. There have been two editions so far. These Finances We have set up a small welfare have been printed by the thou- fund for this kind of expenses sands and distributed free to It is quite expensive to service the which comes not from my parlia- the people of Sg Siput. . constituency. Until now, I have mentary income, but from gener- not received any allocation at all ous friends. If any of those who 3. We have come out with a pam- from the federal government nor helped out with contributions are phlet detailing our efforts to from the state government for con- reading this, thanks for your help. procure the federal constitu- stituency work – not a single cent! We want to avoid becoming the ency fund of RM500,000 for Santa Claus here – that 2008, which was supposed to My total income as a parliamen- disempowers people! But some- be made available to all con- tarian is RM15,000 per month – times, when the need is acute, we

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 38 Kumar visiting an Orang Asal area in Kumar and colleagues (seated) in talks with the Belakang Kg Perje, Sg Siput Shing Chung Urban Pioneers Committee still have to respond. I will be send- laysian population that one sud- have implemented steps to ing out detailed accounts of how denly is transformed into a higher share responsibility for the this welfare fund was deployed form of human life by winning a various specific programmes to all those who contributed. seat in Parliament. I think it just re- with the ordinary members. flects the extent feudal attitudes still • Promoting the image of a Has it been permeate our society! simple, approachable, non- worth it? feudal Member of Parliament. Overall, I am moderately satisfied It has been hectic - a lot of de- with what we have been able to The coming year will be interest- mands. Despite all the effort our do in Sg Siput. For me, the biggest ing. The loss of state power will team has put in, we still get com- achievements include: definitely affect our work. But we ments such as “Hardly see you!” will be operating in far better con- “You have never come to *** • Establishing a working style ditions than in 2000-2007. We Taman”. It is difficult to please ev- that is not dependent on hand- hold the parliamentary seat, and eryone, especially those who ex- outs. We have been able to find that is something. The party’s ca- pect one to be able to hand out ways to be of relevance to pacity has been augmented with cash each time. peoples’ problems despite not new members and full-timers. having excess to mega funds. Also, we have a network of Ketua But at the same time being the MP • Moving towards the establish- Kampungs who, despite being gives one fantastic access to the ment of people’s power (the elected by the kampung people for community and to local govern- networks) to address the prob- two-year terms, will probably be ment. For a social activist, access lems faced by the population. sidelined and marginalised by to the community is all important This is much more liberating the Umno government. How do – that is the first step to building a for the people concerned. we use these factors to move our people’s movement! • Developing the capacity of the work forward? Proper analysis branch. The full-timers have and planning coupled with dili- Also being the MP gives you a plat- developed: they now can gent implementation should see form to speak from. People tend to handle a large number of the the programme developing in the take you more seriously because issues themselves and report coming year. q you are an MP – though I really do to me afterwards. There was a not see why that should be so! You danger that the volunteer are the same person, with the same members – the majority of the Jeyakumar Devaraj is the weaknesses you had prior to win- party members - would be left Member of Parliament for ning the seat – but there is an irra- out of the work, given the rapid Sungai Siput tional belief on the part of the Ma- pace of programmes. But we

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 39 POLITICS Sungai Siput: One year after Transmuting “welfare” work into a programme that empowers the people by Jeyakumar Devaraj

inning the Sg Siput seat WWW was an unexpected WW event. We had expected that we would be able to narrow the difference of votes between us and Dato Seri Samy Vellu. But the swing in the non- Malay votes was far more than we had expected and as the 8th of March progressed, and we began seeing the preliminary returns from our counting agents, we realised that a victory was possible.

Welfare work?

Victory was chaotic. There was a deluge of requests for help. Ini- Kumar and colleagues visiting fire victims tially, I was getting more than 120 specific requests for help each week. It’s far more than can be handled by one person. But things have settled down somewhat – we have three full-timers who now are able to handle more and more of these cases. Also perhaps the un- realistic expectations that many of these problems can be solved in- stantaneously have ameliorated to an extent. Nevertheless, individual cases still take up a fair portion of our workload.

I personally received 130 such cases in January and February of

Continued on page 36 Kumar with the Kamiri Estate community who had been hauled to court by their former employer

Aliran Monthly : Vol.29(2) Page 40