DON'T PANIC DR M! ELECTION WATCH under attack

n 26 Feb., 1990, six COO· ELECIION WATCH only have now grown accthlomed to, cemed Malaysians issued a wants free and fair elections, he lashed out at what he percetved press statement announcmg 0 says ANIL NETTO below as a mere extension of the Opposi­ the formation of Elect.Jon Watch. tion and accused the group'<; It was a dramatic and unprece­ where he outlines the role of members of bias. dented development m MalaySian the group. Dr Mahathir's tirade appeared electoral history - though such to s1gnal the green light for his Yes groups are not uncommon in other Ministers to jo1n in the fray. \\llen parts of the world. process. Th~ . 27 Feb. came and Ministers were subsequently Already, it is apparent that went without any offictal response. approached for comment. they certain quaners are feeling most Indeed, government reaction was invanably parotted the official res­ uncomfortable. One tends to deafening in its silence. Perhaps, ponse to the effect that the forma­ wonder why officials were frantically trying to tion of I::Jection \htch was "not In their statement, the six srud get through to Lusaka? necessary''. That was the best Lee their sense of duty and responsi­ Kim Sai (now Datuk Lee, if you bility had prompted them to come OFFICIAL REACTION don't mind), Datuk Abdullah together to do their bit to ensure Badawi and Datuk Dr Yusof Noor Then. on 28 Feb. on prime time that the corning elections would could come up with - uncanny TV news, Malaysians were treated be free and flllf. how they sounded like the) were to press conference called by the This informal group comprises a reading from the same script. Election Commission. Jts Secretary, the distinguished founer Lord Presi­ dent Tun Mohamad Suffian Hastum Haji Rashid .Abdul Rahman, made a MEDIA RESPO~SE spectacle of himself with a bitter (chairman), the respected former The newspapers were not to be Auditor-General Tan Sn Ahmad and rambling attack on Election Watch. Among other things, he outdone, either. The Star, Business Noordm Zakana, former Bar Coun­ Times and the &hna ~WaySta cil Chairmen and prominent human accused the group of being ann­ government and of being out to dailies all dished out subsement, rights activists, Raja Aziz Addruse pathetic editorials whi::h v.""ere not and Datuk Param Cumaraswamy, discredit the CornmtSSJon. With Dr Mahathir back in town, worth the pa~r the} v.

2 media.

CLEARING UP MISCONCEPTIONS Let us now look at some irra­ tional and illogical arguments put forward against the formation of Election Watch - arguments that are very easily rebutted. Election Watch is not necessary. After aU, we have the Election Commission, an independent body responsible for the conduct of free and fair elections - and our elec­ tions have been free, in the past. Election Watch is not out to usurp the legitimate and consti­ tutional role of the Election Com­ mt~ion. It is not hell-bent on dis­ crediting the Commtssion in the e}es of the public. As an illustra­ DATUK LEE KIM SAl; DATUK ABDULLAH BADAWI : tion, Kuala Lumpur City Police PARROTTED THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE have "urged the public, particularly residents of housing estates, to set safeguarding and upholding the If we look at recent events, we up Neighbourhood Watch groups to independence of the Commission. will see that public perception of beat crime. Such groups could act EJection Watch is merely an the Election Commission, even as the eyes and ears of the police ... " ex t~nsion of the Opposition. Its before the formation of Election (NST, 12 March 1990). There is no members are known to be anti­ Watch, was already at a low ebb - question here of Lhese groups government. They are just a frus­ as a result of various discrepanctes. usurptng the legitimate role of the trated Jot out for cheap publk ity. allegations and unattended com­ police. Instead, such groups are Members of Election Watch are plaints. Election Watch was formed meant to complement the police in not members of any political party with the intention of strengthening their efforts to combat crime. nor have they ever championed the credibility and mdependence of the Commission. 1 ~ you like, Election Watch does partisan interests. Some of them not see its role as that oC a "blood­ have been outspoken critics of the hound" but rather as one of a present administration, yes, but CONCLUSION '"watchdog". ln recent months, always in defence of fundamental When one analyses the offictaJ many independent bodies e.g. the democratic principles like JUstice, response to the formation of Elec­ Judiciary and public interest groups freedom and integrily which tion Watch, it is easy to see that have been intimidated by a power­ have taken a severe beating in those in power do not take too ful Executive. Election Watch recent times. It is on record that kindly to any group trying to assert wants to make sure that the Elec­ Election Watch members have also some measure of independence in tron Commission does not suffer criticized the Opposition on many Malaysian public life. Why the near the same fate. occasions for taking extreme posi­ hysteria by our leaders over the Nobody appointed them. Who tions on various ethnic and religious formation of Election Watch? After do they think they an seiVing? ISSues. The public can rest assured all, what has Election Watch Election Watch has no right to that Election Watch - led by a actually done to deserve such ~n t the pubtic. former Lord President of the criticism? It ts the duty of every citizen Supreme Court and comprising Election Watch is, in reality, a to stand up in support of the some of the finest and most upright group of concerned citizens who ·democratic process. Free elections of Malaysian citizens - will be genuinely desire free and fair are the cornerstone of a parlia­ totally impartial in all its dealings. elections. Deftnitely nothing wrong mentary democracy. Cnizens have Indeed, its members have absolute­ with that. MalaySians should laud the right to be concerned about ly nothing to gain from their parti­ their efforts and support them unhealthy electoral practices. Al­ cipation in the group. wholeheartedly. though laws have been enacted to The fonnation of Election Let's end with Dr Mahathir's provtde for the tndependence of the Watch in ittelf has railed doubts mocking words - "Election Watch Election Commission. our system IS about the effectiveness of the with one eye," he quipped, blinking by no means foolproof Hence, it is Election Colllllllssion and has one eye (NST, 2 March 1990). all the more important for ordinary undennined the Commission's That's a whole lot better than citizens to be espectally vigilant in credibility. voting with both eyes shut. •

3 ''Great'' Minds & Newspapers Think Alike ... reactions to formation of Election Watch

Bow can we recop.ise the group? They comprise p~ple who are already opposed to the Gove,rmnent. - Election Commission secretary Hajt'Rlzshid~bdulRahnum, THE STAR, 1/3/90. ) - Dutuk Lee Kim Sai, NST, 5/3/90.

They do not haY~ good iritentions.Jhey ar.e biased and anti-Government ... they can only watch with I one eye. >- - Dr Mahathir Xlohamad, THE STAR. 2/3~90. - Datuk Dr YusofNor, NST, 7/3/90.

EXCEPTS FROM SO-CALLED LETTERS TO SO-CALLED NEWSPAPER EDITORS. There is more than an ounce of truth iri the PM's statement that the group was not as neutral as it claimed. All six have been the Government's fault­ There is no need for Election fmders and it is quite obvious that their inclusion is Watch. What is needed is a close due to the anti~blishment roles they have played in the past few yean. watch on Election Watch ... - V .K. Chin, THE STAR, 3/3/90. . .. These self-styled and annoioted apostles of propriety have taken upon themselves Tun Hakim SuffWl adalah seorang yang lebih to be arbitors of an established dikenali sebagai WOO (Western Oriented Gendeman order and made judgement in their biased views ... (sic) - A wang Selamat, MINGGUAN MALAYSIA, 4/3/90. . .. To the priest of social re_formation (Dr Chandra Muzaffar), my advice is to wean away Aliran from being What public support does the Election Watch politicised..... have? Is it claiming extra constitutional rights to supervise a constitutio.nally formed iridependent ... However, J feel there are body, to be a super commission to ovenee the better things they can do .. J Election Commiaion? Who gives them the right... ? suggest they undertake an -BUSINESS TIMES (editorial), 2/3/90. AIDS Watch ...

4 PRO-JUSTICE, ANTI-INJUSTICE ELECTION WATCH

The Election Watch has no survival of parliamentary demo­ intention of usurping the cracy. legitimate role of the Election Election Watch's main concern Commission says TUN then is the protection of parlia­ SUFFIAN in response to mentary democracy . As far as the attacks on its formation. survival of democratic values and institutions are concerned, the members of Election Watch are e are saddened by some nor neutral. We are biased in favour of the comments made by of an independent Election Com· W the Prime Minister and mission and fair elections, just as officials of the Election Commis­ we are biased towards an indepen­ sion on the formation of Election dent judiciary, an effective parlia­ Watch. ment, a media that is free of execu­ Election Watch has no intention tive control and a political system of usurping the legitimate role of that upholds fundamental liberties the Election Commission. Election and democratic freedom. Watch has never questioned the As individuals involved in public integrity of the Commission or life, members of Election Watch accused it of wanting to rig elec­ have at some point or other, come tions. Our objectives have made this in defence of these democratic crystal clear ln fact , Election values and principles. It is true that Watch hopes to work with the Elec­ we have taken the side of freedom tion Commission to ensure that a and justice, as we perceive these free and fair general election will values. But members of Election take place. Watch are not anti-government. We Informal groups similar to Elec­ are anti-injustice. Neither are we tion Watch have been established in pro-opposition. We are pro-justice. a number of countries in recent Indeed, the records will show years. South Korea, lndia, Sri that some members of Election Lanka, Bangladesh, Chile and Nica· Watch have spoken out against the ragua have ·bad Election Watch shortcomings of the Opposition just groups. rt is apparent that even as they have criticised wrongdoings quasi·military dictatorships have on the part of the government. No tolerated Watch groups whose sole member of Election Watch is affi­ purpo~ is to p10tect values such as liated to any political party. No integrity. fairness and justice in the member of Election Watch has ever conduct of elections. been active in party politics. In our country, there are two Similarly, no member of Elec­ imp()rtant developments which jus­ tion Watch has tarnished the image tify the establishme11t of an Elec­ of the nation abroad. Criticisin& the tion Watch One, allegations of wrongdoings of a particular govern­ electoral malpractice~; in recent ment or a certain leadership should months have been more widespread not be equated with tarnishing the and more seriou ~> than at any tin1e inlage of the nation. in the past Two, over the years, an As a Filipino patriot observed it increasingly powerful Executive has is out of love for one's nation that emerged which has challenged the one is sometimes compeUed to aurouomy and independence of a point out the errors of the govern­ number of institutions vital for the ment of the day. e

5 AN EXPRESSION OF l CONCERN Formation of ELECTION WATCH

The formation of Election n the whole, the actual Watch has raised quite a stir. MalaySJan Constitution and is one conduct of elections in In a press statement issued on of the crucial pillars of our system 0 Malaysia has been relatively of parliamentary democracy. Our fair. Malaysians would like it to 26 February 1990, its six Election Commtssioners know that remain that way. members explain that the they do not owe allegiance to the In the last few months, however, group was set up to do Executive or to any indiv1duaJ m there have been allegations of whatever they could for the power. Their allegiance is to the wrongdoings which have raised cause of democracy. Constitution - and the Constitu­ doubts about the entire electoral tion alone. process. lt is pertinent to note that It is the duty of the Malaysian the Secretary of the Election Com­ public to help protect and preserve mission himself had stated in yes­ mainly facilitate the registration of the independence and integrity of terday's (25 Feb. 1990) newspapers new voters by a certain political the l:.lection Commission. It is our that certain political parties have party. Rules and regulations on responsibility as citizen to ensure moved the names and addresses of electoral procedures may be that elections are free and fair. It ts thousands of voters, particularly in changed - so it is alleged - before out of this sense of duty and res­ Kelantan and Terengganu, from one the next general election, to the ponsibility that we the undersigned constituency to another without detriment of democratic principles. have come together to do what the voters' knowledge. He described These allegations may or may little we can for the cause of such moves as a 'crime' not be true But the Election Com democucy. It ts also alleged that names of mtssion has an obligation to investi­ Ours is an informal groupmg and voters have been transferred from ga te them thoroughly and clear comprises six concerned Malay­ certain polling stations to other whatever doubts that may exist in sians. It will be known as the Elec­ polling stations in the same consti­ the public mind. The public must tion Watch group. The Chairman tuency without their prior consent. be convinced beyond the shadow of of the group will be the former At the same time, there seem to be a doubt that elections will be fau. Lord President, Tun Mohamad Suf­ serious discrepancies m the electo· The integrity and honesty of the fian bin Hashim. The other mem­ ral rolls of certain constituencieS Election Commission should never bers of Election Watch are. Tan Sri Different names bearing the same be 10 question. Ahmad Noordrn bm Zakaria (the identity card numbers appear in The EJection Commission itself, former Auditor-General), Y.M. Raja different places in the electoral we are confident, realises the im­ Aziz Addruse (a former Chairman rolls. It has also been suggested that portance of protecting its integrity of the Bar Council), Dato' Param the voter registration exercise and maintaining its independence. Cumaraswamy {also a fonner Chair­ which will commence soon is to Its independence is embodied in the ma n of the Bar Council), Dr

•

, 6 Chandra Mu7.affar (President ALIRAN) and Mr Chom Mun Sou (a lawyer and a member of the BMF Committee of Inquiry in the mid-eighties). AJiran Kesedaran Ne­ gara (ALIRAN) will serve as these­ cretariat of Election Watch. In order to ensure a clean and fau general elecuon Election Watch tntends to.- • Uaise with the Uecuon Com­ mission on alleged malpractices which may have been brought to its attention. • Seek the assistance of non­ partisan volunteers from among social activists, journalists, tea­ chers, academics, lawyers and other professionals, who may be willing to help the group inves­ tigate allegations of wrongdoings connected with the electoral process. AN ynufO issues pertaining to the conduct of elections and parliamentary FO~ GOJ) democracy. • Organize talks, fora and seminars in different parts of the country on the conduct of elections and the parliamentary system with the aun of increasing public awareness of democratic values and pnnciples. • Undertake any other activity which is in line with the Malay­ sian Constitution, law and the Rukunegara that would help to safeguard the independence of the EJection Commission and the integrity of the electoral process. It is our hope that the Malaysian public will support our modest efforts. They should realise that free, fair eJections are so impo'rtant for sustaining popular confidence in the political system. Once that confidence is destroyed, our politi· ---- cal stability will be in jeopardy.

The above is a press statement · issued on Feb 26, 1990 and signed by nm Mohd. Su/rlan Hashim (Chairman), Tan Sri Ahmad Noor­ din Zakarla, Raja Aziz Addruse, Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, Dato 'Param CUmaraswamy and Mr. Chooi Mun Sou.

7 Was the recent March 1990 voter registration exercise carried out at the behest of UMNO Baru? Here, is the evidence - a circular dated 26 February 1990 sent by the Secretary of the Kelantan UMNO Baru State Liaison Committee to all Kelantan divisional secretaries. Readers, judge for yourselves.

l)il Karui: Dil 'fulln.:

farikh:

YB/YM/YBrs.,

PER: GERAKAN DAFTAR PEMILffi BAG! TAHUN l 990 ·Adalah dengan hormatnya sulcacita dimaklumkan bahawa SuruhanJaY.i Pilihanmya Malaysia tebh mengumumkan ba.h..n~ a Gerak.u. Oat tar Perru.!.Ih bo.tgi tah. n l ':J90 akan bermula pada lhb Mac.; 1990 dan JJ..an ber:Jalan !)elarnaklm-km. :!~ luri. 2 Sebagaimana yang kita semua mt'maklurn b.iluwa gerabn iru mungkin merupakan pelu311g terakhir untuk. mendaftar sebagJl penulih :~tau bt:rptndaJJ tempat mengundi disebabkan oleh perpindahm tempat tinggal. Mabhan geraY.au m! dtadakan awal atas permintJan kita setel.il. meny.:dan m:ttih nunat :Uili • f.NO yang beluJll mendaftar sebagli pemilih Ji.::elun .. h ~egar...

8 ... 3. Memandangkan gerakan ini sangat pentmg dan mungkin merupakan peluang kali terakhir sebelum pilihanraya umum, maka Badan Perhubungan sukacita meminta tiap-tiap Sahagian mengambillangkah berikut.- 1. Mengadakan Majlis Perjumpaan kepada pemimpm-pemimpin Cawangan agar mengambil tindakan khusus mendaftar ahli dan penyokong UMNO di Cawangan masing-masing yang belum lagi mendaftar supaya didaftarkan. Untuk tujuan pendaftaran kali ini mereka yang layak mendaftar talah mereka yang lahir pada atau sebelum 28hb Feb., 1969. 2. Mengadakan Jawatankuasa Khas di peringkat Sahagian untuk menglak­ sanakan perkara ini. 3. Melantlk pelari-pelari sebagatmana yang dibuat semasa gerakan pendaf­ taran tahun 1989. Untuk tujuan ini Badan Perhubungan benetuju untuk membayar sedikit habuan ... kepada pelari-pelari ini. Pelari-Pelari ini sebenpa boleb adaJah mereka yang telah dilantik menjadi pelari dalam masa gerakan daftai pemilih tahun 1989 dulu. Setiap Kawasan DUN dipenantukan seora.na pelari. PeJari dikehendaki memuoagut 'CounterfaiJ' atau bk.i borana pendaftaran bagi penyoko113 kita. 4. Setiap Sahagian dikehendaki menyerahkan satu penyata bilangan ahli penyokong kita yang baru berdaftar. 5. Oleh kerana tujuan ini amat penting, maka YB/YM/YBrs diminta memberi perhatian yang amat berat mengenai perkara ini. Di atas kerjasama dan perhatian YB/YM/YBrs. diucapkan ribuan terima kasib jua.

"BERSA TU BERSETIA BERKHIDMAT"

Adalah Saya Dengan Hormatnya,

(HJ. AHMAD SHAH/BUDDIN BIN HJ. MOHD. NOR) Setillusaha &dan Perhubungan UMNO Negeri Keliznran.

s.k:- i. YAB. Tan Sri Dato' Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Negeri Kelantan. ii. YB. Ketua-Ketua UMNO Bahagtan .

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9 ·•.. UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL VALUES

COMPETITIVE APPROACH I HIS SUCCESS

the eye. peace. Under the competitive Competition has become the It cannot be denied that this system, you must 'push' others nonn in our society. It is often competitive approach has produced aside to make way for yourself. 'visible' results which are there for gloried by those who do not Greed, ego, jealousy, lust and anger everyone to see. But it also has are its bitter fruits. Exploitation; realise that its bitter fruits are certain 'invisible' drawbacks and injustice and dishonesty are its egoism, greed, jealousy. lust disadvantages. Once set in motion, main-tools. Corruption, crime and and anger. Is there an the wheel of competition tends to violence are its logical outcome. alternative? spin at an ever-accelerated speed. Almost all the individual and Soon, the competition becomes societal problems of the modern 'stiff and 'cut-throat'. Besides, it troubled times can be traced to the he modem age may be hastens the pace of life and attaches three main human vices of lust, called 'the era of competi­ undue weightage to one's economic greed and ego. The competitive T tion'. In our present times, status. A competitive system inva­ system of our times is fertile competition has been widely accep­ riably results in outstanding success breeding ground for these vices. ted as a philosophy of life and is for a few and varying degrees of Small wonder then that the pro­ considered to be the guiding star of failure for all the rest. Competition blems are also becoming more all human endeavor. widens the gulf between 'haves' and complex. There is hardly any area of 'have nots'. It produces a few super It may be argued that competi­ activity-be it business, politics, giants ·and reduces others to tion is unavoidable when the technology or media- which is free pygmies. It creates pockets of openings and positions available are of competition. Inventors and inno­ vulgar luxury for some at the cost limited and so many set out to vators incessantly keep on striving of appalling poverty and untold chase them. There can be no objec­ to produce something 'new', but in misery for most others. tion to fair and healthy competi­ no time, their competitors catch up Human values are its first. tion which is supposed to promote with them and come up with attrac­ casualty. These are replaced by fairplay and equality of opportuni­ tive variations and improved ver­ totally false, shallow and debased ty. In actual practice, however, sions. In fact, a lot of credit for the values, which have all the glitter, competition fosters favouritism and maJVellous achievements of the but are not gold. Aggressiveness, nepotism. Under the competitive present jet-set age has been attribu­ which is given the respectable guise system, the mdividual's very ted to the 'spirit' of competition. of 'initiative' and 'drive', is its main attitude towards life undergoes a Yet, there is more to it than meets tool. It shatters love , harmony and basic change and becomes confron­ tational. Instead of considering oneself as a pan of the social pool and contributing to its growth, the tendency is created to exploit it for selfish gain. It's time we pause and ponder whether competitive approach Is really as good for our society as it is made out to be. Is there a viable Humanity is a species in decline; it is undergoing a altemat\ve to it? The answer to the metamorphosis and just like a pupating butterfly latter question is, fortunately, 'yes'. And that is : 'Cooperation' as a is in danger because of its own ingenuity and labours. way of life.

ALI SIJARJATI • Extracted from 'Purity', June 1989

10 INTER RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

VALIANT EFFORT THAT TURNED SOUR

The MCCBCHS recently he ~alaysian Consulta ti¥-e the building of bridges - it has Council of Buddhism, Chris· launched a signature campaign served to further enhance the T tianity, Hinduism and Sik· against the imposition of biases and prejudices of non· hism (MCCBCHS} has for sometime Shariah Laws on non-Muslims. Muslims against Muslims. The now been at the forefront of cham· However, certain non-Muslim whole campaign takes on an 'us pioning the religious rights and quaiters were disturbed over versus them' approach which is privileges of many minority religions what they perceived as the definitely unhealthy in our Malay­ in Malaysia. Highlighting the belligerent and adversarial sian context. What has happened to discrimination in the allocation of tone adopted by the the whole spirit of dialogue? religious places of worship, of the The MCCBCHS has acted as conversion of minors, the right to MCCBCHS in this instance. In a letter to Aliran Monthly alarmists by painting a very bleak the usage of certain words that are future scenario if the Shariah were not exclusive to islam, problems sigued by 33 Malaysian imposed in Malaysia. The example with immigration authorities with Christians, the MCCBCHS is of Sudan where non·Muslims have regards to religious missionaries and urged to promote national been flogged in public for the teachers are just some examples of unity through inter-religious possession of liquor is an isolated the good work that has been done dialogue. example. Surely the members of by the Council. the Council are aware that, at Be that as it may, we are disturb· present, the situation and practice ed at the present campaign being way, we should treat the Shariah differs from one Muslim majority waged by the MCCBCHS, through as a legal code with its good and state to another. To quote such an its signature campaign and its book· bad points. Our stance should be extreme case seems an indication of let entitled "Why MCCBCHS one of supporting the good and the bias and prejudice that seem to Rejects The Application Of The rejecting the bad. One example of a have got the upper hand in the pre· Shariah On Non·Muslims", that positive element in the Shariah, paration of this document. categorically rejects the application is the rape laws, which focus on The Signature Campaign should of the Shariah on non·Muslims. Our the crime withoHt calling into have been based on the rejection of reasons are as follows:· question ·the character of the specific amendments to the Selan· Although the MCCBCHS admits victim. In our present legal system, gor State Legislation rather than that they are "fully aware and the victim is b,arraged with nume· saying that "We do not want the appreciate the good values which rous questions on her moral charac· Shariah (Islamic Laws) imposed on are enshrined in the Holy Qur'an", ter. The situation becomes one us". The phrasing of the signature the document itself has failed to where· it is the victim, and not the campaign makes it very qtuch an 'us give a balan~;eu aml just pi~;ture of suspected rapist, who. is_ em . trlai. versus them' reaction and asks the Shariah Law. The Document This is obviously unjust. Wouldn't persons to make a blanket condem· presents a biased perspective of it be a good thing if a law of this nation of the Shariah - which is the Shariah pointing out only its nature was incorporated into civil very wrong! negative features without any law? Hence, it is important that we reference at all to the provisions in ln a multi·religious and multi· question whether prejudice and it that are superior to the present racial community, our goal should bias, that is inherent within a civil law. be towards the building of bridges. multi·religious community like The Shariah should be treated as We should strive towards the ours, has got in the way of coming a legal system or code. We, in removal of the walls of prejudice to a rational understanding of the Malaysia have taken and adopted and bias. The stance taken ln this Shariah. elements from the British and campaign against the imposition The tone of the MCCBCHS Indian legal systems. In the same of Shariah Law has done little for stance is definitely not helpful

11 towards ,the promotion of inter­ those in positions of power and also tive values of truth, love and religious dialogue particularly with the fear of being proselytized". justice. Besides championing the our Muslim brethren, which is very Their warning seem to have gone rights of the religious minorities, important within a multi-religious unheeded in this particular the MCCBCHS has a more impor­ context like ours in Malaysia. The situation. tant role in promoting inter­ Bishops Institute for Inter-Religious To the man in the street, the religious dialogue in the interest of Affairs of the Asian Bishops' Con­ MCCBCHS members are perceived national unity. ference at their meeting in Kuala as leaders of the various non­ We would like to reiterate the Lumpur in 1979 warned us to be Muslim religious commuruues. need for the MCCBCHS to discern "aware of the negative attitudes Realizing this, the MCCBCHS has a very seriously before acting, and Situations which inhibit and role in the promoting of national realizing that their actions have far present obstacles to dialogue - unity through inter-religious reaching consequences for the predominantly the fear of a mino­ dialogue that seeks to look at the Malaysian people. • rity, of the politically and econo­ common elements that bring us mically disadvantaged towards together. All faiths promote posi-

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12 ETHNICITV & EDUCATION

QUOTAS & KANGKUNG PROFESSORS

•

Last month, the MP for Marang created a furore in Parliament when he alleged that Malays were being disregarded in promotion exercises at the Universiti Malaya. CHANDRA MUZAFFAR takes a sober look at the situation and points out that ability and accomplishment must be cherished at all times in order to achieve academic excellence.

MARANG MP ABDUL RAHMAN BAKAR (RIGHT) VS. UNIVERSITI MALA VA VC DR SYED HUSSEIN ALATAS (LEFT) : OUOT A EXPECT AT IONS AND AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION.

n a society where ethmcity is that the present Vice-Chancellor of Since the allegation was made in given quite a bit of emphasis the Universiti Malaya, Dr Syed Parliament, the Vice-Chancellor I in public policies, issues like Hussein AJatas, disregarded Bumi­ need not have got into the fray how many Malay professors as puteras in promotion exercises. right at the outset. The Minister of against non-Malay professors have Non-Malay deans, he alleged, had Education should have replied to been promoted under a particular replaced Malay deans in four of the the backbencher from his party Vice-Chancellor, are bound to University's faculties. He went on which is what Anwar Ibrahim did surface from time to tinle. to suggest that all the tutors pro­ on 12 March. Though it took him a The Barisan Nasion a! MP for moted to lecturers in another little bit of time to respond, the Marang, Abdul Rahman Bakar promotion exercise were non­ Minister's reply demonstrated a alleged in Parliament in early March Malays. commitment to academic princi-

13 pies and the canons of scholarship. lecturers to associate professors. 24 the present Vice-Chancellor of the Dr Syed Hussein, on the other of them were Malays. Universiti Malaya has been insisting hand, by challenging the Barisan Perhaps, people like Abdul upon academic standards and pro­ MP to a public debate, demeaned Rahman Bakar want many more fessional norms amongst his the high office he occupies. A Malays to become professors at a teaching and research staff. He public office-holder who is the rapid rate. They feel that there wants' to do solid research, publish target of attack by some middling should be rigid , ftxed quotas which in established academic journals politician does not go around would help to increase dramatically and acquire some intellectual throwing challenges at his adver­ the number of Malays in senior standing befOie they seek to sary. His duty is to state the facts, academic positions. In their become associate professors and to provide clarifications in a thinking, this is what the New full professors. U they aspire to rational, dispassionate manner. Economic Policy (NEP) is all lofty academic positions, without On the whole, it must be admit­ about. first attaining a certain intellectual ted that Dr Syed Hussein presented It is true that NEP quotas have stature, they would end up as mere to the public a lucid, logical been interpreted and implemented 'kangkung' professors - to use explanation of the real situation at in this manner in various spheres of Dr Syed Hussein's analogy. Kang­ the Universiti Malaya. Malay deans society - academic included. Such kung professors, presumably, are of three out of four faculties in interpretation and implementation easy to come by but are academi­ question were on sabbatical leave of the NEP bas been the bane of cally hollow and intellectually and senior non-Malay professors Malaysian society in the last 20 shallow. were appointed as acting deans. years. Professional standards have However, to convince the acade­ Sixteen non-Malay tutors were been sacrificed at the altar of mic community, in particular, and promoted to lecturers since all the ethrticity. Values such as ability the Malaysian public, in general, Malay tutors had already been and excellence have been subor­ that ability and accomplishment are promoted to lectu.rers in previous dinated to ethnic quotas and ethnic cherised values, the Vice-Chancellor promotion exercises. He went on to ratios. As a result, mediocrity must ensure that his appointments show that Malays comprise 62 per reigns supreme in certain institu­ and promotions are not influenced cent of deans and directors of tions within the public and private by extraneous considerations. It faculties and institutes. Seventeen sectors. Mediocrity breeds medio­ would be a pity if sometimes the out of the 23 deputy deans and crity. It becomes the norm because desire to build a clique or create a deputy directors are Malays. All the mediocre would never tolerate faction within the campus that is three Deputy Vice.Cbanoellors are the accomplished since they would totally loyal to him colollfS the Malay. Most of all, 90 per cent of feel threatened by those .who are judgment of the Vice-Chancellor. the Universiti Malaya Council, better than them. The consequence That, more than anything else, which is the most powerful body in of all this is a low-quality, low· will cause irreparable damage to the university, is Malay. It is only achievement society. the laudable goal of moulding the in the university's Senate that It is partly because of a desire to University of Malaya into a centre there is a slight non-Malay majority. teverse this disastrous trend, that of academic excellence. • This is mainly because there are, at the moment, more non-Malay than Malay professors. Dr Syed Hussein established quite clearly that the administrative ANNOUNCEMENT leadership of the Universiti Malaya is largely Malay. In fact one could argue that considering the multi­ 1989 BOUND COPIES OF ALIRAN ethnic composition of Malaysian MONTHLY society, the university's Council, for instance, is heavily slanted Available on request at $4.00 per set of 12 issues towards one community. This if collected 1n person or at $6.00 by registered should be rectified. post. As far as senior academic posi­ tions are concerned, the present non-Malay majority will give way SONGS OF HUMANITY eventually to a more balanced situation. More and more Malay Song book containing more than 120 songs of lecturers are being promoted to humanity with musical notes for most of the associate professOis. Some of them songs PLUS a tape containing some of the songs, wilJ one day become full professors. now available as an offer at $6.00 if .collected in In June 1989, as a case in point, the person or at $7.50 by registered post. university's Council promoted 44

14 '"What coraa from the lips, reachu the HEART TO HEART ear. What comes from the heart, reachu the heart."

- ARAB PROVERB LAUGHING AT OTHERS' EXPENSE THE UNFUNNY SIDE OF ETHNIC JOKES

orry to start with a cliche, joke. But few jokes are made for for the Malay and $2 million for but have you heard this the sake of the joke alone (or as the Indian so that they can take his S one before? Sigmund Freud puts it, an innocent place in the space mission. Three men, a Chinese, an Indian joke). Most are made at the expense Depending on the ethnicity of and a Malay (yes, I'm afraid I'm of others - a particular person, the listener (or reader) of the above repeating an ethnic joke) enjoy group or community. jokes, he or she is liable to either playing the drums for hours at a Ethnic jokes can be very hurtful chuckle or feel somewhat upset. stretch. When the Chinese plays ~d worse stilJ, perpetuate certain Not every Malay is lazy or stupid his drum, it goes, "Unk tong! warped opinions and ideas of a just as not all Chjnese are indus­ Unk tong!'' (untung, untung). On particular community. Most Malay­ trious or corrupt and it is unfair to the other hand, the drum from the sian ethnic jokes portray the be generalised as such. There are Indian goes, "Ka tang! Ka tang! Chinese as materialistic, prone to enough present day events to show Unk tong! Ka tang! Ka tang! Unk corrupt ways and too industrious that corruption exists among all tong! (kadang kadang untung), for their own good. The Indians three ethnic groups especially while the Malay chap's drumming are seen as rowdy and trying hard among those in power. There are goes, "Ta unk tong! Ta unk tong!" to be cleverer than they actually are, lazy Chinese and Indians too and (tak untung). while the Malays are percetved as our political leaders of all races Tills is one of the less offensive plain lazy and stupid. have shown that the lack of grey ethnic jokes I can recall. Like most Tills is evident in a joke widely matter is not a problem confined people, I have heard many kinds of repeated during the early 1970s. to one particular ethnic group. jokes. Fortunately, I tend ro forget The owner of a laboratory selling Why then do people make (and most of them for some were truly human brains points a prospective enjoy) racial jokes? According to a terrible and not very funny at all. buyer to a Chinese brain specimen psychology lecturer in the Universi­ There have been naughty jokes costing only S 100. Another mass of ti Sains Malaysia, most jokes in fuU of sexual innuendo, most of brain belonging to an Indian costs general, stem from the unconscious which were aimed at women and $300, but the brain belonging to a in us. Freud, she says, related jokes Bengalis, jokes which made fun of Malay costs $I ,000! Why? Because, .to the unconscious and saw them the disabled and aged, animal jokes says the laboratory owner, "it is a as a way to express hidden desires, (really gross!) and of course, ethnic brand new brain .. .never used secret fears and all sorts of internal jokes. before". conflicts without actually appearing The above joke for instance, Such prejudjce is also evident in to be doing so. pokes fun of all three races - the another joke which concerns the But, she says, racial jokes are Chinese for his greed, the Indian for search for a Malaysian guinea pig to much more than that. Freud would his aspirations to match the greed take part in a mission to the moon. probably classify them as tenden­ ·of the Chinese but somehow not The Malay applicant asks for a tious jokes, that is, a technique quite making it, and the poor salary of $1 million. The next whereby a purposeful remark is Malay who seems to be at quite a applicant, an Indian, wants $2 mil­ delivered withln a joking envelope. loss amid all that drumming. lion. The third applicant, a Chinese The tendentious joke enables the It's true the jokes appear quite demands $5 million - $1 million to teller to be hostile while bribing humourou~ at face value. Most grease the palms of the selection the listener with the joke's yield of people laugh readily. Some laugh board, Sl million for himself. Of humour to take sides with him even though they fail to catch the the other $3 million, $1 million is without closer investigation. The

15 opposite of a tendentious joke would be the innocent joke. "Ethnic jokes as a whole, are steeped in racial prejudice, chau­ vinisnt, ignorance, false impressions and at its worst, sheer bigotry. Lt tends to be based on an individual's characteristic rather than the general characteristics of tJ1e group or community. Worse still, it is the weakest and most negative aspect of that particular corr nur ity which is highlighted and rid1culed,'' she says. The maliciousness of some ethnic jokes seeriu to indicate that they do not necessarily stem only from the unconsciousness, but rather have become a very con­ scious effort on the part of some to put down another person or com­ muruty. This is especially so when jokes are spread by word of mouth and embellished with each repetition. "For many people, such jokes have become a mems to humiliate or attack without being overtly aggressive. These people may har­ ~he bour a superior opinion of them­ selves or they may actually be mainspring of the feeling inferior and use such jokes to mask their weaknesses," says the strength of every psychology lecturer. The sad thing is tba t a mistru th is being perpetuated each time such race lies in its jokes are repeated. The joke is not only on the one being laughed at, spirituality, and but on the teller too, fo~ promoting such narrow-minded views. Of late the death of that too, prominent political figures have begun to get portrayed in race begins ethnic jokes. l am sure you have heard at least one of many in­ volving the big threes - Dr Maha­ the day that thir, MCA's Da1uk Dr Ling and MJC's Datuk Seri Samy Vellu. lt is spirituality wanes probably a sign of how communal Malaysian politics have become. and materialism So the next time you feel one of those ethnic jokes at the tip of your gains ground. tongue, better to bite your tongue than to repeat it. And what if some­ one comes up and asks, "Have you heard the one about this Malay/ Chinese/Indian?". l leave it to you Swami Vivekananda to think about it. • AYW

16 lands. ThU system or planning arises from our method of goveming ourselves, and is based upon the need to protect LEI I ERS the interest of the pub)jc act luge over W. welcome leners "o"' reeders. Letterl•n 1M eith• in English or a.t... the conflicting narrow interests or pri­ Mll-vU. Th.. !etten mey 1M ediud for fiUI'PC*a of QIHe and c:Witv. The vate individuals or oorporation. wi•- mev not be mo. of the Ali ran Monthly. flleudOftyma are KCeptM but The Town and Country Planning Act 1111 lettws thould include the - iter's name end addr•. lettan should sets out inter ali2, the rights of indivi· ll"f.. llly be tv.-wrlttwl with double~,. ; if hend-wrinen they should duals to claim immunity from enforce· be 1-.ible. ment II the use of land or building 1w Lenart ahould be~ to the Editor, Aliran Monthly, P.O. loll 1049, been instituted without planning permis­ 10830 P-e. Mllaysia. sion prior to January 1964. English Land and Property law states that, if a person is allowed the use of land over a period or 10 years, it gives that person an automatic right to claim continuous use of that land. Now, if one were to apply this law to the Sllffolk case, one would clead y see that the residents of Suffolk Estate have FILIAL PIETY AND THE 5. Sooth Africa shall have acr indepen an established right over the land ·in ENGLISH LANGUAGE delll and non-racwlfudicillry. which they have been risident for de­ 6. An economic order shall be created cades. It these residents were to be to promote and adt·a11ce the well­ moved for legitimate ceuons, I.e. Ill is full of vices and virtues. being of all South Africans. compulsory bnd acquisition by the If man realizes his mistakes, he central or local governments or cor­ Any fo[JD of d iscrimination or races M must change foy the better. porations, they would have had to be Filial p1ety is the greatest virtue in is "a crime against the conscience and compensated at current land values. dignity or mankind." 11\111. When puents send their children to I am rather distres.sed to hear that the schools to Jtudy English, they most Our Prime Mmister received a residents have been treated in a manner honour the language when they become sanwna ovation for oondemning apart­ \\hich they do not dese:rve. It ~ould leaders. If they fail to do to, they a.re heid during the recent CHOCM in KL. have certainly caused a public ou1cry lackfn& filial piety. Our Deputy Prime Minister was there at here in Britain and could even have the UN General Assembly joining other ended up in the European Court of WEi\ AI Presidents and d.igmtuies in castigating Human Rights. Anyway, public opinion Kuala lumpur racial segregation po)jcies. It should be here is too strong to allow this to have the duty of every MalaySIIn, especially happened here in the iust place. our ministers, to act rather than preach I think that it ts about time Malay· against racial segregation. SIIDS stopped squabbling and start Our government and • civil service is looking posttively at the "Quality of dominated by one ethnic group from the Ufe". A quality of life, in my mind, is rmmgerial level eight down tO the cleri· one which would provide a gua.rantee of PRACTISE WHAT YOU caJ level. Similarly, our economic sector a decent itandud or hwnan existence is controlled by another major ethnic PREACH and dignity which JS very often taken group. Not much has bern d.,ne to bring for granted. Progress and development about a more multi ~thruL JIUVIte sector &houJd not be measw:ed by the number as this sector is very weU-tuarded and reproduce here an article against of skyscnppers1 but by the heal1h and apartheid which was ado pled by the oontroUed . wctrare of the people. Tolerance, com­ UN General Assembly. This unhealthy reahty must chaf18e. passion, respect and understanding of I We must emph.uise "humanity" rather Let it be a reminder to all Malaysian mankind should be emphasized. poUticillns who ue racist in nature and t1utn "ethnicity". I feel that until and un.le.ss Malaysilln wish to practise apattheid in a similu politics reaches maturity, the destitute fashion in this country. URUPPAN and the voiceless will continue to suffer. Johor Baltru 1. South Africa shall become a united, There are many pressing issues which 110n-racilll and democratic state and need urgent attention, be$ides political and communal issues which do not all rts MQple shall enjoy common and equal cwzensJup and nationa­ beneftt the pub)jc at large. Malayna does not need any more lity, re~ardless of race. colour, sex or creed bv.s to keep her people in check, but DEVELOPMENT OF THE anstead, there mould be laws to pro­ 2. ~outlt Africans shalllrave the ~lrt to HUMAN BEING tect the poor, the disabled, the aged and ptlftiCiplllt! in the go1•ernment and the uAf'ortunate members of society. For administration of the country and be a country to prbgress, the people should allowed equal sufjrafe {IIOting rights) read your uti.cle by R. Elangovan on be encouraged to participate in the under a non.,acial voters' roll and by the ''Tragedy at Suffolk Estate", decision-maldng proceu at central and secret ballot m a united and non· I (AM. Vol9 No.9) with dismay. local government levels. The govern­ fraKtnented South Afnca. I am indeed surprised at the way the ment must provide an atmosphere which authorities have treated the residents J. The; shalf also have the right to form is conducive to public participation. there despite Malaysia bein& a progres­ I agree whole-heartedly with R. Elan­ and JOin any political party of their sive and demooratic country. chorce. gown when he asks "What kind of ln Engbnd and Wales, ~e have the development this which does not 4. South Afnca shall have a legal system comprehensive Town and Country Plan· emphuize hiiDlJn beings?" I am delight­ that wtll guarantee the equality of all ningAct 1947 (subsequent amendments) ed that Ma.laysit has at last jumped on before the law. which control the development of all the fl uman Rights bandwagon. Perhaps

17 the "Suffolk" issue wouJd be a good ment in the controversiaJ pornographic J?C. starting point foT the proposed National tapes scandal bas done irreparable I abo call on the Ma.laysian EPF Human Rights Society to deaJ with. daJna&e to Maika Holdings. Board to ruse the " Incapacitation Bene­ Mabysians shouJd never aJJow fit Scheme" and "Death Benefit A LEE immonJ MPs to enter the sacred Dewan Scheme" (under section 13(1 )(c) or the England R.akyat. Mahatma GandhJ was a man of EPF Ordinance 1951) from a minimum principle. lie never compromised with payment of $500 and a maximum pay­ evil. As a lawyer be could have euily ment of $30,000 to either: cooperated with the British for material pins. But the Mahatma instead chose to i) a minimum payment of $5,000 (the uphold Truth and Justice. tni.Ai.mum payment or $30,000 Mabysiana should stand up now. It is would remain unchanged) or time for a change - a cha~~ge that will ii) a fixed payment of SJO,OOO irrespec· benefH aU the citizellS of our homeland. tive or age or total contributions So let us kick out immonl and cor­ made. rupted MPs and leaders who have been The fact is on[y 13% of the contribu· hlding behind the veil of 'development' ton have more than $10,000 in 'EPF and 'unity'. sa~s (out of C'JYe million members). It is most unfortunate that 10me MIC membfta are supportiJII their TAK leaders blindly. Do we have to wait until Penang we are directly affected? What Juanntee ia there that they will not betray us too? For God's sake, do not racialize the KarpaJ-Vija.ndran issue. In fact, K.a.rpaJ has spoken on a lot of issues that affect all Malaysians but BN leaders always turn them into racial issues. HURRY UP WITH OUR In order to save Maika Holdings from FIRST SALARIES! further dama&e, we demand the imme­ diate resignation of Mr. D.P. Vijandra.n u Chairman of Maika Holdinas. Vijandran has items missing from lease allow me to express the his ethical get~p. views of all newly appointed T.MATHJ Malaysian government servants, Pe110ng P especially recently posted teachers, with respect to our first saJariea. DESTRUCTION OFTAPES (Mr. D.P. Vijandran has already resigned For years, the BN government has as Chamnan of Maika Holdings - IDGHLY IRREGULAR been inefficient in paying the first editor) salaries of new JOVernment servants within a reasonable time. New teachers he videotape iuue involving Mr. have to wait about two to four months Vijandan has gone beyond jokes before receiviJII their first pay. T and sniggers. The decision to I wouJd like to upre55 my per10nal deatroy the tapes and photos JtWhlilhts aaony over this matter. 1 am a Penafl&ite the serious irrepJarities within our lepl ALLOW MALAYSIANS TO teaching in Balin&, Kedah. Both my system. WITHDRAW CPF parents are unemployed. In fact, my Whatever the contents of the tapes, CONTRIBUTIONS famUy is depending on me for financial this latest development will certainly aid. Now, u f have been posted away worsen ftfr. Vijandran 's public imagt>, In from my famUy , I have abo to support fact, no matter how impeccabJY dreued call upon the Malaysian ~F maNge­ myself (accommodation and food). AI· he is, we feel that there are many ment to stut negotiations with their thouah it bas been almost two months "items" missing in his ethicaJ and moral I Singapore CPF' counterparts to allow since I started workin&, 1 have not get-up. Malaysian contributors to the CPF, who received my salary. How does· the Mr. Manjeet Singh ia very right when have not worked in Singapore for the government expect me to survive? or he says that "the action of the author!· past few years, to withdraw their CPF course, I will get a big lump sum later, ties has resuJted in the conviction by contributions. but does the government reaJize how proxy or Mr. Vijandran." ln 1988, the CPF paid an interest of troubleaome it is for me to go to the only 3% to aU its members whereu the extent of borrowin& money for my DR. WONG SOAK KOON EPF paid a dividend of 8% - a huge survival? Penang. difference or 5%. The 3% interest offer­ When the private sector can pay its ed by CPF is 111 insult to its members employees within the nrst month, it is and has caused deep resentment and totaUy absurd for the aovernment to frustr~tion amona many Malaysian CPF be inefficient in this matter. Tbe govern· contributors who have not worked in ment must realize that poverty is the Sinppore for a lona time and are still greatest form of sufferin&l unable to withdraw their contributions. There is no point going around the STRIP VIJANDRAN OF At present, the Sinppore JOVern· country preach:ing "Bersih, Cekap, MAIKA CHAIRMANSHIP ment u slowly phasing out the CPF Amanah" it it is not practised by the requirement for Malaysian workers and government. I hope the government will is instead imposi11g a levy on them. Thus, look into this matter ~eriowly and act s a concerned sha.re-bolder of the call for Malaysians to be allowed to swiftly. Maika Holdinp, I would like withdraw their CPF contributions is A to caJl upon Mr. D.P. Vijandran fully justi!'Jed. I hope that the CPF inte­ GURU BARU SEnA to step down u Chairman. His inrolve- rest for 1989 will be much hllher than Penang

18 ETHNIC BARRIERS MUST BE BROKEN

ow article entitled 'Ethnic Quotas In Malaysia' (AM Vol. 9 Y No. 12) has awakened in me a greater spirit of concern (or Malaysians. Tiuough sincerity and thoughtfulness, v.e will be able to find a 10lution that will be acceptable to all. The Malays claim that they had been neglected and that they need special assistance to improve· their lot. The Chine.se, on the ot11er hand, feel that they are being discriminated against. or cowse, when we aclueved Merdeka the Malays were left behind. They needed some special assistance. TI1e Indians were abo left behind and not all the Chinese were rich either. When provision for "special rifhts" was drafted into ow Constitution, it was meant to help poor Malays for a Morning market in Kota Kinabalu: The richest state In the country certain period of time. shows no such evidence. The fear expressed by the Malays and Chinese is understandable although unnecessary. For the past 33 years, the SHARE AND SHARE Malays have enjoyed &pecial privilqes alike" concept, I would like to ask t11e but it is disappointina to note that these ALIKE? Prlme Minister to SHARE the following: were not used to the full advantqe of the really poor Malays. Instead, many 1. RT!If programmes Prognmmes over rich Malays benefitted. Certain groups refer to the call by Or. Mahath&r to RTM should reOect not only all the have even poUticized this issue to create "share and share aliJce" as reported states but also aJJ their peoples. tension and rift in our JOciety. A large number or non-bumiputras I in all the local papers in Sabah on 20 RTM's programmes are reOective of January. only one ethnic group and religion abo feel nqlected. Merit was not given If federal leaders really pnctise what at present. due recognition and tJ1ere was no room they preach, then Sabah should be for creativity and growth. getting 100 divided by 14 equals 7.14% 2. lntemacionol Evenu e.g. Visll MoJay. It is a sin to ignore the poor com­ and not S'J of the oil royalty. Who is • sill Year Semenanjung is getting all pletely. Our constitution should provide pocketing the extra 2.14%? Shouldn't the coverage. Sabah has to pay RTM assistance to the really poor citizens of the ACA investigate thls abo instead of advertising fees in order to promote Malaysia, irrespective of ethnic origin concentrating 1101ely on the Director of the sute for the VMY. Ase the other or religion. It must be guaranteed that Yayuan Sabah? states doing the same? water, electricity, food , shelter and other The level of developmem in Sabah 3. At·cess to all cotegones of Govern. basic amenities will be provided for the after 26 years or independence is not ment service posts To date no clarifi· poor citizeru of Malaysia. After all, the that great. Look at ow infrastructure catjon has been given on the so-ealled goal of the NEP is to eradicate poverty. and public services! Even a Sabah "No qualified locals" excuse given The time has come to recognize Minister's wife died o n our lousy roads. by the PSD. merit. How do you e.1tpect 10meone with Maybe we will have to wait till a federal less ability to perform good work' How miDister's wife dies on our roads before 4. J11e Education Fund This shouJd be will the standard of English improve they believe us! shared with all schools, not just when tQchers themselves are poor in Whatever development Sabah has certain privileged schools. EnsJish? How can our medical nandards achieved since I 963 is due to the exploi· 5. All other IIOtionol projects o11d improve when we recruit inefficient and tation of its own natul'al resowces. such profits When international loans are unqualified people to become doctors? as timber and oil. If funds from other taken to finance R•ntic projects The country needs good intellectuals, states were ever used to develop Sabah, such as the North-South Highway, politiciam1, tabourers and non-political then we would tike to see the proof. Just the taxes from Sabah help to repay leaders. Even a scavenger has to pJay his show us the accounts for aU t11e years these loans even though we derive no put weD if Malaysia is to progress. since 1963, for us to see the income benefit. The rich Malaysian mu.rt haYe a heut (including royalties and taxes) and for his poor countrymen. Poverty is the expenditure (including costs of aU deve­ 6. The Prime Minister's Post If Saba.lans greatest form of suffering. lopment projects). are abo M.laysians then a Sabahan As a teacher, J would like to relate from any community, ethnic origin Swe we receive federal grants from my personal experience towards the or religion can aJJO become Prime time to time, but pleue compare this policy of dividing Malaysians into bumi· Minister. Can federal leaders accept with the total taxes and revenue that putras and non-bumiputras. I teach in a this? have ~n tqueezed out of Sabah. It is Malay school. All my pupili are Malay­ orten said that Saba.b is the richest state Hence, practise what you preach if Mu&lims. When I teach them, I do not in Malaysia. There is no evidence of you want me to listen and respect you. look upon them as Malays but as chll· that. Hence, the wealth in Sabah must be dlen of the one Cod. My loYe for them is owned by foreigners! MR. R not bound by any ethnic or political ln line with the "share and share Pettampang. Sabah burien. I teach them,as l would teach

19 bin Matctshad, was also released on 6 January. Until the announceme11t of the releases, Ills name was not known to AI. Their release follows many year:s of effort on the part of AI. In the past year, tltere have been consultations between Canada's Department of External Affairs md the authorities in Brunei. In October 1989 the Secretary of State for External Affaks. the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark, raJsed the issue of long-term prisoners with Brunei's Foreign Minister. ln 1989, Brunei was discussed under the confiden· tial 1503 procedure at the United Nations (ommjssion on Hutnm Ri&hts and will be discussed again at the forth· ooming session. A1 has submitted infor· mation under tllis procedure. Two other prisonen of conscience - Abdul Latif Harojd and Abdul Latif Chuch - remain in untried detention following their arrest in lwuary 1988. They were President md Secretary­ General of the sole opposUion Btunei Poverty respects no barriers: An Indian estate couple gives its child National Democratic Party. Both men up for adoption. had described the aim of the party as to "peacef"Ully try to achleve a system of parliamentary democracy under a con­ stitutional monarch". The government a_ny o ther Malaysia n pupil. But one day, cancelled its registration. after coming o ut of my class suddenly I felt that the authotities do not Jook MARGARET JOHN upon me as an equal citizen of Malaysia. A mnesty International It was a very painful experience to be Canadian Section termed a non-bumiputta! ls this not my oountty? Do I have any other place to go? With God's gujdance, 1 overcome that painful experience but I resolved to do something about it. Let us all break down the narrow baniets or etbnJcity "FREE-THINKERS, MUST and religion. Let us cultivate peace, love and goodwill. START TlllNKING May we treat aJJ citizens equally. We are Malaysians. Malaysia is for aJJ loyal md pace loving people. All citizens FIVE LONG-TERM t was simply a pleasure reading P. must be given an opportunity to improve DETAINEES RELEASED R.asaltugan's letter (Letters, AM Vol, themselves. Let our politicians also think I 9 No. 12) on the i.ssue of free­ 'Malaysian'! IN BRUNEI thinkers. This categorisation of free- May God bless all His children. thinkers into "the worthy" and "the unworthy" ones will definitely force K. SURENDRAN n 6 January 1990, live lo.ng­ many self-proclaimed free-thinkers to do Penang tetm prisoners of oonscience some thinking :tbout their own po,sitions. O were released in Brunei. One of Not many "(ould like to be termed them, Btha bin Moha_mmed, was the "irreligious", I know I wouldn't. But in adopted prisoner of Amnesty Inter­ our eagerness to oompete for a living in ' national's (AI) Group 23 in Battle, this modern world, we tend to ignore Ontario. He is about 56 years old and religion. We have no time fot it. Our jobs TUBUHKAN "BARISAN the fathet of fout children. and families come first. This Is not a new RAKYAT" Balla bin Mohammed md tluee phenomenon, actuaUy. Atheism can be others - Sarponin bin Sarpo, Subaili traced back to the pre-war period in bin Badas and Tmggal bin Muhammad Malaysi:t. Humankind has the tendency - had spent 27 years in detention with· to feel tbt they have to belong some­ epauunya, parti pembangkang out trial. The fifth - Sheikh Nikman bin where and atheism is the non-believers' mesti be(gmdlng bahu. Lebih Sheikh Mabmud - had been held since answer to this. S bagus disegerakan. Kalau boleh 1975. All were detained under the Sul­ Although "free-thinkers" are a mino· gunakanlah nama "Barisan R.akyat" tanate's emergency laws for their alleged rity, their numbers are substantial and Jebih balk. involvement with the Brunei People's growing. Per:haps it is safe to say that Ada elok jik:a Prinsip Alitan dan J 0 Party (PRB). The PRB had won aJJ the more than half of those jn tbe 13-21 rukun dijadikan sebagai pedoman dan elected seats in Brunei's legislative age group either do not believe in Cod ot Aliran menjadi OraJ18 te.ngall untulc oouncil in 1962 but was banned fol­ have not bothered to give it a thought. mengikatkan pabtm iru dengan segera. lowing the declaration of a state of For them, the norm wo!'ld be, "l believe emergency in the Sultanate that year. what my parents believe", - up to a ARIF The sWe of emergency temains in force. certain age - before the rebeUious side Bukit Pinang, Kwah A sixth long-term ptisoner, Sulaiman of them takes over. At this juncture,

20 they do not accept "hatevcr is given to sittings have to be adjourned very often them anymore. They want to be diffe­ due to a lack of quorum (a mere 26 out rent. Not believing in God to them is of 177). Also, the decorum of many of "being different". They want to be its membe.rs leaves much to be desired. referred to as atheists. Pa.J:Iiamentary Reports over TV used I am optimistic thaJ this trend will to give a fairly balanced account of the not last long. However optimi~m is day's sitting. As a result Opposition MPs meaningless without action. Parents UJed to get quite a bit of publicity, wiUt mu t cultivate religious and moral qua­ their pictwes flashed on the screen and lities in their cltil.dten. They must be the matters they spoke about being taught to underst.nd and tolerate o ther reported. relCioru. Only then will o ur countty With elections coming nearer, the be great. Barisan had to undermine the Opposi· But what happens if the parents lion. It could not afford Opposition MPs tllemselves are soBarisan Nasional can ru.le. continues to remember Nehru and even When the media dare not 'oCfend' the other leaders like Vallabbai htel, Kalam Government of the dsy, what docs it Azad, Zak.u Hussain, R.ajagopa.lachari mean to speak of Democracy? a.nd 10 on. But MI!aysia is different. BRING BACK Why? Part of the reuon is the way PARLIAMENTARY R1l I /VDFR S/11/GH in whach power and position are per· REPORTS OVER TV Sunge1 Petam eeaved in this country. When a leader is in power, he iJ glorified. He is idoUzed a.nd lionized. In actual fact, it is his n the Communist countries of Eas­ po~ition, his power that is being war· tern Ewope there is 'glasnost'. In the shipped. llis own qualities as a leader I United Kingdom, the land of o ur and a human being are secondary. So tile former colonial masters, Parliamentary RAZAK'S BTRTHDA Y: mo'ment he is out of power, the moment debates ue televUed 'live'. In Malaysia, he ceases to command forma.! authority, Parliamentary Reports over TV were SHORT MEMORIES he is no longer the object of adulation. " found" to be 10 "unpopular" in a Often, he is fort~ollen very quickly. "survey" by the Min:istty of Information This happens in societies where that they "'ere taken off the air to spare he barthday of the late Tun Abdul power as everything. Other va.lues and Malaysians 15 minutes of agony! Razal. Malaysia's JCCOnd Prime virtues count for very littJe. Power deter­ The agony actually is the Barisan T Minister, feU on IJ March. There mines a person's W(\JtJl. National's. So few or its MPs have the was hardly any menhon of his birthday time Cor Parliamentary matters, that in in any of the local newspapers. There ANfl. .4MJVF.SJA spite of its 80% majority, ParUamentary was no mention of it over radio and Pekan

21 ELECTION WATCH Basic technical ltnowledgc on radio People of different religions can propagation will confirm t11at the height actually live peacefully amongst them­ of the ground (above sea level) on which selves and there is no need Cor rivalry, man flies all the way to Lusaka the tower is built is more important <:onfli.ct and animosity if only each and a,nd spends about three days in than the height of the tower itself. That every one learns to understand one and A the company of the charis­ is why for telecommunication purposes another's religion well. matic leader, Nelson Mandela. They we have developed hill sites in Centing, talk about democracy, freedom, justice Gunung Pulai, Curmng Kledang etc. S. SUNDRALINGAlo1 and peace. Moreover. with the rapid develop­ Toiping Unbelievably, upon returning to ment in communication technology such Malaysia this same man abandons all as satellite communication and optical sense of decency and respecl, and lashes fibres (using cables laJd beneath the out at a group of respectable Malaysians ground), the need for towers fm commu­ (!lOme of whom have been honoured by nication purposes will soon be a thing his very own government) whose only of the past. desire is to ensure that there be a free For broadca51 purposes, one cannot and faix election in this country - !lOme­ expect better coverage from the top of thing which is very similar to what he the proposed tower than from the and Mandela talked about in Lusaka! existing site at Genting Highlands wh,ich The man calls this group "biased", il over·6,000 feet above sea level. "anti-government" and "an extension of Therefore, rather than calling it a the opposition". He labels all those who telecommunication tower, it would be disagree with him as the "opposition" more appropriate to call it the Coin­ - he forgets that he was in Lusaka to ness Tower [or its justification can only celebrate the release of an "Opposition be for gaining entry into the Guinness leader". The man says that this group Book of Records. "can only watch with one eye" - which is far better than those who foUow and D.D.D, serve him blindly. He claims that "the Kuala Lumpur group had ties with certain International bodies ..." - he forgets again that he was. repxesenting an "international body" when in Lwaka. Such a man must be very insecure. As l looked at the pictme of this man Kit Siang baffles Tanjung voters. and Nelson Mandela in a handshake, the SPIRITUAL VALUES word "contradiction" came to my mind! Perhaps the best way to ensure a free KIT SIANG, WHAT ARE and fair election is to invite Mandela and udos to A1iran Editorial board YOU TRYING TO DO? a few of the ANC members as observers. members. for the universal spiri· It won't be a smprise if the man tual values column (Vol. 10 No. ends up labelling them the "Afri· K 1). 1 strongly believe that by publishing n l986, Kit Siang headed the can" extension of the Malaysian views of various religious teachings, we OAP's campaign in Penang with the opposition!" can create better understanding between slogan "Tanjung One". He stood in MSJ I the Tanjung constituency after deserting Pcmang peoples of different religions. Religions are the universal possession Malacca and Petaling Jaya. The OAP of a God-fearing humanity. Therefore, campaign for the 1986 general election they should not be xestricted to a parti­ in Penang could be described as the best cular race or country. As such, everyone in election campaign history. Wherever should take steps to get to ltnow each Kit Siang spoke, big crowds were seen. other's religion. By doing !10, we can Roads, lanes and pavements were THE GUINNESS TOWER broaden our ltnowledge, and at the same blocked. Unfortunately, the people who time we can also get a clearer and better gathered were predominantly Chinese. understanding of om faith. The DAP's multi·ncial concept was his is yet another appeal to the lltere are many who will keep their and is only a slogan. II is more interested authorities concerned to recon­ minds within the boundaries of their in representing the Chinese, just like the sider their plans to build a $200 own religion, and remain egoistic in the MCA and Cerakan. These three Chinese­ T based parties are fighting one another to million tower in Kuala Lumpur. It belief that their religion is the one and should be obvious to anyone that the only superior religion in the world. This determine who is to be the champion natural beauty of our country and its is 1 very unwise concept of religion by of the Chinese community. indeed, the unique cultural expressions are mOie many who lack rational rea!JOning. ln political trend after the May 13 riots likely to attract foreign tourists than a Iact, l think it is a sin if one is unwilling has been communaL Racial issues have concrete tower with or without a re­ to find out more outside the boundaries been brought up in Parliament and the volving restaurant. of their own religion. State Assemblies. These have brought The proposed tower has !JOmetimes It is high time that we venture out about disunity and hatred among tJ1e been refeaed to as a telecommunica­ and make studies of other religions and various nces. Even in schools and insti· tion tower. This, however, is a misno­ discover for ourselves that Islam, Bud· tutions or higher education, there is mer. The pxoposed tower is certainly dhism, Taoism and Hinduism have divine disun.ity among the various communities. not a requirement for telecommuni­ revelations in them, and the same cosmic As for Kit Siang's "Onwards Tanjung cation or broadcasting. Even a layman universal truths. 2" campaign, I feel he is trying to bluff looking at the existing tower at Bukit lf one wece to truly make a compa· the Chinese community in Penang again. Nanas cannot fail to observe that most ntive study of religions, he must con­ n.Js time, he and his "stooges.. are using of the antennae are located at the lower clude that they are similar in essence and the release of DAP leaders who were end of the tower. values. detained under the ISA (Tkut Sub Aku)

22 to win the hearts and m111ds of the fuU of money. We aoo read tn the same Bahasa Malaysia'; then this derual to Chinese community. His ambition is to paper that aome officers or the 511Me have a Malaysian mapzioe published in capture the Penang State Government Department were also caught with Bahasa Malaysia must be felt as a peat - after deliberately let1i11g tlle oppor­ plenty of money which they could not blow to their love for our Bahasa Malay­ tunity slip - in the I 986 general elec­ account for at the Malaysia-Singapore sia, just aa much as is feJt by all true tion. In 1986, going by the support border. To date we have not read in the Malaysians. And no true Malaysian from the Chinese in Penang, it looked as local newspapers u to what action, if with any pride or love for our National if the DAP were going to form tlle ne.xt any, has been taken by the ACA in both Language should keep quiet and aUow State Government (witllout the 12 these cases. anyone to ban or stifle the use of Bahasa Malay seats). Why did Kit Siang let the We would also like to lmow what Malaysia in any Malaysian map.zine in opportunity go? For example, he hinuetf has happened to investigations into the our own country, even though that could have captured Padang Kota. Abdullah A11g affau. Has tlle ACA laJcen peraon is the Prime Minister and tlle lnstead, he sent an unknown to rll&ht any action against tlle Prison officials leader of the Barisan National Govern­ Dr. Urn Chong Eu. He djd not campaign respon.vole for Jivina special treatment ment wh1ch we have elect.ed into power. in Datult Keramat, Ss· Pinang, Batu to that ex-convict? It is o nly presumed How else are we to sbind up proudly to Uban and in most Chinese ueas on the that investigations ue still in progress proclaim 'CINTAlLAH BAHASA mainland. Apparently, he is more inte· and we hope to hear the results shortly! MALAYSIA!' rested in himself than the people and the We are always told that tlle ACA is party. Hu be a special understanding an independent body and not influenced A MALAYSIAN witll tlle BN or is lte atisfied with his by anybody sueb u Ministers, MPs etc. Sungei Petanl position as MP, SA and Opposition That's very good - except in the recent leader? Where is his hoUJe in Penang Intuit Musa HJtam defamatjon case, a where he promised to live in order to be senior ACA orricer stated that his inves­ closer to Penangites? llow much time tigations into alleged conuption has be spent with Penangites? inYolving UMNO officials (including Since the trend now is communal Datult Musa and Tan Sri Othman Saat AND THE EVIL politics, i1 does not mean that tlle [now Semangat official) j were brought GREW BOLD innocent Chine5e community has to to a halt by the then Director-General of suffer the cooaequences. What can Kit the ACA. Is this what we mean by an Siang offer the Chinese community'! Can independent ACA'? he offer free bicycles, houses, rtau, food l would like to remind the ACA that n Leon Uris' best-selling novel: and clothings to them? No doubt, he and it should be independent, otherwise MILA 18, the author condemns the his "stooges" put up a brave [root In people will lose faith in it. I free-world for their cowudice in Parliament recently when they opposed letting the world's most infamous die· the suggestion by the UMNO MP from SIB/EGA tator, Adolf Hitler , to perpetrate that Arau to close Chinese and Indian-type /poh abominable act of 'genocide' o n more schools. He and his " merry men" have than six million European Jews, Poles shown the Chinese and Indian MPs and other 'inferior' nationalities. within the Barisan that the DAP is the In our beloved Country, Malaysaa, champion of Chinese and Indian the government of, by, and for the Malaysians. people caU5es not . physical 'genocide' I hope Ki1 SW. will lead a more on its people, but the 'Jenocjde of the ntional and sincere party in order to CJNTAJLAH BAHASA mind' of the people. avoid adverse con.sequences for the MALAYSIA How? Chinese community. Politics involves By perverti11g all forms of truth, lives, properties and the hopes of the justice and righteousness! And there's people. Work for a united Malaysia t is incredible that our own llome the Infamous ISA code of shame, meant for Malaysians in spite of the communal Minister would refuse to allow to curb and silence the cltimes of con· trend. Penangites ue politically mature Aliran, Malaysia's highly respected science.•• truth•. .and freedom from our I brave Opposition leaden and tlle people; enough. public 'conscience' group, to publish its own maaazine in o ur beloved Natiollll just to name one. ISMAIL 1/ASHTM Language, Bahasa Malaysia. " ..• AND TilE RIGHTEOUS Penang Actually, it is unthinkable that any COWED," writes Leon Uris, "AND TilE sane patriotic Malaysian would be EVIL GREW BOLD!" against the U5e of Bahasa Malaysia in our The arne author in the same book own country, especiaUy when the hits out at any wicked government in Government of Malaysia expecU every the embodiment of a supreme authori­ loyal Malayaian to use or encourage the tarian leader or a dictator. Below, I use of Ba1wa Malaysia. Yet, unbelieve­ quote another monumental phrase by ACA - BE INDEPENDENT! able as it may seem, here IS our Home the same author: Minister who is alao the Prime Minister " .•• Almost everyone had dirty tncka of Malaysia trying with aU the means they tried to cover. ~o matter how be public is very pleased now that within his power to discourage Aliran's tough, how idealistic, how clean, every man had his price. Every man the ACA has suddenly become very natural Malayaian desire to publish very, very active. its mapzine in Baha5ll Malaysia. had his blind spot. ~ .. T It was not ao long ago that some of Maybe the ACA officers were given Listen! Give ear! You unJCJ'upulous the wrong medicine before. lnJtead of om more vociferous Malaysian inteDec­ politicians, for you cannot forever being given Vitamin B2, they were tual patriou vigorously campaigned to cover your dirty tracks. You, yea You! pretcribed Valium (10 ma.). As I result, have Bahasa MalaySII more widely used. You too, have blind spoU! they feU &!Jeep. Now they are awake. If it was truly love for our Bahasa Mourn, We read in the Straits Times aome Malaysia that had caused them to arise for your days are numbered! months aao that certain CuJtoms/ then and rightly proclaim with pride Immigration officers at the Thai border 'Cintai Bahua Malaysia', 'Bahasa Malay­ SON OF THUNDER were caught red-handed with pockets sia, Bahasa Kita' and 'GunaJc.anlah Kuclng

23 LAW COVERING UP A COVER-UP Solicitor-General on obscene video tapes

The Solicitor-General's he reasons given by the Soh­ decision made in the lawful exercise cJtor-General for his conclu­ so-called investigation into the of his discretion but that he {the T sion that no action be taken AG's handling of the obscene Solicitor-General) was not to be agat.Ost the Attorney-General on the video tapes was a sorry understood as making any fmding two Police Reports (Travers Report attempt to excuse a wrong, as to the prudence or wisdom of 126/90 dated 12 Jan., 1990 and says the Bar Council. the dectsion. The fundamental flaw Dang Wangi Report 892/89) in this JUStification for not finding demonstrate again what most rea­ any offence as having been com­ sonable-thinking people have mitted by the Attorne)'-General lJes always known as basic princ1ple tion not to prosecute was quite in the basic premise assumed. that that the report of an} enquiry or proper, especially as he bad had the Attorney-General had exercised investtgatJOn cannot have an} credi­ 'due deliberations and discussions' his discretion lawfully. The ques­ bility unless the person, or tribunal, with the police and officers of his tion wh1ch has frequently been making the enquiry or invesllgation own Chambers and had considered asked is "Why were the four is free of any bias. One's obJectivity all the various factors. persons arrested wtth possession of is bound to be affected by one's In comjng to that conclusion, the tapes not charged and prose­ interest This is evident in the way the Solicitor-General made a point cuted?" the Solicitor-General (who ranks as of emphasising that the Attorney­ Those tramed in the law (mdecd, a subordinate of the Attorney­ General's decwon was m innocent all of us with common sense) General) approached his investi­ gation. He started with the premise that there was no need to obtain any further information smce all the facts were before him through his having ascertained the circum· stances from the police officers and 'one or two' of his subordinates in the Attorney-General's Chambers, involved, as well as from the Attorney-General himself. On the basis of those facts he concluded that the 'initiative taken by the Attorney-General in the matter of the destructJon of the video tapes, photographs and negatives was inci­ dental to the decision not to pro­ ceed against anyone for the robbery or for other possible offences involving those articles', and , since the Attorney-General had a discre­ tion under the Constitution not to prosecute, the decision made mel­ dental to the exercise of the discre- Attorney-General: Grave misconduct.

24 expect a personage of the standing that the Attorney-General had exer­ a senior police officer who had seen of the Attorney-General to exercise cised his discretion lawfully. lf we the tapes. In any case, why would his discretion judicially. He must be were to have that assumption every the Attorney-General move to able to explain his action - he IS time the Attorney-General destroys destroy those tapes if the; were not above the law. It is not good evidence without any need to not pornographic. If they were enough for him to hjde behind lus account publicly for his reason not destroyed because they were porno­ power. If it were, he would be free to prosecute offenders who have graphic, why was Mr. D.P. VIJan­ to exercise his powers arbitrarily. clearly committed an offence (as dran not prosecuted for "an The Attorney-General, when asked in the case of the four suspects) offence known to Jaw?" this question, was unable to give a then the way is open to the Attor­ These are questions wh.ich every­ reason and declined any explana­ ney-General to act capriciously. one has been asking and which the tion. In the face of this it is

25 International Affairs

The Soviet Union At War With Itself!

any of the problems of the a head, a constitutional crisis m the Soviet Union can be traced In the following analysis our Soviet Union, the secccssionist M back to one man - Josef guest writer, ABDUL RAHIM trends in the Baltic states of Esto­ Stalin. How should the Soviets and KARIM looks at some recent nia, Uthuania and Latvia and a the rest of the world assess him? developments in the Soviet civil war in the Central Asian The international order which he Union, with special emphasis Republics - especially Azerbaijan. worked out at Yalta in 1945 wlth upon developments in its That's quite an achievement accord­ Roosevelt and Churchill over the CentraJ Asian republics. ing to lhe western news media and ashes of the defeated 'AxiS powers' Time made Gorbachev its Man of has irretnevably broken down. rhe Decade. The Soviet people. A new political situation has emerg­ however, are debating whether to the Middle East with the resurgence play Gorbachev's last tango or not. ed, characterised by the break-up of of lslarn, and the old question of a the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact in handful of rich industrial nations & t:astem Europe, the integration of scheming policies affecting Asia, ECONOMIC POLITICAL the European commumty by 1992, Africa and Latin America and 1t is PROBLEMS the prospects of German reunifica­ not difficult to sec why the world A closer study of the SovJet tion and the assertion of nationali­ diplomatic concert seems uncertain sm in the units that comprise the Union's economic and political pro­ what music to play. blems will show that it is so senous Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Of all these changes, the Soviet today that it has no chance of (USSR). Union is the key that has opened Add to the above the re-emer­ catchtng up with the western eco­ up the Pandora's box. Soon after he gence of Japan as a power once nomies for at least fifteen years. assumed power in 1985, President agam on the world scene - and its State enterprises are disastrous fai­ Mikhail Gorbachev started a series effect on China; the problems of lures. Gorbachev has pointed a of far-reaching reforms which, as fmger at his predecessor. BreLh­ a consequence, led to various nev's management of the economy changes. These reforms, popularly in the nineteen seventies. "Fvcry­ known as perestroika and glasnost. thing that was done at that ltme," started off with the objectives of he said, "was consigned to the moderrusmg the Soviet economy, archives - on the eve of the world restructuring the Communist Party oil crisis when the most profound of the Sov1et Union (CPSU). reduc­ structuring and adaptation of capi­ ing the burden of military expendi­ talism was begmrung. CapJtaHsm tures through a combination of threw millions out of work, onto unilateral concessions at inter­ the street, and restructured itself." national arms-control negotiations, During that auciaJ period of econo­ and encouraging the Soviet Union's mic crisis the poi.Jcies of Brezhnev Eastern European allies to do like­ "retarded the process of rational wise, and seeking a modus vivendi change which had come to a head with Western Europe in view of the in all the sociahst countries. As a latter's 1992 deadline for integra­ result we lost fifteen years at the tion. very least," wd Gorbachev. Gort.chev: Time's Min of the By the end of the decade Gorba­ Under Gorbachev a few home­ Oec.de, but the Soviet people are chcv had already brought about the truths have dawned. The present not so sure. poHtical in-fighting in the CPSU to economic situation is characterised

26 by tnflauon. a shortage of raw further reduction and the reduced matenals and a virtual stalemate m role of the CPSU. Orders from the public distribution system. In government ministers and planners the words of Anders Aslund , a are frequently disobeyed. Conse­ Swedish econorrust: "The stick of quently, Gorbachev's advisers a command economy disappeared have asked him to attack this party in the Soviet Union during the past bureaucracy even harder if he is to several years, but the carrots of a protect his "reforms". They have market economy haven't yet suggested that he move to a presi­ grown. And until someone takes a dential system and create a new decisive step, in one · direction or type of party with more powers another, the economic crisis will .vested in parliament. lf necessary a only grow worse''. Bonapartist solution should be The current economic debate adopted, it is The chairman­ centres on two economic plans - · ar~ed . ship of the Defence Council has a sort of "glasnost" versus "peres· Azerbaijan revolt: Russian minority troika" in economics. One favoured already been transferred from the party to the President. communities seethe over social and by Gorbachev, calls for the full economic grievances. introduction of a market economy It is this clash of powers be· tween the President and the party by the end of 199 I - including Agency said on January 22, 1990 unregulated prices, property nghts bureaucracy that would determine Gorbachev's future and the future that 2,700 died and 10,000 injured and a stock exchange. The other, but this figure was later reduced called the RyLh.kov plan, (named of the Sovfet Union. There are doubts if Parliament has any real even further by the Soviet autho· after the Prime Minister} calls for rities. Prestdent Bush supported three more years of centralisation authority over the armed forces, the police and the KGB. There are Moscow's decision to send in the and some austerity. The debates troops while the western press are expected to come to a head at also doubts if Parliament could function independently and allow downplayed the events in Azer­ the next CPSU congress scheduled Go'rbachev to govern the country. baijan. for October but which may be terms of realpolitik it is still the David Hirst of the Guardian brought forward . The Ryzhkov In CPSU and its Political Bureau that (a British newspaper) who toured plan backers hope that the politi· the Central Asian Republics last make policy, control the state cal situation would favour them by budget and give the orders to the year wrote that the Republics 1993, or perhaps earlier. military. Article SlX of the Soviet "were an explosive mixture set to A good starting point for our Constitution had enshrined the ignite." He gave the .following analysis of the political problems of party's position, and it is that reasons. (a) the self-assertion of the the Soviet Union would be the 20th which distinguishes the October Muslims against the Russian centre congress of the CPSU in 1956. It Revolution of 1917. from the due to the Muslim population began with a secret attack on Stalin February Revolution of 1917. (which he estimated at 50 million) by Khruschev highlighting the increasing faster than the birth rate harsh rule and the brutalities and SECESSIONIST of the Russians; (b) the impact of all the negative aspects of Stalinism. TENDENCIES a resurgent Islam, especially from The role of the CPSU was then Iran; (c) Pan-Turkic nationalism changed into a bureaucracy. Be­ In addition to the economic and and {d) the consequences of "the tween 1956 and the 21st congress political problems, the Soviet Sovtet defeat" in Afghanistan. in 1959 the party had :~dmitted Union is faced with secessionist " If this SoVIet military defeat eight million new members. Since movements m the Baltics and the carries a message to all its ethnic those days, everytime a Soviet Central Asan Republics. While the minorities," Hirst wrote, "there is government had taken a stern or secessionist nations of the Baltics one group of them, the Muslim, and repressive action, there had been appear, indirectly, to be assisting mainly Turkic, peoples of the talk of "a reversion to Stalinism". Gorbachev m tus political in· Caucasus and Central Asia, for Now , the party bureaucracy - a fighting, the world has not yet got whom it has a relevance and reso· large section of whom are Gorba· a clear .picture of what happened in nance all of its own." chev's staunch supponers - is Azerbaijan when Soviet troops Afghanistan may have been the facing cuts. In his first three years, marched into Baku on January 20, trigger which started the open from 1985 to 1988, Gorbachev 1990. The Azerbaijan Popular defiance of the Soviet military, managed to reduce the central Front, which by most accounts but the underlying causes lie deep pany bureaucracy from 1.6 mlilion seems to have taken over the local in the national histories of the to 1.1 million members. Naturally, communist party and has the sup­ Muslim peoples of Central Asia - many of those who were axed port of the people, has stated that histories which had been altered to were anti-Gorbachev groups. They at least 15,000 people were killed suit the thinking of the Kremlin are putting up a strong fight against and 100,000 injured. Tass News rulers. The languages and cultures

27 of these people have been suppres­ Azeri independence in J918 be­ had "been endowed with the sed. These are societies seething cause of the feudal structure of inevitability and pem1anence of with social and economic grievan­ Azeri society at that time. Stalin history". Such sophistication can­ ces. Soviet policies calling for argued that the feudal groups not rude the blatant racialism. maximum cullural autonomy were "may assemble in their Parlian1ent The agonising questions which never correctly implemented and and succumbing to the influence the Baltic nationalists are asking, at remained only paper promises. of their Beys and Mullahs decide to a time when Europe is integrating, Azerbaijan, hub of the Soviet restore the old order of things". are whether they would become oil industry, and rich in agricultural After 70 years of CPSU rule, part of European integration products, was conquered by the Gorbachev isn't going to argue that through independence or through Russian Tsars in 1828 from han Azeri society is still feudal anymore Gorbachev's "conunon European (then known as Persia). The Tsars but he now says that independence house". What would happen if they found it a stronghold of Islamic would mean surrendering to "Jsla­ opt for the latter and find later that religion and culture. The Azeris mic FundamentaAsts". It looks like Gorbachev's policy does not mate­ declared their independence on a convenient argument used to hide rialise? Be that as it may, President May 28, 1918, following the Bol­ behind the resurgence of Great Bush has shown that he is willing shevik Revolution but this declara­ Russian chauvinism, which sees to sacrifice Baltic nationalism for tion of independence was suppress­ domination as the only viable the wider interests of l:TS-Soviet ed. During the Second World War, policy to hold together an other­ detente, and Gorbachev's survival. the Soviets tried to extend their wise fragmented and fissiparous The West may, of course, have to territory into the Iranian side of imperial domain. Moscow's present face the situation in which the Azerbaijan but they were eventual­ policies. in that sense, are not very Baltic states, defying Moscow, ly driven out. The Azerbaijan Po­ different from those of Tsar Alex­ appeal to the United Nations for pular Front invoked memories of ander ill. recognition of their independence. the Kronsdadt uprising during the Any political observer would The Nordic governments which are Bolshevik Revolution when they notice, at once, the contradiction in Cavour of such Independence took naval action at Baku on between Gorbachev's proposal of would have to look for Third World January 21, 1990, but their strug­ "a concordat with Islam" and his support at the UN. gle, it must be noted, was not a idea of "a common European massive revolution like the Iranian house" made to Western European Revolution of 1979. leaders. The Washington Post, for CONCLUSION Moscow has tried to tackle the example, editorialised on January Nobody knows for sure how the problem at five different levels. 24, 1990: "As people in the Cauca­ political scenario will unfold in the One, it has projected the problem sus hear Mr. Gorbachcv's repeated coming years. For the Russians as arising from a dispute over pleas to be accepted in "a common one scenario is that they could territory- over Nagorno-Karabakh, European house", they can be find their own identity by dis­ an enclave in. Azerbaijan (Muslin1) forgiven for wondering whether carding their Central Asian Re­ with a large Armenian (Christian) there is a place in it for them". On publics and building up a multi­ population. Two, it has launched an the other hand, as lf working in party democracy based on the rule all-out military attack against the tandem, the European Economic of law following essentially Western Popular Front, banning its military Community (EEC) gave an indica­ models. If the Russians choose arm called the National Defence tion of its thinking when it defer· this, they would be following Tsar Council. Three, it has called for red Turkey's application to join the Alexander II (the Anglophile re­ and instituted, negotiations with EEC to "after 1992". Evidently, former who freed the serfs and the "moderate" Azeri groups. Four, they were still suffering from the opened up Russia to the West). The it has tried to implicate Iran as "the hangovers of "The Eastern Ques­ world diplomatic concert could instigator" of the troubles. Five, tion". then go back to the days following it has called for "a concordat" The western media has sought the Turko-Russian War of 1878, between Islam and Marxism as an to distinguish the Baltic secessio­ and the music playing would be U1e overall solution to Azerbaijan and nists from the Central Asian Repu­ Vienna Waltz. The lament of Lenin the other Muslim Republics. blics on the grounds that while should easily come to mind: "lt is The proposal for "a concordat" the Baltics were annexed a mere 50 a terrible misfortune that the ho­ takes an interesting dimension years ago, the Central Asian Repu­ nour of beginning the first socialist because the late Ayatollah Kho­ blics were first subdued in the early revolution should have befallen the meini of Iran had presented Gorba­ nineteenth century. They have most backward people in Europe". chev with The Koran last year and argued in favour of the Baltic 0 asked him to read it. In Stalin's nationalists in lithuanis, Estonia Marxism and the National Ques­ and Latvia on the grounds that Guest writer, Abdul Rahim Karim, tion, the question of the right of their annexation "was within living Is an active observer of tlte inter­ Soviet nationalities to secede was memory", wJliJe the Central Asian national scene. He is a businessman recognised. Stalin did not recognise Republics are Russian because they and lives in Pemmg.

28 BEYOND THE HEADLINES

undemocratic. For, in the futal OF HYPOCRISY AND. analysas, the essence of democracy extends beyond rule by law and/ DOUBLE STANDARDS or the regular holding of elections. Democracy, derived from the Greek word 'demos' which means 'people', insists that power comes from the people. It is upon this premise that governments arc con­ structed and required to be respon­ sible to the people. To ensure the above is adhered to, fundamental human rights and other civil liber­ ties - including the rights to express one's self or to assemble and organise as a group (be it in the fom1 of a political party, trade union or some other form of pressure group) are guru:;mteed. Dissent, conducted in non-violent fashion, is a basic feature of any democracy worth its name. Given the above, Dr Mahathir has clearly indicated that be is no democrat. Wllile chastising ot11crs Or M during Arafat's visit: The champion of democracy is a dictator! elsewhere for being undemocratiC, he curbs our freedom ut Malaysia. n late February, Prime Minister that. Take the case of morality and Datuk Seri Dr Mahat.hir jour· Unfortunately, however, Dr Ma­ ethics next. As recently as March I neyed to Lusaka to meet Nelson hathir himself falls into the same 14 Dr Mahathlr was, once again, Mandela who had just been freed category of being hypocntical and talking about t11e need to produce after 27 years of detention. Shortly maintaining double standards. more leaders of 'high ethical and thereafter, in early March, Dr Take the case of freedom for moral fibre'. Mahallur welcomed Palestine Prest· instance. Wltile criticlsing others Yet, just a few days before that dem Yasser Arafat in Kuala elsewhere for undemocratic prac­ he was busy defending the former Lumpur. tices, here an Malaysia his own deputy speaker of the Dewan The struggles for justice and government stands accused of Rakyat accused of beang involved freedom waged in South Africa having led Malaysia down the road in a pornographic video scandal. and Palestine rightly demands our of authoritarian rule. He imprison­ It is true that a person should be support and all MalaySians should ed without bringing to trial many presumed innocent until proven join the Prime Minister in exten­ of his critics, including legally guilty. Nonetheless, it IS not incon­ ding greetings and support to both elected opposition Members of sistent with that principle to order these freedom fighters and thetr Parliament. He destroyed also the an independent cnquuy into t11e peoples. independence of many of our matter concerned and to ask the On the occasion of Arafat's democratic institutiom including individual involved to step down visit, the Prime Minister also the judiciary. pending the result of the enquiry. criticised Western nations and hu­ Most recently, he has further Indeed, involving as it dad a deputy man rights groups for their 'hypoc­ sought to reduce the indepen­ speaker, it would have been the risy and double standards that they dence of the Election Commis­ proper thing to do: especially smce practised' in refusing to condemn sion and to monopolise via Ber­ the government pndes itself wit11 Zionist oppression of the Palesti­ nama the dissemination of foreign concern for h.igh moral standards. nians. He declared, 'If we condemn news in the country. Instead, a cover-up was first oppression, we must condemn The fact that all these moves attempted. After most Malaysians oppressaon wherever it may be .... .' have been done legally, by amen­ had become disappointed with the Some of these Western nations do ding various laws and/or the Cons­ government's refusal to anvestigate stand accused of double talk and titution, does not detract from the the mauer, Dr Mahathu himself should be denounced for doing fact that they are essentially stepped in.

29 Speaking in the Dewan on March 8, he accused KarpaJ Singh, who had ftrst raised the matter, of THE TWO-TIER SALARY planning the robbery of the video tapes from former deputy speaker's SCHEME What choice for house. Apparently, this occurred while Karpal Singh was being the teachers? detained without trial by Dr Mahathir's government! Since Dr Mahathir has refused to repeat the allegation in public we can surmise that this allegation is a big blu ff. By deliberately resorting to bluff in this case, he has abused parlia­ mentary privilege, set a bad exam­ ple, and damaged the integrity of the Dewan. The fact that the DAP seized upon the opportunity pre­ sented by the video tapes saga to damage the integrity of the govern­ ment and to gain political mileage is no excuse for the Prime Minister to stoop so low. Which Opposition party in a democracy does not attempt to do the same when the government bungles its job? Nor can the Prime Minister excuse himself by claiming that his allega­ tion was done in jest. There are hat option are you talk­ Teachers: 180,000 strong and no already too many jokers in the ing about?" was the whimper of unhappiness in the Dewan. W angry reaction of thou­ media. Incredible! In related fashion, instead of sands of teachers throughout the taking to task the Attorney-General country on Feb 15 , 1990 on recei­ who had destroyed the 11 video ving their option letters for the explanations and clarifications, the tapes and several envelopes of two-tier salary scheme. rancour continued. One typical photographs stolen from the former "According to the dictionary letter to the Aliran Monthly read, deputy speaker's house, the Prime option means choice - but here "Every dictionary that l consulted Minister supported the official. there is no choice", a teacher mentioned choice. The Oxford According to Dr Mahathir, the remarked. Advanced Learner's Dictionary of investigation into the Attorney "You're offered the same maxi­ Current English explains option as General's action, conducted by the mum salary you have been recei­ 'right or power of choosing'. Solicitor General, proved no wrong­ ving for umpteen years and em­ According to the Longman Dic­ doing on the former's part. placed on a salar'y scale that you tionary o.f Contemporary Engltsh, Despite protests by the Opposi­ have been on for almost two New Ediuon, option meant, 'one of tion parties, Bar Council and other decades, since January 1970", a number of courses of action that public interest societies that the said another bitterly. are possible and may be chosen'. investigation was completely Anger. .... disappointment...... dis­ And the Concise Oxford Dictionary biased, Dr Mahathir stood firm. illusionment... these words aptly clarifies option as 'choice, choosing, Whatever happened, again, to those summed up the feelings of thou­ thing that is or may be chosen'. But high ethical standards that the sands of teachers, who had anxious­ we have been given no choice. You Prime Minister so often talks ly awaited the implementation of are only offered what was legally about? Those so-called 'high stan­ the much-talked-about two-tier yours, what you have been enjoying dards' are either bankrupt or the salary scheme, on receiving their all these years, and you're told to Prime Minister himself is hypocriti­ option letters. For they all have choose. It's idiotic! Jf you're asked cal and maintains double standards : been told a different story con­ to choose between what you have one set for others and another set cerning the wind-fall that was and something that is being offered for himself and those loyal to him. expected on implementation of the to you, that would be sane and This is certainly no way for a scheme. To their utter disappoint­ logical. But this ...... they're crazy .. " 'statesman of world stature' - as ment, it was such a great let-down. Another letter put it succinc­ his supporters have described him Ev~ a month after receiving the tly. "If I am asked to choose - to behave. option papers and after various between the house I am now living

30 in and the one I'm being offered, should have been mentioned in the to fathom why the Ministry is it would be fau. But I'm asked to option papers. It should have been reluctant to pay them the rate for choose whether I want the house stated in black and white in the the job. How could we, in all good I am living in or not. Damn it! option papers that subsequent to conscience, accept them as quali­ This is my house - I don't have to their opting for the two-tier salary fied to do the job that is expected choose!" scale, they will be upgraded to B10 of them and yet deny a fair wage It is therefore not surprising that provided they fulfilled the requi­ on ffimsy grounds? This is nothing in their frustration some teachers site conditions. But it was not. And but exploitation. even tore up theu option papers. this was distressing to them. Compare this to the way our Their reaction about sums up the members of parliament are treated. mood of teachers in the country. NO PROCEDURES YET! Do we pay them according to their Indeed, it is a misnomer to call it They have good reasons to be qualifications? We pay them the an option. It is an offer without a distressed. The STAR of Feb 15, same rate, whatever their qualifi­ choice! The manner in which it is 1990, quoting a circular from the cations. We pay them whether they proposed to be implemented has Perak Education Department, re­ attend parliamentary sittings faith­ disappointed the t~;achers rather ported that "the Ministry has not fully or not. We pay them when than delighted them. decided on the procedures yet for they while away their time in the the second stage where these parliament canteen drinking subsi­ INCONSISTENCY teachers will be upgraded"...... dised tea! We also pay them when The implementation lacks con­ The report further stated, "It they subvert parliamentary demo­ sistency. For example, the head­ is not known when this stage will cracy by denying a quorum! masters, senior assistants and tea­ be implemented but it Is believed But why deny these teachers chers in-charge of co-curriculum - that it may take between six their fair due? all C2 category teachers - have and 12 months". been emplaced on 810 salary scale. One can appreciate why teachers STIFFLING DISSENT? They all gain an immediate $5.00 generally are anxious and upset. In spite of the wide-spread raise and the conditions attached They don't know what is yet to unhappirless why Is it there is for moving up to B 1.0 were waived come! Is it not strange that at this hardly any reports to highlight this? for them. stage "the Ministry has not decided Is there a deliberate attempt to It IS justifiably argued if certain on the procedures yet for the se­ keep this under wraps? C2 category teachers can be up­ cond stage" for upgrading the tea­ What one reads in the news· graded to BlO unconditionally, chers? If the Ministry was not papers is different from what one why can't the same principle be prepared on the procedures, they hears in staff-rooms or learns in extended to the 40,000 C2 catego­ legitimately ask, why give out ~e discussions with teachers. Why ry teachers who have been on their option papers on Feb 15? Couldn't aren't newspapers carryirlg any such max1mum rung of their C8 salary it have been delayed a month or news? Are they under irlstructions? scale for a number of years? Why two to enable the Ministry to sort It is hardly be)jevabJe that not a are they offered a salary scale of out the grey areas in order ro give single teacher from the ranks of $1,185.00 and put on a salary scale a clear and assuring picture to the I 80,000 strong had written a Jetter of C8, which is what they have teachers? voicing his/ her unhappiness. Since been receiving all along? 11us offer Feb 15, nobody seems to have read does not even entitle them to a OPTION NOT GIVEN such a letter - and yet there is so single sen in benefit! Another point begging clarifi­ much grievance to yell about. It is But then they're told that their cation is the way the Ministry has incredible! 'manna from heaven' will come in chosen to treat the B I, B2, T4, 0 2 Compare this to the setting up the second stage! It is pointed out & 03 category teachers. They have of Election Watch. No sooner was that they will be upgraded to B I 0 not been given their option papers. the setting up of Election Wa tch later provided they fulftlled certain 1t is reported that they will receive announced, letters were promptly conditions. ln the meantime, it is their option papers later but they published criticising Election stressed, they must be put on C8 will be subjected to stringent condi­ Watch. There was no denial or category and paid a salary of tions. This is grossly unfair and goes deprivation of benefits for the SI,J85.00. against the principle of rate for the ordinary citizens as a result of It is stressful for the teachers to job. Election Watch, no one was follow this logic. They fail to un­ At the moment, they are em­ affected directly or indirectly, it derstand why it is necessary to ployed and continue to serve the posed no threat to the nation, but remove the C2 category label and nation with the full confidence of the speed with which these letters be given a new label of C8 category the Ministry of Education t.Pat they were written left many gasping. and paid the old salary! 1t is have the necessary qualifications Yet, here is a scheme that involves baffling! and expertise to teach our children. 180,000 teachers but not a single They argue that if there was a Indeed, most of them are doing a critical Jetter! I suppose truth is second stage to the exerctse then it wonderful job. It is therefore hard always different!

31 LABOUR

NUBE REPLIES ... Part II

r K. George's statement We carry here the second part As a matter of fact, Mr George that Mr K. Sanmugam is al­ of the National Union of Bank himself is not either. He too receiv· M legedly receiving $ J 0,000 Employees' response to an AM ed allowances and salaries whenever including kickbacks from an insu­ article CLEAN UP OR GET he lectured in seminar and courses rance scheme is totally preposte­ CLEANED OUT, which and wherever he worked. So why rous. I am calling Mr George a NUBE bas felt compelled to 1 the different yardstick? vicious liar! respond to. Let me now explain how the Let me now outline the fac ts of allowance of S 1,500 per month was the Group Multiple Insurance given to Mr Sanmugam and Sl,200 Scheme in NUBE. to the two other officials including $100,000 annually from the the author of this letter. Insurance Company as service I. NUBE is one of the few unibns charge. 1. Prior to 1982, a bank clerk in the country conducting ex­ could continue to lead NUBE tensive educational courses for 8. The entire service charge is utilised solely for educational as an officer of this union even its members. though he was promoLed to 2. Mr Sanmugam took over the activities and not a single cent is charmeUed to the adminis­ Officer Grade in the Bank. leadership of NUBE in 1984. Yeoh Teck Chye, A.M . John, tration expenses of the Union. 3. NUB£ organised 31 courses in A. R. Fernandez and others fell It may be of interest to Mr 1985. 43 in 1986, 57 in 1987, 9. imo this category. George to know that there are 61 in 1988,75 in 1989. over 300 such schemes in the 2. Before 1982, the union was instructed to delete 1ts scope 4 . It cost the union about over country. A number of large of representing officer catego­ $1 .5 million to organise such unions and co-operatives are ries and it came about . courses. Thus there was a need participating in the scheme. tllUs to raise funds to run these edu­ that only clericals and non­ 10. The Insurance Company also cational courses. clericals were represented by confums that none of the NUBE. Now , if a member or 5. Around 1985, the leaders were unions or co-operatives receive faced with problems of deceas­ union official is promoted to more · than five per cent as Officer Grade, he has to resign ed members' families seeking service charge. fmancial assistance from the from NUBE immediately. This II. U that being so, is Mr George union. The leaders sympathised has become NUBE's most se­ now claiming that all trade with the families but were rious problem, i.e. the high union leaders who have similar unable to assist them. turnover of officials. insurance schemes, including 6. NU BE thus embarked on the 3. On April 3, 1989, the officials Mr George's former union, also in NU BE tendered their re­ Group Multiple Insurance receives kickbacks? Scheme for its members. Signations to the Na tional Exe· cutive Council so as to con­ 7. The scheme being one of the ALLOWANCES centrate on their careers. The best in the country was nego­ NEC deliberated at length ( in tiated by the NUBE leaders Mr George claims to report alle­ the absence of the three offi­ with the Insurance Co. The gations that Mr Sanmugam is cials) and felt that the uruon scheme offered multiple bene­ receiving huge allowances and I could not afford to release the fits to the next-of-kin or as think he is particularly referring to officials and in return, offered endownment when the n!em­ the $1 ,500 monthly allowance paid to compensate them monetari­ ber retires. Further, it pro­ by the union. Let me point out that ly. Full text of the minutes and vided a service charge of five nowadays, leaders everywhere are an article was published in per cent of total premiums not "Mahatma Gandhi" who sacri­ Suara NU BE, Vol. 2 1 No. I. collected to the union. As to fice their families and career pros­ date, the union receives about pects for the cause of the union. 4. For Mr George's informatjon,

32 this payment was legally and auditors m depth and finally they which K . George himself had led constitutionally made. Most are scrutiniSed by the Duector· during lus tenure. Writing articles NUBE members support the General of Trade Unions. and lip service itself does not make move. Of course like Mr On balloting, I would like to one a Union activist. One should George, there are a few who point out that the system in NUBE also have a good credlble track would listen to the likes of is foolproof when it comes to record to prove it. him and/or continue to do so counting same. Each result is Trade Unions in the 1990's while trying to cloud the issues double counted and each ballot must change their role, a role emotionally. paper ts printed with special code that is responsible and professio­ 5. The union did try to offer words making it impossible to be nal contributing to Nation Build· other officials to stay on by counterfeited. ing. NUBE. I am sure during the offering them monetary com­ next few years would face empty pensauon but all have turned CONCLUSION criticism from "union activists" like K. George but I do hope down same and opted for the NUBE, prior to Sanmugam's esteemed journals like Aliran promotions as the present leadership and now, is entirely Monthly are not 'used' by such monetary compensation could different. It has evolved into an unscrupulous persons. This is never match the financial re· organisation which is effective and because Aliran's credibility would wards of promotions in the professional. I cannot think of any long run. other Union which can match be equally eroded togetlter with people like K. George. 0 6. I would also challenge Mr NUBE's track record for the last George to report malpractices five years, not even the unions and income from kickbacks to the Anti-Corruption Agency, the Director-General of Trade Unions or other appropriate bodies so that justice can be done instead of mesponsibly reporting allegations in AM in what seems to be an obvious attempt to tarnish the image of Mr Sanmugam.

SWINDLES & BALLOT RIGGING 4 \\'h,u man hlm'ICir thluh j, d¥hcl... r11hl .uKl wh.n he 1tunlrr.' '" \lrHHl• t\ •run.. Although no mention was made Uut ..tut ;~rc 1ht -.tlltfld fur fl~lu .u\\1 "'runJ:.~ in the article to tmplicate NUBE in this, I might as well state my piece of mind on the matter. As long as leaders are power crazy and tf their rice bowl depends on it, no one would be able to stop swindles and ballot rigging. Probably. there can be a number of checks to safe­ guard aJI thiS. In NUBE for mstance, the pre­ sent leaders have developed a comprehensive uniform accounting guideline for all its accounts inclu­ ding its branches. All branches are now being computerised and are on-line with NUBE headquarters to streamline accounts and subscrip­ tion postings. Secondly, the accounts are audited by internal auditors utili­ ....0 sing a special package aOdit system developed with the assistance of the external auditors. This accounts are further audited by the external

33 POLITIK

APAKAH ANGKATAN JANJIKAN KERAJAAN ALTERNATIF? Oleh RAMLI ABD SAMAD, USM

\ erubahan sosia.l bukanlahmu­ pin seperti itu. dah ctikecapi oleh rakyat sese­ Bagaimanapun di negara-negara P buah negara. K.ita llhat sahaja seperti Iran, Filipina, Pakistan, betapa lamanya kuasa-kuasa auto· Pada pilihanraya umum China di mana antara mereka ritarian di bumi ini dapat diro· pernah mengalami gerakan rakyat bohkan. Seperti umum ketahui 1986 dulu pihak kerajaan pada satu ketika dulu tidak ber­ kira·kira tempoh empat dekad di bawah BN telah didakwa depan dengan masalah etnik sepertl diperlukan di negara blok komunis dengan pelbagai skandal baik di negara Sri Lanka atau Malaysia. bagi menyaksikan berkuburnya sis­ skandal BMF, Maminco, Masalah etnik di negara kita misal· tern berideologi komunis itu. rasuah, UEM dan banyak.lagi nya amat sulit dari segi mencari Biasanya apabila kuasa pemerin­ titik perpaduan tulen. Kita tidak tah diambil oleh tenaga-tenaga yang yang bersifat menggerunkan nafikan peranan kerajaan kolonial cenderung ke arah kuku besi, peme­ ketahanan n~ara tapi BN dulu memecahbelahkan perpaduan gang kuasa itu akan memastikun tetap menang dengan majoriti rakyat Malaysia dan mendirik:an semua sistem mengawal suara-suara yang besar walaupun dari segi struktur-struktur pemisah antara lcritik terhadapnya diperketatkan. bilangan pengundinya kaum. Sebab itu saluran-saluran sah seperti menurun. suratkhabar, parti politik, badan­ PERBEZAAN badan sosial betkepentingan dan Di samping itu juga kita tidak sebagainya dikenakan pelbagai per­ boleh menyangkal bahawa perbeza­ aturan yang Jebih bersifat mem­ an amat ketara antara suku kaum belenggu. Dengan itu suara-suara Malaysia. Orang Melayu misalnya lantang buat seketika dapat beragama, bertutur, berbudaya diredakan. yang berbeza dengan suku kaum Namun begitu seperti suara-suara lain. Tujuan bukanlah untuk mem­ tulen menginginkan perubahan perkukuhkan lagi perasaan yang sosial dengan erti mendambakan kerabatnya hidup di dalam serba sedia wujud tetapi ini merupakan kepincangan masyarakat diatasi mewah. Ada.kalanya kehidupan satu hakikat. Apa yang penting tetap timbul dan muncul satu demi kumpulan kecil itu melanggar sifat­ mungkin perbezaan dart segi sosial satu sehingga betuJ-betul menjadi sifat kesederhanaan. MisaJnya amat sulit dikUiangkan tetapi dari satu gerakan tersusun yang akan seperti di Filipina bagaimana men­ segi usaha· politik dapat dikurang· penuh bertenaga membanting diang Marcos menggondol harta kan kerana kesedaran politik kuasa-kuasa yang mencengkam itu. negara atau bekas Presiden bersama mungkin merupakan punca Sebelum ini proses menyedarkan Rumania Nicolae Ceausescu yang pentlng untuk menyatupadukan rakyat terpaksa dijaJankan di dalam ditembak mati itu hidup "super· rakyat Malaysia. Walaupun ramai suasana yang amat sengit kerana mewah" sudah diketahui orang. pengamat -.politik berpendapat jentera ketenteraan dan kepolisian Sikap korup dan materialistik orang Melayu menjadi kunci kepada berpihak kepada yang berkuasa. yang tidak punya batas sesungguh­ perubahan sosial di Malaysia namun Di dalam mana-mana sistem nya mengecewakan rakyat dan sumbangan dari kaum lain tidak autoritarian, segelintir elit dari tiada siapa yang berasa sedih kurang pentingjuga. pihak pemerintah serta kaum dengan kematian pemimpin-pemim- Dalam hal ini apakah gabungan

34 parti pembangkang d1 tanahau ktta rakyat adalah mutu keptmpman Tetap1 keg1gihan Datuk Sen Dr. yang digelar Angkatan dapat ber­ dipernngkatkan lag1 bagt membawa Mahathir boleh dipertahan selagl gandmg bnhu menyisih kuasa kesejahteraan yang lebili secocok p1hak pembangkang lerutamanya Barisan NasJOnal (BN) bagi mem­ dengan kemampuan negara daripada pihak pembangkang parti bawa udara baru kepada Malaysia? Di negara-negara komunis kita pohtik masih ttdak tersusun dan Pengaruh dan kekuatan Angkatan lihat rakyat tertindas rnasih mahu­ bersatu. Di dalam keadaan yang di beberapa kawasan Parlimen ter­ kan sistem sosialis tapi dengan berpecah b31k dari segi ideologi tenru tidak boleh diperkecdkan syarat sosialisme itu dimanustakan mahupun strategi pthak pembang­ sama juga dengan keboJehan BN bennakna pucuk keptmpman harus kang jangan menanti keterampilan bertahan kedudukannya menyunttk em em refonnas1 dt satu altematlf yang boleh meng­ Pada ptlihanraya umum 1986 dalam pelaksanaan dasar mereka arnbil alih pemenntahao dan BN. dulu pihak keraJaan di bawah BN Golongan pemimpin tidak seharus· Pas lebih condong kepada undi telah didakwa dengao pelbagai nya mementingkan golongan kaum orang Melayu Islam di kawasan luar skandal baik skandal BMF, Mamin­ kerabat mereka sahaja. bandar sebagai strategi mencari co, rasuab, UEM dan baoyak lagi Refom1asi bererti juga kelongga­ undi sedangkan DAP pula lebih yang bersifat menggerunkan keta­ ran diberi kepada kebebasan ber­ cenderung menguasai undi orang hanan negara tapi BN tetap menang suara, mengeluarkan pendapat, Cina di kawasan bandar. dengan majoriti yang besar waJau­ kebebasan akhbar, kebebasan sis­ Bayangkan jika semua parti pem­ pun dari segi bilangan pengun­ tern kehakiman , kebebasan ber­ bangkang dapat meleburkan perbe­ dinya menurun. Kita tidak pasti persatuan dan sebagainya. Kebebas­ zaan mereka dan cuma memen­ sama ada BN boleh meraih keme­ an sivil adalah penting dan ltdak tingkan rakyat majoriti tanpa nangan besar sekali lagi. Pilihanraya mungkin boleh ditarik oleh sesiapa mengira agarna, bangsa dan kebu­ umum untuk Malaysia harus dibuat tanpa mendapat tentangan. Sekali­ dayaan dan menggunakan hakikat sebelum pertengahan 1991 . Dalam pun negara memperolehi Keluaran itu sebagai sumber inspirasi per­ tempoh masa itu berbagai-bagai Negara Kasar yang meningkat kebe­ juangan mereka. Mungkin satu era perkara boleh berlaku. basan yang dmtarakan tadi udak baru menanli rakyat majoriti Setakat in1 pthak pembangkang mungkin dapat dinaftkan oleh Malaysia tetapt kesetiakawanan sudah jenuh menyelar pihak peme­ pemerintah Penyempumaan manu­ seperti yang diharapkan adalah jauh rintah melakukan kecurangan se· sia terdin dan kesejahteraan panggang dari api. Masyarakat kita perti rasuah, mengganggu material dan kebebasan berpoliuk termasuk banyak parti-parti politik kewibawaan sistem kehakiman , yang benanggungjawab masih tebaJ diselaputi dengan menyekat kcbebasan sivil, meng­ perasaan perkauman dan agama. ongkong gerakan intelektual dan se­ TUNTUTAN Oleh Jtu gagasan BN mendapat bagainya. Dakwaan bersifat politik Perkembangan dt Taiwan dan restu dan und1 rakyat majoriti itu kerap dilemparkan dan sedikit Korea Selatan menjadi (.Ontoh kerana BN dapat menggabungkan sebaoyak dapat liputan akhbar bagaimana kemaJUan ekonornt semua parti berbtlang kaum ke satu tempatan mahupun aruarabangsa. dunia harus dilmbangi dengan acuan perhubungan berbilang kaum Soalnya, apakah isu-isu itu akan kemajuan politik. Di sana gerakan sekurang-kurangnya pada peringkat menJadi asas kesedaran bagi rakyat menuntut kebebasan berpohu.k sen unggt, walaupun di peringkat membuat keputusan menolak BN? tiasa bergema D1 Smgapura pernah bawah partt·parti gabungan itu Atau isu-isu itu cuma penting bagt tidak lama dulu suara-suara memin perasaan perkauman masih juga golongan tertentu sahaja, tidak ta agar pihak pemerintah lebth menebal. meluas ke seluruh rakyat yang peka dengan tuntutan demokrasi Lagtpun dengan Angkatan masih masih datf atau khayal dengan tapi suara-suata sumbaog bagt pe· baru, belum berakar dan kita tidak dunia materialistik mereka. Dalam merintah itu dimatikan dengan ber­ pasti prestasinya kerana belum hal ini pihak Angkatan sudah men­ kesao sekali. Rakyat Singapura diuji. Tetapi di dalarn hal politik jalankan penerangannya ke seluruh hidup mewah tetapi ketinggalan di tidak ada sesuatu itu yang pasti. pelosok negeri memberi ceramah bidang perkembangan politik. Cuma para akademis akan merarnal dan kempen bertujuan meningkat­ IGta ba1ik kepada kedudukan di sesuatu mengikut kaedah analisis­ kan kesedaran rakyat. Sarna halnya Malaysia kini. Zaman pemerintahan nya. Tindak-tanduk politik kadang pihak pemerintah menangkis BN di bawah Dr. Mahathir Moha­ kala susab malahan ada yang meng­ tuduhan·tuduhan itu melalui media mad agak rancak dengao pelbagai elirukan. Tapi setakat ini Angkatan massa yang dikuasainya. kontroversi. Satu demi satu isu-isu di bawah pimpinan Tengku R.aza­ Tetapi kita tidak boleh mena­ besar muncul. Mungkin nasib baik leigh narnpaknya bersungguh-sung­ fikan pihak BN juga sudah mem­ selalu berpihak kepada BN setakat guh hendak mencabar kepimpinan BN. Beliau sudah bertekad sejak bela nasib rakyat walaupun tidak ini kerana kedudukannya belum seratus peratus berjaya. Pembinaan lagi terjejas dt Parlimen. BN masth berpisah dengan parti UMNO pada infrastruktur seperti Jalan raya, berlruasa sama ada kita suka atau tahun 1987. • sistem kesihatan, pendidikan dikira tidak dengan hakikat ini. Makna· secara bandingan adalah baik. nya Datuk Sen Dr . Mahathlr gigih Dipetik daripada akhbar Watan Mungkin apa yang dipinta oleh orangnya ke/u(ITan 3 hb Mac 1990.

35 CURRENT CONCERNS Every month we shall carry press statements and letters which reflect our concern for current issues that are linked in one way or another to the question of unity.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL'S MEANrnNGLESSDEFENCE

he solicitor-general's finding as reported in the Star of T 23rd February, 1990 that tne Attorney -General's decision rtot to prosecute anyone for the robbery at Mr. Vijandran's hou&e was not tainted by any bad or improper motive is highly questionable. Any reasonable man in the same situation could never have made such a decision and nor the decision to destroy various tapes which would be evidence in a prosecution for some other offence. We there­ Margaret fore call upon the Attorney-General to resign immediately so as to avoid Thatcher lifts the furtner unhealthy controversy over ban on new his position, failing which he should South Africa be removed from office. investments: [n this regard the continued Viol•ting world unwillingness of the Cabinet to take positive action .againat the Attor­ opinion. ney-General will raise doubts as to its impartiality. Gan Teik Chee 23 February 1990 Asst. Secretary

Africa, Margaret Thatcher's govern­ while South Africans who fought ment has once again withdrawn against this unjust and violent CONDEMN BRITAIN'S itself from 'the mainstream of world apartheid system continue to DECISION TO LIFT BAN opinion and isolated itself !rom languish in jail as criminals. its European Community and Until and unless apartheid is Commonwealth allit.'S. removed anu furever buried, there­ Although Nelson Mandela has fore, pressures against South Africa be British government's deci­ been released and the African must continue. This is the position sion to lift the· ban on new National Congress legalised , the of Mandela, the ANC, the South T investments in South Africa, system ol apartheid r emains en­ African churches, workers, and part of a package of economic trenched. The government of other anti·apartheid people in that sanctions adopted by the European Britain, wh06e model of democracy coun try. Community countries 1n 1986, has has been adopted by so many It is for this reason that we join rightly been condemned by all countries, of all people, should them and the other peoples and peace-loving and justice-seeking realise that there still does no~ governments of the world in con­ peoples of the worJd, including exist provisions for that funda­ demning the decision by Margaret many British people too. mental democratic p rinciple of 'one Thatcher's British government. With this move, as with ita many person one vote' in Sou th Africa. earlier decisions on the queatioll of Segregationist laws and a state of Francis Loh Kok Wah economic sanctions againat South Emergency continue to be in force 24 February 1990 Exco Member

36 controlled by a handful of Western news agencres the mterpretatron and analySIS of poltltcal and eco· nomic trends and event&, tend to reflect the mterest~ ot domtnant ehle groups l.ll North Amerrca and Weslt>m Europt' However, thrs tmhalance 10 m{urmatton and ana lysis cannot be overcome by cen sonnR foreign news through our Aer SED-POS government-1:ont rolled Nattonal Nt>ws Agency Wbal we must do rs lo provtde alternaltve analyse~ and mlerpretati on.~ of tnlernatronal evento Indeed, even withm the West rt.self, there are all sorts of alternative sources of news and information. On Eastern Europe for instance, some of the analyses that have appeared in a daily newspaper like the G uardian for instance, are B(lRGERK quit~ different from what is published in the Washington Pott. There is no reason why we cannot <2,rr1g expose our own public to alterna­ v I ttve viewpoints on a particular political situation. Thl!> m fact 15 one of the cne rL and greaU!fil danger.; of Bemama exer· CIStn~ a monopoly over the flow of foretgn news A monolithic pen;pec· t1ve on •nternatlonal .. vents may emer((e And rt ml' well be a pe...,pPctivf' that 1" c 11t1ib.oned by whal thP go~f'rnme wants the peopl,. to know on a parttcular ll>l>UP l'hP ~CJvernmt>r ·· ~ mterpre tatron of fott>i~en t'"ents whrch woult1 bP do!oely related to tt.s own tnterP~ls would tht'n becoroe the Foreign news dommant view. llgllncies report J~n 't thil. an exampiP of thought contwl? T"n ' t thi• wh11t the Easlt'rn developments In F.uro oean countrtes dtd throul(h Eastern Europe: lhe1r national n~ws agPnctes until Or M seeks to rl'n·ntl\1 m order to stem thf' now straighten ut ;dPa~ on freP.dom and democracv from the We•t? Hnrn't the Mahtv 'siM~ted ' an.ay... . ~''" ~o\'emment Jt>arnt from the utter tailure ol the authOl"ltrtnan regtme-< in Fast,.rn EuropP It' conllol the thmking of tht•~r Agenclt'li rPported certam m ter· people·. H!•~n •t the governmf'nt THEBERNAMA I'IAtiOn~l evPnlq He cttt>d ao; an !'1'1llited th..t freedom is ;t UOIIICr.".IIJ AMFNDMFNT THOUGHT C'l[ample the reporting on the rnsttnl:L that th e barriers er~ctcd ( ONTROl ? d~>m<>crauc revoluhon m F.ast.-rn b~ rcpressrvc ruler cannot pren•nt F.urope The propo5ed amendmf'nt the truth tram rt'LIChtn~ the humAn t'l an l!t'Pmpt to curb thP tmpad ot hP rt? ~''"h repor•• It jc p.ortinc!'l• to quot<'> rrom an lJCan 1:. not .. urpn"•d at all There '' no doubt at all that the tllu· trivus A'i11n lro·· riom ftgbter that there LS 11 B11l bl>torc amf'ndemnt VIolates thP com•ept of I .vho Wt' flo'\\ of mfonn'l'iun. TI1i• Manllela when he w11, m 1•ul) gn"' Bcrnama (the nlltton.. l newll ts wh\ the Btll also o;eek!' to d ..)e~e Mah11tma Gan the rlkenc tnto th e Fedetallon, news m dcdara•ion of rhc United N t•on< window• of r.is notion to We~tern nev.'$ material from toreign nCWii Confereucc o r. FrN•dc:>m of In· m11ut:ncc lsnd id•:ft•, rcp!icit, " l ~hall B}; encit•:~o and ulhct organuauon.ll format:on o t I 4.\h. keep the window!> of mv houbP deahnl! \\ilh the n1·w~ or news .\ free fir-'" Jt mform 1t10n i~ open so thet the cultur~c, of all llUitctiltl thrOI.l"h :!>UCIJ IUTllllt(C• ouc o1 the trnJJtlrtanl f,.atun.:• or a hmrl• can b!o?O into m h:>mf' hut I n .•nb; II! . uhzer!ptto:t payment £Cnllinel) dcrnoctati( •ocict) . 0( m}sclt ',\ ill not be bl wn oft "'" ctow ~ ex -h!rng

37 ELECfiON WATCH

liran welcomes the setting up of the Election Watch by A six concerned Malaysians. It is a modest contribution towards preserving the integrity and inde­ pendence of the Election Commis· sion as well as safeguarding demo· cratic values in Malaysia. In view of what has happened to Parliament, the judiciary and other crucial irutitutions in Malaysia it is impor· tant to eruure that the Election Commission is Cree and indepen· dent from any political pressure from whatever quarter so that fair Election electiona can take place. Commission AA such Aliran regreta the Chairman Tan Sri negative comments that have been Abdul Kadir bin passed by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of the Election Talib: Election Commission. Watch is only Neither the Prime Minister nor aiding the the Election Commission should Commission. fear independent scrutiny. The public watching over the conduct of democratic institutioru is a normal practice in societies that MAHATIDR AND THE the central issues in the scandal. practise the parliamentary system VIDEO SCANDAL One, was a public figure involved of government. Indeed, this is what in pornographic video? The Prime an alert and vigilant citizenry is Minister's own sometimes confused expected to do in a democracy. answers seem to indicate that Seen from this perspective, the liran is shocked by the there was pornography, or at leaat Election Watch is not an attempt to manner in which the Prime some form or obscenity. Two, were replace the Election Commission A Minister trivialized parlia· a number of other individuals also but will be a source of aid to it. lt mentary queries about the former involved? Again, the Prime Minis· is hoped that the government and Deputy Speaker, D.P. Vijandran ter's replies appear to suggest that the Election Commission will give and the Attorney-General Tan Sri there were others too, in the scan­ the Election Watch a fair chance to Abu Talib Othman in connection dal. Three, and most important of prove ita worth to the nation. with the recent video scandal. all, isn't it true that the Attorney­ Through a mixture of bluff and General ordered the tapes des­ Ari!fin Omar bluster, innuendos and allegations, troyed because they implicated a 7 March 1990 Secretary he managed to avoid dealing with public figure from the Barisan Nasional administration? What this means is that lhere was a cover-up. The Prime Minister should have had the honesty and decency to admit that there was a cover-up on the part of the Attor· ney-General. The Prime Minister may not have known of the cover· up when it took place some time ago. If that wu the case, then be should have taken action against the Attorney-General once he realized that the evidence had been destroyed. The Prime Min.Uile r's failure to do so, puts him in a very bad light. It lends credence to the view that Tha PM triviali:ns the Prime Minister goes out of his the lapel way to protect wrong-doers as long as they are unquestioningly loyal controvany: No to him. Indeed, the Prime Minister's respect for ethics parliamentary performance on the in public life. video scandal is conclusive proof - if further proof was needed - that Dr. Mahathir Mohamed cares very little for ethics in public life.

P. Ramakriahnan 12 March 1990 Exco Member

38 role in the pornographic scandal and the Attorney-General's attempt to cover up an act of shame.

Executive 12 March 1990 Committee

Just how did NEW ELECTION LAWS Karpal obtain those tapes???: Side-ttepping the here is a Constitution Amend· issue. ment Bill and a Bill to amend T the Election Act before the Dewan Rakyat. The Constitution Amendment UP TO IDS TRICKS it is the alleged involvement of the Bill will bar an incumbent Member former Deputy Speaker of the of Parliament or State Assembly AGAIN! Dewan Rakyat in pornography and member from resigning his seat and the attempt by the Attorney­ re-<:ontesting it. General to cover. up the scandal, There is really no need for such t is very clear now what the which is of vital importance to the an amendment. Very few MPs or Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir public. The public has a right to State Assembly members resign I Monamad is up to in the Vijan­ know the whole truth about the their seats for the fun of it. The dran-Attomey-General vi de o video scandal. What the public is only time that it had happened in scandal. · really concerned about is the cover­ Malaysia was when Datuk Shahrir He is trying to divert public up - not Karpal Singh's ability to Samad resigned and re-<:ontested his attention from the main issues in obtain information on the tapes. Johor Baru parliamentary sest. He tile scandal by making a lot of noise How can the leader of a govern­ did so to establish a very important about how Karpal Singh may have ment which professes to uphold principle in a democracy. When an gained access to the videos. It does Islamic values divert public atten· MP quits the party on whose plat­ not matter how Karpal obtained tion from such an important moral form be had been elected, it is only those tapes. To give an analogy, question and instead focus upon an right that he returns to his consti· why should one be so bothered issue of little consequence. It tuents to seek a fresh mandate. about how a journalist might have merely goes to confirm that the In fact, Aliran is of the view that obtained vital information on the present Mahathir regime is totally any MP or State Asseml>ly member corruption of some important devoid of any ethical principles. who quits the party on whose leader. What is crucial to the public If Dr. Mahatbir cares about inte· ticket be was elected in the first is the act of corruption itself and grity and honesty as guiding princi· place, should vacate his seat and a the involvement of the leader in pies of public life be would have by-elec6on should be held. It question. ordered a full-scale inquiry into the would be better if a law is promul­ Similarly, on the video scandal, former Deputy Speaker's alleged gated to that effect. After all, Sabah has such a provision in its state constitution. As far as the amendment to the Election Act is concerned, Aliran is not convinced that counting votes at the polling station itself is a worthwhile innovation. Smaller parties may not have the human power to man all the polling sta­ tions in a particular constituency. Is there also a poasibility that some of the voters would feel intimidated when they reali2e that votes would be cou.nted at the very place where they had voted? More significant, according to certain press reports the returning officer's decision on the voting in a certain polling station would be final. Does this mean that it cannot be challenged later on in a court of Slulhrir sets a law, even if there are certain ine­ " precedent: A gularities? If thia is the implication, fresh mandate is th en it is yet another example of in order. the elimination of judicial review. Executive 13 March 1990 Committee

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It 3 CHALLENGES FACING ASIA ($5.00 +postage 0.50) 0 aJ~am1nes all tha major trends and developments which have The speech outlines the awesome challenges faced by 1nfluancad the practice of democracy in Malaysia Astans today and suggests ways to deal w1th them It • DIALOGUE ON DEMOCRACY - $3.20 0 Identifies the crucial areas that have stood in the way of Cohc:tion of speechas mad• by INdars of Yllriow political progress and good government and 1ns1sts that unless ,_rt1as and publtc interest sooettas 1n connectiOn with tha eHec:t1ve transformatton ftrst takes place tn these areas, no Third D•logue of Conc•n on Parliamentary Oamoef11C:y. laSting or meantngful change can come about. a CORRUPTION $4.20 0 4 . OPPOSE OSA (THE OFFICIAl SECRETS ACTI An •s1ly readable, 1nformative and analytical c:ollec:tion of ($5.00 +postage 0 .50) 0 ,_pars on wrious aspects of th•s social sc:ou'9a prasantad by In th1s analysts of the 1986 amendments to the Of1icial Al1ran officials and guest spa••rs at an Aliran uminar on Secrets Act, an attemPl is made to spell out the conse· Corruption. quences of that law for freedom and democracy. The pub he IS shown how thetr ttght to know would be affected and e ISSUESOFTHEMAHATHIRYEARS - $11.00 0 how public accountability would lose 1ts meaning Th1s book consists of press statements, articlas and short speec:ha of Aliran officialt; The imponam subjects d•lt 5 DEVELOPMENT - FOR WHOM7 with include human rights and democracy. financ•l ($5.00 + postage 0 .501 0 scandals and the OHicial Sacrat• Act The compilatiOn A nudted criticism of the authonttes lor the wasteful pro¥1das a useful mtrror of • cr1tical ph- in Mllays1an spendtnQ, for obsession wrth prest1ge projl!(;ts and for history, the rasolutton of wh1ch 11 not over. excludtng the poorer segments of soc1ety from mam-stream e NATION ON TRIAL - $12.00 0 development. The talk deplores the IncreaSingly elit istic Th- last five y•rs have b"n tumultous on• tor Mllaysia ~rend 1n development as a betrayal of the people's dieam of 1n many respects, In rnany sph•as of nationel life, the a just 50Ctety. country appears to be slipptng. Th11 is maniflltad in the wNkaning of democrattc loundattons and the rise of 6. WHO IS DESTROYING THE RUKUNEGARA? authoritarianism in gowrnment, c:orruption and financial ($7 .00 +postage 0.851 0 e01ndal1, lack of accountabiltty and an absence of integrity This tape conta1ns two speeches on the Aukunegara among people at the helm of the natton's affairs, violation wh1ch attempt to show how and why the Government in of hurnan rights, a declining economy and incr-i"' perttcular had de111ated from the pr1nctples and goals of the unemployment In the midst of all this, Aliran continuas to natton's chatter. The speaker5 are Altran President Dr. demand a saner pohttcal and economic system Chandra Muzaffar and Altran ExecUtive Comm1ttee member, Gan Tetk Chee. Books in a. hall Malaysia e 5 PERSOALAN - $3 70 [l A,_kah Asia Tengg.~ra Salamet? Menea,_ Terda,_t lndic:Ma nu.,._ ordered in boll next to title. Kemeskinan Oalam Masyarllkat Ki1a1 A,.eu.h Oil ka· Name: Mr/Mrsltl/a ...... budayaan Nas1onal? Manp,_ Adanya K*urangen Aurnah? Addr-: ...... Mang~,_ Wujudnya Polattsas• Keum7 o.,_tkan ja_,_nnya delam buku ini. • ISA DAN KESE LAM AT AN NEGARA - $5.20 0 Buku in• membicarak1n undang·undang ISA. Ia rnemeper· I enclose mDMY order/postal order/cttaque no ...... ~n tentang kattdakad1lennya, tantang kiJIIfimannya. Ia cube mamberi garnberan tenta"' a,_ seb«wmya v•111 ...... •tad ...... for the 1um of ...... barleku ~~~ bulan Oktob• 1987 b1la labih 100 0r11111 d1ta ...ap d i bawah ISA • "'-• include 50 wnts for bank c:o"'""-ion for outtta· e CABARAN CABARAN SEMASA $7.20 0 t ion c:heq vas. Suatu kat•n yang mend81am tentang cabaran~ran yang for lo01l orders, pr ice~ quoted are indwiwe of post... . kite hadapi dalam bideng demokrasi, •onom., k-syara· For overs- orders, pric:as quoted 1n US$ with 20'1' of katan. ,_ndid1kan, kemanus•aan, hak asasi manusia dan total order for surface ma1l and 100% of total order for hal4hwal antarabangsa. airmeil

41 f-RU:DOM fJCHU.R OR FICHTER AGAINST FREEDOM? civil and political liberties South continued from back pqe Afnca under its present leader de Klerk, is less authoritarian than Mahathtr's Malaysia . Pretoria regtme has the power to demonstration these days IS almost detain people w1thout trial. a novelty. In South Afnca, there There lS another major diffe­ Mahath1r also uses detention with­ are about half a doun organiza­ rence between Mahathir Mohamad out trial as one of the weapons to tions with specwc human rights and Nelson Mandela. Mahathir pro­ preserve and perpetuate tus power. objectives. VIdes 'racial' explanations for many A freer medta which lS not under ln Malaysia, the government has of the problems of development the control of the Executive is one until now refused to regtster any and underdevelopment. Mandela, m of the goals of Mandela and the human rights soctety. At least three contrast has a lucid grasp of the African National Congress (ANC). attempts have been made since underlying economic, political and In Malaysia, Mahathir - more than 1975. The National Human Rights social d11I1ens10ns of the challenges any other Prime Minister in the past Society of Malaysia under Tunku associated wLth wealth and poverty, - has maintained a suffocating grip Abdul Rahman which applied for power and subjugation, in Third upon the Bahasa and English daily registration in August 1989 has yet World countries and in other parts newspapers and the electronic to receive the green light from the of the world. media. Minister of Home Affairs, who is of In this connection, Mandela and Ironically, in certain respects course none other than Mahathir other South African and African present-day South Afnca may be himself. political leaders may be shocked to enJoying a little more freedom than AU this is not to suggest that learn of Mahathir's explanation of Mahathir's Malaysia. In South there is more democracy in South why South Africa is "successful" Africa, public rallies are possible. A Africa than in Malaysia That the compared to other African coun­ number of mammoth rallies have Pretoria regtme denies the principle tries. In his infamous Ma/Qy been organiZed m recent months. In of one person one vote and thereby Dilemma written in 1970, he Malaysia, pubhc rallies (except continues to disenfranchise the argues: "The gleaming success of South Africa as compared with the those held by Mahathu) are, to aJ1 majority Black population, would other African countries is a product intents and purposes, prohibited be mefutable ev1dence that South of the different racial character of Demonstrations are frequent Afnca is not a democratic soc1ety the immigrant White African and occurences m today's South Africa. by any stretch of the 1magmat1on the indigenous Black African." In Malaysia, on the other hand, a Nonetheless. on certalll spectfk (The Malay Dilemma Donald Moore. Singapore, 1970, p. 96). Isn't it astounding that one of the world's most vocal opponents of apartheid can espouse such a retrogressive view? He forgets that "the gleaming success of South Afnca" is confmed largely to its White elite. The vast majority of Blacks live in inhuman conditions with limited access to good educa­ tion and proper medical facilities. More important, the prosperity of the While elite is due not to some 'ractal character' but the imposition and perpetuation of the system of apartheid itself. For apartheid con­ centrate) opportunities and privi­ leges in the hands of the White elite while denying justice to the Black majority. That is the real reason for the so-caJled "gleammg success" of White South Africa - apart from certain other economic and histoncal factors. This irre­ futable fact about apartheid and White success was recognised almost four decades ago by an out­ South Africans demonstrate opposition to apartheid ... Malayslans are standing White South African, Alan allowed only demonstration• of loyalty to the Executive. Paton, the author of Cry, the

42 beloved country. entitled, "Transnational Corpora· heed to the campaign. Worse, it was That Mahathu IS a fervent advo­ tions in South Africa and Namibia.' during the period of the campaign cate of a view of development and It is quite conceivable that the that the Mahathir government change premised UpQn "racial PNB's investments are via Guthrie's dec1ded to expand its economic ties character" is obvious from other which is wholly owned by the with Shell Malaysia. Compare this passages in the Malay Dilemma. He former. with the support given by state says for irutance, "Races are dif­ There are other Transnational agencies in Holland or the World ferentiated not merely by ethnic Corporations {TNCs) ln which Council of Churches in Geneva to origin, but also by many other Malaysians have significant mterests the 'Shun Shell' movement. One characteristics. These characteristics llke Dunlop and lnchcape, that would have thought that an are important. How these charac­ continue to invest in. South Africa. unyielding champion of economic teristics develop is another matter, Besides, there are TNCs which are sanctions like Mahathir would have but when races compete 10 a given active in the South African econo­ made some attempt to at least field, these characteristics play an my and, at the same time, have endorse the boycott. extremely important role. The Jews unportant operations in Malaysia. Some would argue that he didn't for example are not merely hook­ Shell would be an outstanding do so because he is a pragmatic nosed, but understand money example. It will be remembered, leader. Pragmatic leaders place instinctively. The Europeans are in this connection, that more than a business and growth before free­ not. only fair-skinned, but have an year ago, Aliran participated in an dom and jusbce. But the man that insatiable curiosity. The Malays are international 'Shun Shell' campaign Mahathir visited in Lusaka recently not merely brown but are also easy­ to force that oil company to with· is of a different kind. For hlm the going and tolerant. And the Chinese draw from South Africa. The cam­ liberty of his people is more impor­ are not just almond-eyed .people paigners felt that economic tant than his own welfare. As a but are also inherently good sanctions against the Pretoria result, twenty-seven years of his life buSlOessmen." (p. 84). regime will not be effective as long lie buried within prison walls. His This argument about inherent as influential TNCs like Shell long suffering shows that Mandela racial characteristics is so utterly continue to operate ln South is capable of transcending mere fallacious that it is not worth Africa. self-interest. Perhaps this is yet refuting. There are thousands and Aliran made a public appeal to another factor that distinguiShes thousands of Chinese in Malaysia Mahathir to support the campaign. Nelson Mandela, the fighter for and elsewhere who have no interest He failed to respond. Goverrunent freedom from Mahathir Mohamad, in, or inclination towards, business. bodies and the government­ the fighter against freedom. e They will not survive in business, controlled media did not pay any just as there are many, many Malays who are certainly not 'easy­ going' when it comes to discharging the responsibilities they have been entrusted with. But it is not just the 'racial' roots of his thinking which is the problem. Even in the struggle against apartheid, one wonders whether the Mahathir government could not have done more. Of course, compared to other states in Southeast Asia, Malaysia has a praiseworthy record. We have, for Understanding your business and acting instance, together with a number of within the disciplines of consent: These are other countries, imposed economic the f irst imperatives of democratic sanctions against South Africa. leadership. A further requisite is vision: the However, there is also, at the same ends for which power is sought. When time, some evidence of indirect leaden have as their goal the enhancement investments in South Africa. The of personal authority or the protection of Permodalan NasionaJ Berhad greed and privilege or the advancement of (PNB), an investment corporation linked to the Malaysian govern­ empire, they will do little for democracy. ment, has investments · there, according to the EconoU'lic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC). This is stated in a 19&5 ECOSOC document

43