KON 0861/84 VO"-UME IV: NO. 10 OCTOBER 1984 PRICE: $1.00 ISSN 0127-'- 5127

For Justice,Freedom,Solidarity • Our Future What will be the features ot the future? .What wi ll be t he pol itical , economic, And our government - whatever its cultural and so ci al characteristi cs of ou r count ry ten yea rs from now? Provided there is shortcomings -- is capabie of responding no sudden, unexpected domestic upheaval or some totally unpredictable global in its own way to public opinion. It is calamity, it is quite conceivabl e that so me of the present t rends in society will l~ d to partly because it has been accommodative certain future sce narios. of a certain degree of dissent that it has On the positive side, one could perh aps presage continued political stabil ity but managed to retain the confidence of a with more frequent episodes that portend instability. There will al so be economic significant segment of Malaysian society. growth but at a slower rate. More than the limited space available In contrast to this, there is every likelihood that serious poverty will persist and in our control led democracy for those of economic disparities will become even more pronounced. Corruption, ethnic and us striving for social change, it is the religious polarization, executive dominance and suppression of human rights are alt people's own growing consciousness of expected to become even more serious challenges in the next decade. (See box their rights that promises hope for the Balance Sheet, positive; negative) future. More and more groups in our When we compare the positive w ith society are now prepared to demand the negative features of our likely future, justice when they are treated unfairly. it is obvious that the situation is dismal. There is a ce rtain yearning for change 'Decl ine' and 'deterioration' threaten to among some of these groups. characterise the coming reality. There is At the moment, this consciousness is no doubt at all that the ruling elites from developing separately within the Malay Merdeka to the present are largely respon- and non-Malay communities. It is a sible - though other influential groups in consequence of dividing society along all the communities must also share part 6 ethnic lines. Within the Malay community of the blame. for instance there have been, over the Though the future is fraught with last 10 years or so , localised protests difficulties, there is no reason for despair. against the authorities centering around For there is still some freedom. We can economic and agrarian issues. There are still articulate ideas opposed to the beliefs of course other protest movements of the ruling elites. We can still dissemi- comprising more politically-conscious nate our views. We can still assemble and dissidents who believe that the future lies organise to a limited extent. in an Islamic state. Since the idea itself has yet to be transformed from slogan to Letters ...... 4 substance, its usefulness remains limited. Outstanding Malaysian Award ...... 6 In any case, the quest for justice within Inside~:3. Report: Merdeka Dinner 1984 ...... 7 the Malay community has almost always 4. The Right To Dissent ...... 8 had a strong religious basis. 5. Trade Unions - Their Role in Malaysia ...... 9 Among the non-Malays, the situation 6. College-General ...... 10 is different. Largely secular in their 7. Etika dan Pelajar-Pelajar Universiti ...... 12 orientation, they have involved them- 8. Asian Women and Justice ...... 14 selves in a number of educational, 9. The Semai: A People Left Behind ...... 16 cultural, economic and environmental issues. As a whole, they have been far 10. Medical Education: Fundamental Changes more vocal and far more organised in Needed ...... 18 their dissent. It is their critical conscious- 11. The BMF: A Royal Commission of Enquiry ness reflected in both their ideas and Now ...... 20 actions which is mainly responsible for keeping certain democratic values alive. The Allran Monthly appears In the latter half of the month The Papan protest is an outstanding example. Unfortunately, in some of the other episodes, what began as non-ethnic The development of two issues have eventually been coloured by communal considerations. separate streams of critical The development of two separate streams of critical consciousness - one Malay, the other non-Malay - is not good consciousness - one Malay, for the country. Although they are not antagonistic to one another, it is quite the other non-Malay - is not possible that unscrupulous politicians could turn one against the other. This could happen especially since the streams good for the country. themselves contain potentially communal tendencies. More important, as long as they remain divergent, it is unlikely that they will be able to challenge successfully the existing order. For it is only a unified, inter-ethnic or multi-ethnic consciousness that can emerge as an alternative. Aliran's purpose is to create this mu lti- ethnic consciousness. It seeks to establish points of convergence in the divergent streams of critical consciousness. To do this at the level of ideas, we have to show that issues taken up separately by Ma lay and non-Malay groups respectively are in fact part of the same whole. They are al I re lated to the philosophy and strategy of deve lopment pursued by our government. If rubber pr ices fal l and Ma lay smal lholders su ffer it is partly because of the dependent character of our economy which in turn is a reflection of the type of deve lopment · we are committed to. If Chinese saw i modern man himself is farmers are cheated by midd le-men it is because of the present structure of our beginning to see how economy susta ined by a capita list approach to deve lopment. Similarl y , poor Malays protesting against inadequate important it is to have a housing should realise that t he problem itself is due to distorted deve lopment just spiritual view of life .. Balance Sheet Positive Negative 8 ) The perpetuation of the 'dependent' character of the economy reflected 1) Continued political stability with 1) Persistence of serious poverty in both through technology, trade, aid, UMNO as the dominant partner in an rural and urban areas. investments, consultancies and the inter-ethnic coalition held together 2) The adverse impact of recession like. by the glue of power. accompanied by immense balance of 9) The growing power of Japanese, and 2) Continued economic growth though payments difficulties and increasing perhaps Korean, investments, com- at a slower rate in the midst of all foreign debts. merce and technology in certain sorts of domestic and global uncer- 3) Rising prices of goods and services. sectors of the economy. tainties. 4) Deterioration in the quality of vital 10) The dominant control of the 3) An expanding industrial sector which public services. economy by small, affluent, groups may also lead to the development of 5) Depletion of natural resources. li nked directly or indirectly to the certain crucial technical skills. 6) Further destruction of the physical ru ling elites. 4) More significant Malay participation environment. 11) The rapid expansion and consolida- in the professions, commerce and 7) The absence of a sound scientific tion of a Malay capitalist class industry. base to facilitate autonomous indus- created largely by the state to 5) The emergence of a non-Malay gene- trialisation and self-reliant develop- parallel the existing non-Malay ration fluent in Bahasa Malaysia. ment. capitalist class.

Aliran Monthly October 1984 2 When individuals and groups from different commun·ities are conscious that they share certain fundamental values, I the bond between them becomes stronger. as non-Malays should know that it is also empathy for common issues. For the reason why they have to fight so hard instance, if both Malays and non-Malays such a vision must have a clear spiritual to save the environment from rapacious work together on an issue like political basis. After all, modern man himself is profiteers. Even those non-Malays who detainees under the ISA or organise a beginning to see how important it is to are concerned about their language and common campaign on the BMF scandal, have a spiritual view of life. This is why culture should try to see the link between they can be made to realise that freedom Aliran regards belief in God as its· first assimilative tendencies and the prevailing and integrity are sacred values in all our principle. To believe in God is to realise concept of development. Development spiritual traditions. When indivi'!!uals and our humanity. It is to create a social that centralises power including groups from different communities are order which will bring forth the humanity cultural power - is bound to deny conscious that they share certain funda- in each and everyone of us. This will of autonomy to sub-cultural groups. By the mental values, the bond between them course require a determination to liberate same token, Malay dissidents who becomes stronger. the human being from all the structures bemoan the materialistic threat to Islam It becomes even stronger when they that dominate him and distort his should not lose sight of the fact that it is develop a common vision of man and humanity. the entire development ethos that society. Aliran has been trying to do this This conception of God, man and promotes acquisitiveness and private in its own small way. We are convinced society is the essence of every great accumulation. that meaninQful social change that spiritual tradition. For us in Malaysia, it Making Malays and non-Malays aware transcends ethnic boundaries will be is perhaps the only basis for forging a that many of their separate concerns are possible only if a sufficient number of truly multi-ethnic movement for genuine inter-related and arise from a certain type Malays and non-Malays are deeply change - change that will enable each of distorted development is perhaps one committed to a common vision of a and every human being to live like a of the most effective ways of promoting desirable future. human being• the concept and practice of shared values. To strike root among the people in a (A Summary of a Speech by Dr. Chandra We will begin to appreciate that we share society like ours where religion matters Muzaffar at an Allran function In Kuala common values only if we develop so much to a majority of the population, Lumpur in July 1984.)

12) The widening gap between the rich 17) The rapid spread of a superficial, 21) Fierce, furious competition for and powerful and the poor and exclusivist approach to Islam among political power as politics becomes powerless in all communities. Muslim youths and the rise of more and more elitistic and politics 13) Increasing corruption and greed at narrow, bigoted revivalist trends emerges as the decisive force in the level of the rich and powerful. among other religions. society. 14) A greater struggle among the poor 18) At the opposite end, the growth of a 22) The concentration of more and more and powerless to make ends meet by sensate, permissive culture which power with the government as Par I ia- taking up multiple jobs. encourages gambling, alcoholism, ment and the Judiciary decline even 15) Further deterioration in ethnic pornography and drug-taking. further in importance. relations as a result of the perpetua- 19) As a result of all this, certain polari- 23) The rapid decline of open, parliamen- tion of ethnic dichotomies in almost zation of attitudes and sentiments tary politics as the government all areas of public life. within the Malay, and to some becomes less and less accountable to 16) Increased emphasis upon lslamiza- extent, the non-Malay middl13-class. the public. tion by the government and a 20) The reflection of divisions within the 24) The further erosion of the rights of growing feeling of alienation among middle-class in the arena of party the people as the press, trade unions, some Muslims and many non- politics through the emergence of public interest societies and political Muslims. strong cliques and factions. parties are subjected to tighter control.

3 Aliran Monthly October 1984 mobilised to combat the leak; iv) the extra cost incurred in transporting the radioactive waste to the island depository would be well worth the minimised risks to lives. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment could go one step further in ensuring the safety of the people in nearby We welcomeLetters letters from readers. These letters may be edited for purposes of space and islands by setting up a unit comprising officials clarity. The views expressed may not be those of the Aliran Monthly. Pseudonyms are from the Ministry, the Fire Department, the accepted but all letters should include the writer's name and address. Royal Malaysian Navy and the Environmental Letters should be addressed to Editor, Aliran Monthly, P.O. Box 1049, Penang, Malaysia. Protection Society to coordinate safety mea· sures. The unit should monitor the safety standards of the body involved in disposing the radioactive waste. The unit should also con· tinuously monitor the depository for any in the Malaysian type of democracy, there leakage or any other radioactive hazards posed The Papan Controversy should be room for this kind of popular by the depository. The unit could also have action. emergency drill sessions to upgrade the effi· On the surface, the Papan controversy seems Returning to the Deputy Prime Minister's ciency of the relevant ·bodies connected with to centre on conflicting views regarding the statement of concern regarding the growing the radioactive waste depository. safety level of the radioactive waste depository number of demonstrations, it is interesting to at Papan. In one corner, there is the Govern- note that the Government itself had not too M.E.I. & I.P. Kuala Lumpur ment reiterating that the nuclear waste dump is long ago resorted to such actions when it safe, in fact of a higher safety standard than mobilised the people in a show of support for that recommended by the International Atomic its actions. Two such instances were the Nuclear storage in the U.S.: Energy Agency. In the other corner lie the Constitution Amendment Issue and the nation- various pressure groups challenging the authen- wide demonstrations led by Encik Anwar Wherever it's located, the first ticity of the safety standard claimed by the Ibrahim to protest against the alleged Soviet repository will lie in a rock or salt Government. threat to support insurgent movements in formation 2,000 to 4,000 feet be- We do not wish to enter this melee by South East Asia. taking sides but would instead like to record On both these occasions, the question of low the surface of the earth. some observations on the Papan controversy. demonstrations threatening national security James Mason-Black Star The claims, charges and counter-charges by the conveniently took a back seat. Why therefore protagonists regarding the safefy level of the the sudden concern for 'national security' dump can only be verified by expert evidence when 3,000 people demonstrated at Papan to and an independent inspection of the dump protest against a decision directly affecting site. But it is submitted that there is more to their safety? They were not demonstrating the Papan controversy than differing views on against the possibility of a distant polar bear safety levels. increasing its power in this region through Chief amongst these are (i) the accoun· subversion. They were protesting against the tability of Government actions (ii) the Govern· possibility of their lives and their children's ment's stand in the Papan issue vis-a-vis other lives being endangered by radioactive leakage. issues which have stirred public awareness Another major point we wish to make is (iii) whether principles of Natural Justice have that the Government in deciding to go ahead been breached by the Government and (iv) with the construction of the dump site, has Government disclosure of information which is clearly breached the principles of Natural of public interest. Justice. The residents of Papan have a legiti· A gratifying feature of the Papan tug-of-war mate basis for believing that their rights, is that the public (if it can be said to be repre- whether public or private, will be affected by sented by the pressure groups) is holding the the decision to build the dump site. Government accountable for its actions. It is This being so, Natural Justice demands not accepting wholesale the "assurances" of that they be first consulted on the matter. The the Government with regard to the safety level · Government need not abide by their wishes, of the dumpsite. The pressure groups legiti- but NN ural Justice demands that the residents' mately expect the Minister of Science, Techno- views be first heard before a decision is made. It logy and Environment to live up to his is quite clear that the Government failed in this assurances. This is a good sign. Not only respect, at least where the Papan issue is con· because it shows that the public is environ· cerned. It is a pity that for cases like the Papan mentally conscious, but more significantly it issue, Malaysia does not have adequate Acts of indicates that it is politically participative. Parliament which make it a requirement for This is a more convincing indication of the Government to consult the affected bodies democracy at work in Malaysia than all those before decisions are made. There are numerous rhetorical exhortations by certain Govern· instances in England where the courts have ment leaders that Malaysia practises democracy. thrown out the Government's case when it To curb this growing consciousness by failed to consult bodies whose rights were invoking fears of public unrest is tantamount affected by the Government decision. The to choking democracy. It is in view of this that Government had in these cases acted ultra-vires we respectfully submit that the Deputy Prime when it did not comply with the procedural Naming Places Minister in his recent warning to pressure requirements as dictated by the relevant Acts groups was perhaps mistaken as to the senti· of Parliament. If we go around our beloved country, we ments involved in the Papan controversy. We do not wish to conclude this article with find most roads, schools, buildings, bridges, Pressure groups backing the residents of a pessimistic note. Instead, we would suggest ferry terminals, hospitals, aerodromes etc. etc., Papan (whether by active support like demon· that the Government consider a much more named after feudal heads or lords. No one strations or other modes of residual support) suitable place to site the radioactive waste knows what these people did to deserve such cannot be thrown into that worn-out and depository. It could be an uninhabited island honour! all-encompassing category of "anti-nationals". off the Peninsula, off the Perak coast maybe. These names are not only long and clumsy Racial attributes should not be read into these This would have the following advantages: but obsolete. It is high time our sincere leaders pressure groups or the Papan issue. Neither i) an uninhabited island would be far safer under Dr. Mahathir, change them to simple should they be seen as groups out to create place than a depository near a residential short ones so that it is easy for the public to unrest. What they are trying to do (within area; pronounce, or spell or write. Please be more reasonable limits of course) is to convince the ii) in case of a leakage, the island can be cor- sensible and logical. Government that decisions directly affecting doned off quite easily; the people should not be bulldozed through. iii) in case of a leakage, the Royal Malaysian This is democracy at work. And surely even Navy based at Lumut could be effectively

Aliran Monthly October 1984 4 Teachers' Day and Bureaucracy will forward them to the Chairman of the Their contention is worthy of the fool's Disciplinary Board. maxim that he would not get into the water It is absurd the way Teachers' Day is bi Para 5.2 of this circular states that one copy until he had learnt to swim! celebrated. But nothing highlights this mockery of the asset forms will be returned to the If the politicians are unready and unti - more vividly than the fact that teachers officer concerned and one copy will be kept and I think they will eternally be unready for throughout the country are not permitted to by the Disciplinary Board. very obvious reasons - we the people of celebrate Teachers' Day on the designated day cl Para 7.2 of this circular requires the Chair- Malaysia must take the first step towards this itself. Even though May 16th has been man of the Disciplinary Board to submit the long journey. proclaimed as the Teachers' Day in Malaysia, decision of the Board with regard to the With belief in God and faith in ourselves, we only a small percentage of teachers can declaration of assets to the respective State cannot fail if we are sincere and true about a celebrate the occasion on this day. Our bureau- Directors of Education. It is clearly stated united Malaysia in which Justice, Freedom and cracy is entirely responsible for this ridiculous that the Declaration of Asset Forms are not Solidarity would reign supreme. situation. to be submitted to the State Education It has been so decided by the almighty Department. Paicis Pulau Pinang. hierarchy that the Teachers' Day must be first di Para 8.1 of this circular requires the Head officially launched at the National level on the of Dept. to compile a list of personal 16th of May when all the elites in the particulars of all officers who have declared Education Service get together in the Federal their assets and another list of particulars Capital to celebrate. On the following day, May of officers who have not declared their 17th, the second echelon of elites in all the assets. states of Malaysia get together and launch el Para 8.2 of this circular requires the Heads Teachers' Day celebrations in their respective of Schools to submit these lists of particu- states. Then on the third day and thereafter the lars to the Ministry of Education through rest of the Teaching Profession, i.e. the their respective State Directors of Education. common teachers, are allowed to celebrate their I would like the Spokesman of the Perak day at zone and school levels. Education Department to quote the relevant Nothing can be more absurd than this. We sections of any other circular, known or do not celebrate Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, unknown to the teachers, to substantiate his Deepavali or Christmas on three different point of view which is at variance with the occasions. For that matter, none of the other circular I have quoted. gazetted days like Warriors' Day or Youth Day As to the third point regarding the forms are celebrated on a staggered basis. It is only and the confidentiality of the information sensible that we celebrate the occasion on the contained therein, it will suffice to re•ind him officially designated day which is meant for all of the S.T.P. leakage last year. I'm sure that all and sundry. those who had some connection to the S.T.P. Why should we make an exception in the Examination Papers must have been under the case of the Teachers' Day? Why shouldn't all oath of secrecy. I'm equally confident that the teachers throughout the country celebrate those question papers were "closely guarded" Teachers' Day on 16th May? Will the signifi- and locked up in "strong Rooms". But what cance of the day be enhanced only if the happened? Time for a Change celebration is staggered? Can the Spokesman for the Perak Education Indeed I'm staggered by the lack of logic in Department guarantee the confidentiality of In the July issue of your Monthly there this matter. the information contained in the asset forms? appeared an article by B.A. Kedah entitled ''It is The asset forms and the information all the same." What he wrote is true. We have P.R. Krishnan contained in them are handled by too many experienced all sorts of difficulties forced on us lpoh people - unlike the situation .where the by the capitalist - feudalist way of life for the Ministers declare their assets only to one man, past 27 years. the Prime Minister himself. Since we have given the present government ••• (from the Alliance to National Front) 27 years "Clear Thinking." or seven elections, why shouldn't we change Confusion Over Declaration Penang. our taste? Why not we persuade the Aliran Of Assets Working Committee to get parties like the DAP, • • • PAS and PSRM to co-operate? I think it is not I refer to the report on "All Asset Forms hard to get the DAP and PSRM to work Kept Secret Says Dept." and wish to state that together. But it is difficult to get PAS into such rather than clarify, the Department has indeed Parties & Politics an arrangement. PAS leaders must be made to confused the matter further. (Star: August 71. think of the nation first. They must be made to According to the Spokesman for the Perak view Malaysian political parties organized understand problems like poverty, unemploy- Education Department: along racial lines as the single biggest obstacle ment, a chaotic education system, an unfair ii All completed asset declaration forms will to national unity and progress. This tends to wage system, etc., etc. They must be made to be closely guarded; breed politicians who are racialists and realise that God will not help us just because we iii The documents will be processed in the chauvinists. In fact, there is increasing evidence proclaim 'God is Great'. We have to work. We Department and they would be filed with on the Malaysian political scene that one needs have to plan our policies and activities. And the Service Records of the teachers in_ to show that one is a champion of one'$ race, since those in power have failed after 27 years, locked cabinets in the Confidential Unit; and where possible, one's religion in order to why not take steps - immediate concrete steps iii) The clerks handling the documents would rise in the political hierarchy. The major - to bring about a change? The sooner the not divulge the particulars as they have political parties - UMNO, MCA, MIC - provide better. sworn to keep them secret. ample examples of such leaders whose survival The former PSRM Chairman, Kassim With regard to the first point, I would like depends on shouting, "Malays must unite", Ahmad seemed to have failed in getting these , to know in what ways are these forms "closely "Chinese must unite" or "Indians must unite". three parties together. It does not mean some- guarded"? In Penang at least, it is not unusual The sad fact is that when each racial group is one else cannot try. Aliran stands a very good for teachers having difficulty in filling their asked to unite, it is in fact asked to unite chance. forms to be shown the forms of other teachers against the other two! Even if there is a police ban on ceramahs, who had already completed their forms. In this Frankly, if everyone of us wakes up PAS, DAP and PSRM can still find other ways respect, some school clerks must be thanked for tomorrow and thought and felt completely and means to meet the public. Through books, their co-operation. Malaysian in every way, the political leaders magazines, leaflets, and small gatherings, Aliran As to the second point, there is no provision and their parties would collapse. Now, why leaders should get various leaders to work for the Education Department to process these would anyone especially the President of together before it is too late. Don't be cowed forms or to file them away in the Department. UMNO, MCA or MIC for that matter work by the rich and powerful and their tactics. They The Service Circular of the Ministry of against his political demise and that of his party are all out to split us forever so that they can Education No. 4/1984, dated 5.6.84, is very by calling upon all Malaysians to unite? govern until death do us part. So think hard specific: This is why for the past twenty-wven years and think wise. al Para 5.1 of this circular states that these our leaders have maintained that Malaysia and forms are to be submitted to the Head of Malaysians are yet unfit or unready for multi- Ramlah Ahmad Department, who after signing these forms racial parties. Kota Star

5 Aliran Monthly October 1984 Report: Merdeka Dinner 1984 Outstanding

Malaysian Political Parties Malaysian Award I abhor political parties which claim to cater to the needs of racial groups. The Barisan Nasional - a conglomeration of 1984 political parties of all hues and colours - is purported to be the party in power. But is it really? Citation on Dr. Tan Chee Khoon It is all too obvious that parties that entered the Barisan negotiated only the number of seats If a government finds it necessary to should take a wider view. Lessons from they would be allotted in the State assemblies, continually add to the arsenal of laws Parliament and in the various councils and our own recent history show often that committees etc. There is constant squabble that govern expression of alternative to be selfishly unconcerned about public within the Barisan over seats and not issues like views, it would indeed take a brave and issues is to adopt a short-sighted view in national unity, the eradication of poverty and committed citizen to come forward life. For if we speak out only when some- corruption, racially slanted policies and imple- publicly to point out the injustices and mentation, religious fanaticism etc. etc. one close to us suffers the consequences A look at the Cabinet, Federal Parliament wrongs perpetrated in that society. For of certain unjust policies, it would be and State assemblies and the hundreds of this reason, ALIRAN decided that the too late. The recent arrest of three PAS committees at Federal, State and District levels Outstanding Malaysian Award for 1984 members under the ISA is a stark contrast will suffice to convince anyone that UMNO is should be bestowed on Tan Sri Dr. Tan of tragic irony. When the issue of the ISA the government and the government is UMNO. Chee Khoon for his concern and courage. The prejudices of UMNO leaders become was discussed in Parliament, assuming policies and the wishes of UMNO members He has not failed to speak out against that the Act will never be used against become laws. unjust policies and actions that had caused PAS, the Islamic Party voted in favour of Look at the Cabinet Ministers. In one breath untold pain and suffering to the Malay- the Act. Today, they believe differently. they call upon the racial groups they represent sian people. But alas, it is too late for expressions of to unite and safeguard their political and economic position and in another they Though now far removed from the regret. The Sarawak National Party complain about polarisation and call upon days when his father, a poor estate (SNAP) similarly went along with the Malaysians to think and act Malaysians. The labourer was struggling to feed five hun- majority and only when Datuk James language from forked tongues never gains c;iry children, Dr. Tan has not forgotten Wong was arrested under the ISA which credibility. the misery and desperation experienced After a Cabinet meeting, one Minister calls his own Party had previously condoned upon the government to give more places in the by the poor. In fact the days, when his did SNAP come out strongly against it. universities to a particular racial group; another family's staple diet was salted coconut To remain silent and know that a calls for more places in the civil service to his and rice, tapioca and yam, had engraved wrong has been committed is. as much a community; yet another asks for the removal of in his heart a burning desire to do some- constraints on the performance of lion dances! sin as abetting that act of injustice. But If the component parties are successfully thing for the poor. Unlike many other to speak out in the face of stony silence representing the racial groups they claim to socially mobile professionals, Dr. Tan takes a lot of nerve, integrity and com- represent, why the need for such a circus? This considers it his bounden duty as an intel- mitment. These are precisely the qualities is nothing short of a political farce. lectual to contribute to the upliftment When I cast my ballot for the Barisan I was we admire in Dr. Tan, qualities manifes- hoping against hope that at least the Cabinet of those·"'tvho are oppressed and in need. ted in his many years of service to the will think and act Malaysian in the true spirit of Indeed, during the course of his poli- nation. Malaysians should be proud we leadership by example. But it is not to be. I am tical career, Dr. Tan had many a time have in this fine man one who is coura- a victim of a big political hoax. found it necessary to stick his neck out, geous and unstintingly concerned; one Is there a Barisan Supreme Council? If so, so to speak, to publicly expose certain why is it behaving like a political eunuch? Has who is bothered enough to take pains to the Barisan a youth wing? We hear only the unjust actions in order that a wro~g write a weekly column that has served demands of the UMNO Youth and MCA Youth. could be redressed . When mal'ly others to educate and pub I icise issues of social It is significant that the PM announced the around him were cowed or had remained concern. Although this incurs the rancour recent cabinet changes after an UMNO Supreme indifferently silent as their interests of the powerful and unscrupulous and Council Meeting at the UMNO headquarters! were not affected or because by speak- This speaks volumes of how and by whom the jeopardises his own comfortable position, nation is governed. ing up they would lose favour with the he has the satisfaction of knowing that he Race has become institutionalised in the rich and the powerful, Dr. Tan Chee has done right. implementation of the NEP. Human rights and Khoon had the integrity and courage Malaysians should therefore take cou- civil liberties are callously trampled on. The to point out that an unjust act had been right to information is severely curbed. rage and know that what today appears Commonsense has become uncommon. committed. A case in point is the issue to be so wrong and yet so strong and Rationality is a sensitive issue while mad men of the female guru ugama which was powerful will one day be destroyed and are let loose to preach their disastrous political brought up for debate in the Selangor weakened. Truth and progress can be philosophies freely. State Assembly in the late 1960s. Where hindered or hampered but only tempo- Government by deceit and bluffology is the the Wanita UMNO had remained conspi- order of the day. When, oh Lord, are our rarily; their victory is inevitable. The political leaders going to realize that you can cuously silent while the Pemuda UMNO question is whether man himself is cheat some of the people some of the time and was not in the least interested, Dr. Tan prepared to fight for truth. People like all of the people some of the time but not all had spoken out against the cheap month- Dr. Tan, because they are not afraid to the people all the time. ly allowance of $60 - $70 paid to these stand up against existing power structures, Gutak teachers. have earned for themselves a noble role lpoh It is Dr. Tan's belief that Malaysians in the march of civilization•

Aliran Monthly October 1984 6 Report: Merdeka Dinner 1984

Defend Justice

If the attendance at the Aliran Merdeka dinner is anything to go by, then there is indeed a stirring in the con - sc iousness of Malaysians towards what is happening in our society. Over 950 people came to the Merdeka dinner at the Fortuna Restaurant on 1st September 1984. They were appreciative, attentive and interested guests. It was a multi-racial gathering of people from a cross-section of our society. Dr. Tan Chee Khoon, the Guest of Honour arrived at 8.00 p.m. There was E :, an applause as he slowly made his way up I to his seat. Saudari Mariam Zamani read the citation for the Outstanding Malay- sian Award which went to Dr. Tan. Aliran bestowed this honour on Dr. Dr. Tan Chee Khoon being honoured for his courage and concern. Tan for his con cern and courage, his unmitigated fight against unjust policies and actions. Aliran adm ires Dr. Tan's qualities of courage, integrity and com- mitment that are manifested in his many years of servi ce to the nation. Dr. Tan in his acceptance speech stres- sed the indispensability of di ssent to par- liamentary democracy. He traced the gradual erosion of the democratic process since Merdeka. It is therefore important that the people of this cou ntry be willing to voice their dissent against the wrong- doings of the government. He urged E :, Malaysians 'to speak out on the burning I issues that face the nation instead of keeping silent and be forever damned by future generations'. Dr. Chandra Muzaffar on "Power Politics and Money". After a 8 course dinner, the President, Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, addressed the guests on 'Power Politics and Money'. Dr. Chandra spoke of the growing aggran- dizement of power within the ruling Barisan coalition which now permeates all segments of Malaysian society. Since a significant aspect of the Barisan's domi- nan ce is in its power over the economy, there is a growing relationship between politics and business and this link pollutes politics further. Corruption therefore E :, becomes rampant. I

This sort of politics has a devastating 0 impact on the social good and if it is c,: allowed to continue unchecked, the a A multi-ethnic gathering sharing food and thought. problems of corruption, poverty income disparities, ethnic and religious polariza- These dialogues will bring together impor- however, marred by the inefficiency of tion and the suppression of human rights tant public interest societies, trade union the P.A. system and the screeching efforts will only worsen. federations and political parties to exa- to rectify it disrupted the mood of the The highlight of the speech was the mine major social concerns. The over- occasion. Much time was wasted waiting President's an nouncement that Aliran is riding goal of these dialogues is to deve- for the courses to straggle in. The servings responding to the challenge to re-orien- lop social consciousness among our could have been more brisk and prompt, tate our political system away from people on specific social challenges. but alas there were so many people .... . power and money to the human being The dinner was a big success. It would And we wouldn't complain of that ...... and human needs by launching a series have set many a person thinking about of dialogues ca lled Dialogues of Concern. some of the issues raised . The event was, Edda De Silva

7 Aliran Monthly October 1984 Report: Merdeka Dinner 1984

"The Outstanding Malaysian" Dr. Tan Chee Khoon asking more Malaysians to speak out on the burning issues that face the nation.

The Right To Dissent

Speech of acceptance bY Tan Sri Dr. Tan Chee but under the ISA the recommendations Ju Iy 1981 they gave great hope to the Khoon on being bestowed "The Outstanding Malaysian" award by Allran at the Allran of the Advisory Board had to be approved people of · this country. They almost Merdeka dinner on 1st September 1984 In by the Yang DiPertuan Agong before promised an era of liberalism where the Penang. the detainee could be released. In effect Rule of Law would be respected. But the Dissent is part and parcel of any part ia- it means that the government of the day euphoria has turned sour when the mentary democracy. I will go further and has a ve~ over the recommendations of licence for Nadi Insan was withdrawn. say that it is sine qua non, i.e. indispen- the Advisory Board. The Agong being a The Printing Press Amendment 1984 was sable to parliamentary democracy. constitutional monarch has to abide by passed and the arrest of opposition mem- This country has seen three lawyers as the advice of the government of the bers under the ISA was resumed. our prime ministers and now we have a day. It is important that there must be medical doctor as the head of the Then, in the mid seventies when the people in this country who are willing Executive. Under the benevolent and students in our universities protested to voice their dissent against the wrong- amiable Tunku, our first prime minister, at the poverty of the peasants, particular- doings of the government. Here I must we had the Emergency Regulations which ly those of Baling, the then Minister of praise and congratulate ALI RAN on had been used by the British Raj to stifle Education, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir having a dedicated body of leaders and dissent, 11ut when the Emergency was Mohamed introduced the Universities members who are willing to speak out deemed to have been over, the bene- and University Colleges Act which loud and bold against what they think are volent Tunku replaced the Emergency effectively stifled dissent not only the wrongdoings of our government. Regulations with the draconian Internal amongst the students but also sealed the I myself have contributed my small Security Act. lips of the academic staff as well. share in voicing dissent against what I The safeguards provided under the Then, under the third Prime Minister, think is wrong with the government. Emergency Regulations were swept away with a reputation of being fair and just, However, that does not mean that I am and all the loopholes plugged up. Thus the government struck another blow at always criticising the ruling party for the Emergency Regulations had to be liberty and dissent by pushing through their shortcomings. I am prepared and renewed annually and that meant that the Societies Amendment Act 1981 indeed I have given credit where credit they had to be approved by Parliament through Parliament. This Act aroused is due to the government. But I do hope annually. the opposition of almost all sections of that more Malaysians will speak out on Previously, the Advisory Board under our society and the government had to the burning issues that face the nation the Emergency Regulations had the bring substantial amendments 1-ater. instead of keeping silent and be forever power to order the release of a detainee Now, when the 2Ms took office in damned by future generations•

Aliran Monthly October 1984 8 Viewpoint

; TRADE UNIONS THEIR ROLE IN MALAYSIA P. Ramasamy

he declaration of a state of emer- militancy and strikes, empowered the Apart from the ready availability of gency in 1948 and its continuation Minister of Labour to conduct com- the above legislative weapons to weaken until 1960 dealt a big blow to the healthy pulsory arbitration through the Industrial the trade unions, the present govern- development of free and independent Courts. Under this Act, the Minister can ments policies of "Look East", "In-House trade unions in Malaysia. Under emer- intervene in any labour dispute and Unions" and "Privatisation" look very gency rule, steps were taken by the subject the parties concerned to final threatening to the development of Malayan Trade Union Advisor, John arbitration. genuine trade unionism. Of late, the Brazier, to encourage the growth of Thirdly, the government, by constant- government seems to be rather infatuated trade unions that were "moderate" ly brandishing the Emergency Regula- with the 'Look East Policy" of emulating and "independent". At the same time, tions inherited from the colonial the Japanese model of industrial develop- the colonial government used its legis- administration and the Internal Security ment. The strict adherence to this policy lative weapon - Trade Union Ordinance Act (ISA), was able to secure compliance also requires the government to encou- of 1949 - to register "non-subversive" from those unions that appeared militant. rage the development of in-hourse unions unions and to enforce other union The Alliance government was obses~d in the country. While the "Look East restrictions. Thus, it was in this repressive with the idea that militant trade union Policy" might be very pleasing to both and sterile atmosphere that the Malayan activity was basically the work of employers as well as to the governmental Trade Union Council, the National Union communist agents. Under such a situa- elites, it does, however, pose grave of Plantation Workers and CUEPACS tion, many trade unions fearful of arrest problems to the very survival of large were formed. Under the Alliance government, trade The decision of the Registrar cannot be unionism suffered. The government's view of trade unions was conditioned challenged, questioned or taken to court. by two inter-related factors. One was the Alliance's fear of communist and detention had to give in to the trade unions. Japanese industrial success "subversion". It wanted to ensure that government's 'blackmail". and the growth of in-house unions are 1945-48 sittuation was not repeated. During the period of the Barisan a result of certain Japanese particularities, The other was the need to promote National government, trade union acti- and as such, will not be really applicable foreign investment and to guarantee to vity was further restricted by the intro- in the Malaysian context. The proposal to the foreign investors, wage stability and duction of amendments to both the introduce in.-house unions in Malaysia has labour docility. Thus in order to attract Trade Union Act as well as to the a number of implications: foreign investment and to maintain Industrial Relations Act. The most 1. in-house union will eventually lead political "stability", the Alliance govern- restrictive of the amendments came in to the disintegration of the existing ment used legislative mechanisms to 1980 following the Airlines Employees national unions; subdue labour and trade union activities Union strike in 1979. 2. employers will inevitably manipu- in particular. Under the 1980 Amendments to the late the in-house unions to exploit During the period 1957-70, the Trade Union Act, the Registrar has been the workers; Alliance government used three instru- given near absolute powers to reject and 3. there will be no uniformity in wage ments to "discipline" the country's cancel union registration. The decision of negotiations and would leave many trade unions. Firstly, the Trade Union the Registrar cannot be cha I lenged, workers exploited, etc. Act of 1959 was introduced. Under this questioned or taken to court. In addition, It is no surprise then that almost all Act, the government banned industrial the Minister of Labour has been given the unions have spoken out against the con- "subversion" by arming the Trade Union powers to suspend any trade union for a cept of in-house unions. Registrar with excessive powers to period not exceeding six months, if any In order to introduce greater effi- register as well as to de-register unions. union in his opinion is acting prejudicial ciency and better prodGctivity the Also, under this Act, trade unions com- to public order and peace. It is also government is seriously thinking of bining workers of various skills and contained in the Amendments that no handing over certain utilities and services industries were prohibited from registra- trade union can call for a strike without to the private sector. While such a move tion. And furthermore, there were also first obtaining the consent of at least might have certain merits from the new restrictions on union leadership as two-thirds of its total members. And no government's point of view, it will not, well as on how to use union funds. strike should be called before the expiry however, do justice to workers. If such a Secondly, following the Railway of seven days after submitting to the policy is implemented, workers from the Union of Malaya strike in 1962-63 and Registrar the results of such secret public sector will be "moved" to the the Indonesian confrontation in 1965, ballots. There are also provisions in the private sector and such a move will the government passed the Industrial 1980 Amendements to restrict union definitely affect the income of workers, Relations Act in 1967. This Act which officials from holding positions in poli- especially those in the unskilled category. was basically to prevent further un ion tical parties. "Moving" to the private sector will mean

9 Aliran Monthly October 1984 The College-General issue has come to mean various things to various people. The State Government has elected to regard it as an "opposition ruse' - to be dismissed. At one stage it even took the form of a personal squabble between two old foes. Nobody, not even the objectors, really know how the City Council regards the issue. They do not seem to see the rezoning in terms of its non-conformity to the Council's own planning policies for the area nor its likely impact on the surrounding environment. Quite likely, the rezoning means a goldmine in terms of assessments? ...privatisation will only lead to the weakening As for the developers Gurney Garden Holdings, the rezoning of the College- of the power base of unions in the General grounds represents the chance to public sector. make a neat little bundle. Then there is the other group who that workers wi 11 be put in an environ- establishments proper wages, housing hold glossy visions of Penang as a second ment that wi 11 not guarantee them secu- facilities and other fringe benefits. If this Hong kong or Singapore or even Manhat- rity of tenure. Generally speaking, is going to be the future trend in the tan. They foresee the rezoning as heralding privatisation wi 11 only lead to the wea- development of our trade unions, then, it construction complementary to the kening of the power base of unions in the appears that the spectre of disintegration debatable attributes of KOMT AR. public sector. ·looms in the horizon. What about the Church? What are its The general retardation of the trade It should also be noted that trade views? God knows! union movement in Malaysia is not only unionism in Malaysia is faced with ethnic And amidst al I this, is the mystery of due to governmental legislations and problems. For instance, there are some the missing documents. Why? How come? policies, but also stems from the attitudes unions in this country whose membership How did it happen? So many questions and perceptions of t he present trade as wel I as the leadership are identified and no answers yet. And of course those union leadership itself. The present trade with a particular ethnic group. Because of threats. union leadership is basically conservative this identification of certain unions with It is not surprising then that the real and it has eschewed party politics and a particular ethnic group or groups, issues in the rezoning of the College- political solutions to the problems of workers from other ethnic groups are General has been clouded by such confu- the working class. Instead, the union reluctant to get involved. Of course this sion and distorted views and responses. leadership is merely interested in reaching situat~n is by no means static. It is Thus the purpose of this letter is to accommodation and obtaining piecemeal changing. With more and more Malays clarify the · issues involved, to reassure concessions for the workers. It must be swelling the ranks of the urban· industrial our supporters, to answer our critics remembered that the present group of proletariat, ethnic-based perceptions and and to once again state our stand. leaders came into the unions during the attitudes w·ill inevitably change and in period of the Emergency and of course, the process give rise to more multi-racial PUBLIC AIMS it is not too inaccurate to say that they concerns. The New Economic Policy by were sponsored by the then Trade Union contributing to the increase in the com- Right from the start, we have stressed Advisor, John Brazier. As such the position of Malay workers in urban areas that we are not against development. present union leadership cannot really be has laid the foundation for the eventual Rather, we are anxious to see that the expected to function in a radical manner development of class consciousness type of development which takes place is because it tends to separate economics among the Malay workers. relevant and appropriate. from politics. Finally, trade unions in Malaysia In this connection, the Campaign Not only are trade unions in Malaysia should be cognizant of the fact that the evolved from the residents' aspirations conservative and interested in purely increasing interference of communal for a more social and public use of the economic gains, they - or at least some political parties in labour matters can seminary grounds. of them - have ventured into business as lead to communal polarization among Among the suggested uses were a wel I. Recently there was a report of a the workers of different ethnic groups. museum-cum-gallery within the then- particular trade union in this country This trend is already detectable now and existing building, a park with space for involved in various property and business it poses a big challenge to trade un ionism an outdoor-museum, and sports facilities activities. What is most ironical and in general • such as a public swimming pool, games indeed contraditory is that this particular courts, etc. union which should be championing the We hoped for a use that would have P. Ramasamy, our guest writer, is a Political iflterests of its working class members, Science Lecturer at University Kebangsaan provided cheap and wholesome recreation was actually denying workers in its own Malaysia. for people of al I classes and groups.

Aliran Monthly October 1984 10 We are convinced that it is this so cial supposedly the custodians of public commercial project such as this in Pulau and non-discriminating bas is of our interest, the trustees of public welfare, Tikus. objective which extended our support the mediators of the publ ic will. Where is that famous State 'vision' for· base beyond the confines of Pulau T-i kus Yet , the response of the authorities Penang? to include intelligent and thinking people to the issue has been totally devoid of Well, the ordinary folks have a vision from all over the island. public accountability. too. And that vision does NOT neces- Unfortunately, our Campaign objective Following the Council recommenda- sarily include super highways, expensive was partially pre-empted by the swift tion to rezone, the objectors wrote in, bridges or Manhattan-type tower blocks. and vicious demolition of the College- asking for the reasons behind the Our concept of development is simply General building. decision. based on realistic priorities and needs. It makes us wonder. They also asked the Council to explain Real development should benefit Who are these influential and powerful the irregularity of the advertisement to people socially as well as physically. people who comprise Gurney Garden? rezone, a question which was raised at While we do not deny that shopping How is it that they seem to merit such the pub I ic hearing but which has yet to complexes and five-star hotels provide special attention from authorities? The be answered . marginal employment and are beneficial rezoning took place despite the fact that The Council replied - after two particularly to those who own them, we it contravened the existing zoning plan . months and two letters - that they were should not deceive ourselves into thinking How is it that they seem to enjoy NOT OBLIGED to justify their actions that such development is genuinely in the privileged access to information in and that they did not considfi, the pub I ic interest. relation to government decisions? The reasons to be public information! Some examples of public interest developers were so confident of the It is amazing that reasons concerning development would be more well- rezoning decision that they commenced the outcome of a public issue should be designed bus-stops to protect the depen- ·demolition one week before everyone considered non-public information! dents of pub I ic transport from the sun else read of the rezoning decision in It demonstrates whose interests the and rain , the improvement of hospital the newspapers! State and the Council really serve and facilities, more low-cost housing, the And considering the scale of the casts doubts as to the soundness of creation of public recreation spaces in proposed development and the fact that development priorities and the basis for low-income areas, projects aimed at Gurney Garden have yet to submit a government decision-making. all eviating the problems of flood-prone layout plan, the implication is that the areas, etc. site will lie in dereliction and disuse for Issue of Development Construction which deprives one a couple of years or so while waiting for group of shelter, facilities and servi ces to That the campaign is anti-development layout and building approval. accommodate another is nothing . more as claimed by some individuals is a gross In this connection, the destruction of than mere construction. misinterpretation. the College-General building at that Thus while Gurney Gardens now One of the grounds for objection stem point was totally unjustified. seems to possess institutional san ction to from our conviction that the location of a Its destruction is a tactical use of locate their construction in the area, they demolition not only to frustrate the massive tourist-commercial complex in a should not claim to be bringing real public's democratic right, but in this residentially-zoned area is a contradiction development to the people of Pulau Tikus instance, to maliciously destroy the of development pal icies. or for that matter, the people of Penang. Mi 11 ions of pub I ic dollars have been . . . _ symbolic representation of the Campaign . invested in KOMT AR as an urban renewal In fact Pulau T,kus res1 ~ nts-ar scheme. The objectives for KOMT AR ~ henswe of future rezoning of a Public Accountability were an d s, t ·11 are t o rev · a1+se- -+-1-.~u,e inner imilar order of adjacent property whi ch. could result in uncontrollable traffic What were the reasons for rezon ing? It city, incr~ · s tax base, improve city problems, rising levels of pollution parti- is disturbing though not surprising, that erv,ces, and reverse the processes of cularly of the sea at Gurney Drive, till today, neither the St~~t decay among other things. increases in prices of consumer items such nor the City 92-uRctrhas given any It is supposed to set the impetus for as food and rental and increases in assess- reasonsJ 0r-f e decision to rezone. adjacent development in the inner city. ment rates. Some people have pointed out that Should not then, large-scale commercial Moreover, it is amazing that Gurney the real culprits are the Church and the development such as supermarkets, Gardens could be so full of pride in developers; that our energies should be shopping complexes, hotels, restaurants, announcing their plans to create "a new directed at them. etc. be encouraged within its vicinity? epicentre of growth of a sufficient We do not agree. Besides, . the north coast of Penang magnitude to complement the gove rn- Who could have sold this particular island has been zoned for recreational ment's KOMTAR" to quote their recent institutionally-zoned land for $36 million purposes. Much public money has been boast in a Malaysian journal. and who would have been willing to buy invested in the Tree Museum, the Abare- Isn't it evident by now that the last this particular institutionally-zoned land tum and now the zoo. Infrastructure and thing concerned Penang ites ca re for is for $36 million, unless they were sure of other services for hotel development anything resem bl ing KOMTA R! rezoning approval? already exists. Must the city repeat its mistakes? It is the State Government and the Thus it is a puzzle that the authorities City Council who should answer to the should deviate from existing State policy (continued on page 25) public in this respect. They, who are in order to permit a major tourist-

Aliran Monthly October 1984 11 Nllal-Nllal Etika dan Pelajar-Pelajar Universiti

ita perlu memahami etika. lanya apa yang beruntung padanya. la mem- perbai ki sistem sosial ke arah yang lebih berkenaan dengan . kebaikan dan punyai perasaan serta keupayaan dan demokratik dan adil. Mereka harus ambil kejahatan serta tanggungjawab potensi untuk belajar dan memikir, tetapi berat tentang isu-isu sosial dan menentang moral. Manusia memang pandai pada semulajadinya dia tidak boleh segala kejahatan, termasuk korupsi, Kmembuat pembezaan, dan pembezaan disifatkan sebagai baik atau jahat. Sebagai penindasan dan lain-lain, dan berusaha yang asas sekali ialah berdasarkan bayi, dia pelru makan dan mahu hidup; didalam proses reformasi sosial. Usaha- dualisme. Misalnya, pembezaan di antara tidak ada kesedaran kebaikan atau usaha 1n1 harus dianggap sebagai malam dan siang, elok dan hodoh, lelaki kejahatan. Dalam proses membesar, tanggungjawab moral tiap-tiap orang. dan wanita, dan lain-lain. Jadi tiap-tiap seorang budak itu diajar membezakan Dengan itu, apabila kita membincangkan perkara ada dua aspeknya. kebai kan dari kejahatan serta tanggung- etika, kita ambil kira bukan saja peninggi- Dai am sistem eti ka, pembezaan jawab moral seperti membantu saudara- an kebaikan individu malah juga kebaikan dualisme yang asas sekali ialah di antara mara. Jadi, sistem etika merupakan hasil masyarakat. Kedua-dua aspek ini adalah kebaikan dan kejahatan . Tingkahlaku dari kehidupan sosial manusia. lanya saling berkaitan, iaitu, individu-individu manusia dibahagikan kepada yang baik adalah perlu untuk kelompok-kelompok yang boleh dibantu oleh etika sebenarnya dan yang buruk, dan sejak zaman dahulu manusia hidup bersama dengan harmoni. mewujudkan masyarakat yang lebih etika, lagi perkara ini telah diperbincangkan. Manusia adalah makhluk yang boleh dan sebaliknya juga. Di antara persoalan yang dibangkitkan mencari kemuliaan rohani. Pengalaman Sekarang marilah kita bincangkan ialah sama ada manusia pada asalnya ber- kehidupan sosial juga terbayang didalam eti ka dan perhubungannya dengan sifat baik atau jahat. Berapa orang ahli- kerohanian manusia; yakni seorang yang pelajar-pelajar universiti. Tiap-tiap pelajar ahli falsafah Cina pernah bincangkan memperkenalkan nilai-nilai yang baru universiti mempunyai tanggungjawab ter- perkara ini. Misalnya, Xunzi (fl .. 298-238 ataupun mentakrifkan serta memajukan hadap dirinya sendiri, keluarga dan s.m.) berpendapat bahawa manusia semula nilai-nilai yang sudah wujud demi masyarakat. Dia harus bersikap serius semulajadi adalah jahat, maka pendidikan kepentingan golongan mereka sahaja. terhadap pelajaran di universiti. Keluarga- dan undang-undang adalah perlu untuk Kalau kita kaji sejarah, memang nyatalah nya • mempunyai harapan semoga dia disiplin. Mengzi (371-289 s.m.) pula perhubungan di antara rakyat dan berjaya dalam bidang akademik dan juga mengatakan manusia semulajadi lazimnya kerajaan (nilai taat-setia). ataupun nilai- dalam kehidupannya pada masa yang bersifat baik, seperti air lazimnya meng- nilai kedudukan wanita, selalunya akan datang. Pelajar yang enggan mem- alir ke tempat rendah. Kebanyakan orang ditakrifkan dalam perspektif feudal. baca, yang cuaikan pelajaran memanglah Cina memegang pada kepercayaan ini. Akhir-akhir ini kerajaan kita memajukan kekurangan etika pelajar. Mengzi memberi contoh untuk menun- etika kerja. Langkah ini bagus dan nilai- Di sekolah-sekolah, tersedia peraturan- jukkan pendapat beliau betul. Mengzi nilai seperti rajin dan cekap bekerja peraturan untuk pelajar-pelajar. Misalnya, mengumpamakan seorang budak yang memang sentiasa ada dalam budaya- mereka di larang membuang sampah sudah hampir-hampir akan terjatuh ke budaya _kita. Yang perlu dijagai ialah dimerata-rata. Doktor-doktor dan dalam perigi; tidakkah seseorang yang dalam m~ajukan etika, janganlah meng- peguam-peguam juga ada tatasusila (codes menyaksi perkara in1 mengadakan akibatkan golongan pekerja-pekerja terus of ethics) mereka. Doktor-doktor, misal- ~ r-asaan-kasihan? Mengikut Mengzi, ini bertambah dieksploitasikan oleh pihak nya, tidak boleh mengiklankan profesion menunju kkan kebai ka71--se.cnulajadi majikan. Mi~alnya, ada golongan-golongan mereka dan harus bersemangat untuk manusia. . - berjiwa mulia bukan saja percaya kepada - 1taP~an sifat rajin bek_e~ja Kita mungkin tidak setuju dengan pekerja-pekeqa vv',9Yn dan keset1aan Tuhan tetapi juga adalah seorang yang pandangan Mengzi, tetapi beliau sebenar- mereka pada majikan.Jikaiau-R-i+t:! U aat berei:ikc:i, :gittJ mengikut ajaran-ajaran nya ·menegaskan asas moral kemanusiaan, setia pada firma dan majikan dimajukan .,f .k.e_ yang dipercayai diturunkan atau yang membezakan manusia dari binatang- sebagai salah satu nilai etika kerja, adakah diarahkan c!~.h Tuhan. Mencari kebaikan binatang yang lain. Selain dari Mengzi dan ini akan menjadi satu ideologi eksploitasi dan mengelakkan kejc:;t,:1!an adalah ajaran Xunzi, Gaozi pula, yang sezaman dengan di mana pekerja-pekerja di kehendaki yang penting dalam agam.;-iQ_ ma. Mengzi, mengatakan bahawa manusia meningkatkan produktiviti tetapi ke- Pemimpin-pemimpin agama seperti semulajadi tidak bersifat baik atau tidak bebasan disekat, gaji yang diberi tidak Buddha, Nabi Muhammad, Nabi Isa, Guru baik; ia seperti air yang berpusar-pusar, adil? Tambahan pula, adakah keadaan- Nanak dan lain-lain, dan juga pemikir- mengalir ke timur kalau diberi jalan keadaan buruk yang dihadapi oleh pemikir yang terkenal seperti Confucius, keluar di situ, dan mengalir ke barat kalau pekerja-pekerja di negara Jepun diambil Mozi (Mo Tzu), Aristotle, Swami Viveka- diberi jalan keluar di barat: Saya lebih kira? Sifat-sifat etika harus dinilai dari nanda, Mahatma Gandhi dan banyak lagi, bersetuju dengan pandangan ini kerana, pespektif hak manusia. sernuanya mementingkan nilai-nilai etika. seperti yang Baruch Spinoza ( 1632'. Kita faham bahawa tujuan sistem etika Konsep "Manusia sempurna" seperti 1677), seorang anli fa lsafah Belanda, ialah untuk menyempurnakan tingkah- al-insan al-kamil dalam Islam ataupun pernah menu I is apabi la seseorang itu laku manusia, tetapi ada golongan yang junzi ( "orang halus") dalam ajaran dilahirkan, dia tidak memahami sebab- mungkin mentakrifkan "nilai-nilai etika" Confucius, semuanya menengaskan asas sebab kejadian sesuatu ( causes of things), dengan cara yang sebenarnya merendah- etika kemanusiaan. Etika adalah penting wal upun dia mempunyai hasrat dan kan maruah manusia. Oleh itu, orang untuk penyempurnaan kemanusiaan sedar akan hasratnya itu, untuk mencari ramai harus libatkan dalam proses mem- (fulfilment of humanity).

Aliran Monthly October 1984 12 berkuasa? Sesiapa yang melibatkan diri dalam kegiatan-kegiatan persatuan memang tahu bahawa sekatan . ya~ dikendalikan memang cukup berkesan - pentadbiran kewangan persatuan juga dikawal oleh pihak berkuasa. Pelajar-pelajar harus belajar mengkriti- kan perkara-perkara yang tidak adil. lni adalah tanggungjawab moral pelajar- pelajar universiti. Untuk berbuat demi- kian, pelajar harus ambil peluang di univers1t1 untuk mengasah pemikiran (develop the mind). lni tidak akan boleh dicapai dengan menghadiri kuliah saja, khasnya kuliah yang diberi oleh pensyarah-pensyarah "yang pemikiran mereka sendiri pun masih belum diasah. Tugas pensyarah-pensyarah bukan macam menuang teh ke dalam cawan yang kosong. Mereka hanya boleh memberi panduan, memberi pendapat mereka, dan lebih penting lagi memperkenal kan kepada pelajar-pelajar bacaan-bacaan yang Adalah baik untuk kita mempunyai eti ka seperti kasih sayang pada ibu dan berguna. Pensyarah yang hanya menyuruh kecenderungan rohaniah; ini tidak pula bapa ataupun jiran, bersama-sama dengan nota kuliah dia sendiri sahaja dibaca bermakna orang-orang ini menjadi mistik tanggungjawab moral terhadap m~reka, untuk peperiksaan, adalah kurang ber- yang melalaikan kehidupan masyarakat. terus kekal. Jadi nilai-nilai etika yang tanggungjawab. Untuk mengasah pemi- Pemimpin-pemimpin agama seperti digalakkan pada sesuatu zaman harus kiran dan pengetahuan, bacaan haruslah Buddha, Nabi Muhammad dan Isa semua- diukur dari nilai-nilai universal yang luas. Seterusnya sesudah membaca, harus- nya amat ambil berat akan umat manusia memajukan maruah kemanusiaan, teru- lah memikir balik (reflect) dan membin- dan masalah-masalah masyarakat. tamanya kebebasan, keadilan, demokrasi cang dengan pensyarah-pensyarah dan Tadi saya sudah sebut bahawa sistem dan keamanan. Kefahaman ini amat pelajar-pelajar yang lain. Membaca dan eti ka adalah hasil pengalaman hidup sosial. penting, kerana golongan pemerintah dan memikir ialah tanggungjawab moral Manusia tidak hidup seorang diri sahaja, golongan atas dalam tiap-tiap masyarakat/ mereka di universiti. tetapi dalam masyarakat. Nilai-nilai dan negara, dan di tiap-tiap zaman, sentiasa Universiti kita masih terlalu memen- peraturan-peraturan sosial adalah perlu berkhidmat. Namun begitu, kita tahu tingkan peperiksaan akhir. lni meng- untuk memandu individu-individu supaya profesion yang pernah dianggap sebagai akibatkan pelajar-pelajar membaca untuk mereka tidak bertindak dengan kurang suci ini telah menjadi bertambah komer- peperiksaan saja. Bacaan-bacaan di luar wajar dan mengancamkan kehidupan sial. Tidaksusila tidak hanya tertulis - sukatan pelajar tidak harus dilalaikan. orang lain. Sistem etika dengan itu ber- ada juga tatasusila yang tidak tertulis. Tidak guna jikalau tahu menulis dalam fungsi sebagai satu sistem pengawalan Misalnya, bagi pelajar-pelajar universiti peperiksaan apa yang dikatakan oleh sosial yang memajukan kestabilan dan tugas mengarang esei berdasarkan bacaan- Prof. Evans-Pritchard tentang masyarakat keharmonian masyarakat. Masyarakat- bacaan atau penyelidikan merupakan satu Nuer di Africa tetapi tidak tahu menal isa- masyarakat moden mempunyai undang- latihan yang penting. Saya pernah kan masyarakat sendiri. Dalam bidang undang yang formal, tetapi ini tidak menemui pelajar-pelajar yang terus saja sains sosial, perlu ditanya: sains sosial cukup untuk menjaga keharmonian dalam menyalin dari setengah buku atau (teru- untuk siapa? Antropologi untuk siapa? masyarakat. Nilai-nilai etika yang diajar tamanya) dari lapuran khas akhbar dan Mungkin patut disusun semula rancangan secara tidak formal sebenarnya banyak esei-esei pelajar-pelajar lama. Di kalangan sains sosial di universiti-universiti Malay- memastikan tingkahlaku yang bersesuaian akademi k, kegiatan plagiat (plagiarism), sia. Ada banyak bacaan yang berguna dengan kehidupan sosial. Sejak kecil lagi, iaitu mencedok karya orang lain dan untuk pengasahan pemikiran. Tetapi kita memang sentiasa disosial.isasikan menyampaikan sebagai karya sendiri, berapakah bilangan pelajar yang sudah supaya mencari kebaikan dan menghina- adalah tingkahlaku yang tidak etika dan tamat dan dapat Sarjana Muda pernah kan kejahatan. Ajaran-ajaran agama dan boleh dianggap sebagai suatu jenayah baca karya-karya yang merangsang pendidikan moral di sekolah-sekolah ber- akademik yang serius. pemikiran kita, seperti karya-karya oleh tujuan demikian juga. Cerita-cerita yang Tadi saya sebutkan bahawa nilai-nilai E.F. Schumacher mengenai ekonomi dan kita baca dan filem-filem yang kita etika harus diukur dari perspektif hak masyarakat, S. Radhakrishnan dan tuntun juga mementingkan perlawanan di manusia. Di universiti juga ada peraturan- Seyyed Hossein Nasr mengenai agama antara baik dan jahat, dan biasanya pihak peraturan yang kurang adil, yang kita dan masyarakat, Paulo Freire mengenai yang baiklah yang menang. Manusia tidak patut sokong, khasnya peraturan- pendidikan dan pembebasan manusia, sentiasa perlu mempertahankan kebaikan peraturan yang hasil dari Akta Universiti. ataupun karya-karya oleh Lewis Mum- dan menyakinkan diri sendiri tentang Akta 1ni merampas autonomi dan ford. Berapakah orang pelajar pernah kemuliaan moralnya pada awas. semangat demokrasi di universiti. la juga baca karya-karya yang penting oleh ahli- Sifat-sifat nilai etika dalam satu tidak membiak pemikiran yang kritis ahli falsafah zaman dahulu dan zaman masyarakat memang berbeza dari zaman yang begitu penting di universiti. Pihak moden? Karya-karya seperti ini dapat ke zaman. Misaln.ya, cara kita menunjuk- berkuasa mungkin mengatakan bahawa membantu pemahaman dan analisa kan kasih sayang dan hormat kepada akta in1 tidak menyekat kebebasan masalah-masalah masyarakat sendiri dan ibu/bapa dan orang-orang tua sekarang universiti. Kalau ini benar, kenapa pelajar dunia. tidak sama dengan cara-cara yang yang hendak mengadakan seminar dan dianggap betul pada zaman dahulu. menjemput penceramah-penceramah di- (sambungkan pada muka surat 25) Namun begitu, pada amnya, nilai-nilai kehendaki memohon kelulusan dari pihak

13 Aliran Monthly October 1 Women

Asian Women and Justice

The following is the full text of the "Statement and Resolutions" adopted by We have come to the realisation that these the participants, all of whom were women, at a Consultation on Women and women suffer from triple oppression ... Development entitled "Asian Women and the Struggle for Justice" organized by the After a careful. study of these Asia Partnership for Human Development problems, we see the following important in Bombay, India from October 24 trends in Asia. November 2, 1983. 1. Most governments have opted for an urban-based development policy at the e, the participants in this Asia expense of rural people who comprise W Partnersh ip for Human Develop- some 80 per cent of the total popula- ment consultation on " Asian Women and tion - thus widening the gap between the Struggle for Justice" , coming from the urban and the rural and between fourteen countries in Asia and seven the rich and the poor. We are particu- cou ntri es from Europe, North America larly concerned about the rate of rural an d t he Pa cific, have shared, reflected and exodus and the consequent mush- analysed the experiences and situations of rooming of slums in the cities of Asia. women in the most oppressed and 2. Most countries have adopted the exploited groups of society, namely rural, economic strategy of export-oriented industrial workers, cultural and indige- industrialisation which has resulted in nous minorities, urban poor, migrants and increased dependency on foreign prostitutes. capital and unfavourable balance of We have come to the realisation that payments - leading to further im- poverishment of the people. We these women suffer from triple oppres- Room with no view. This Manila mother of six recognise that the economic strategies sion - as citizens of developing countries lives in a room with no natural light, no of the Third World countries are in an unjust world economic system, as electricity, no water and no sanitation. workers and as women. Women are imposed on Third World governments treated as inferior in society, denied their by First World countries and inter- rights to participate in decision-making national institutions, in collaboration having serious impact on their value and to develop as full human beings. The with the local elite. We see this as a systems. low status of women is derived from their neo-colonial policy of exploiting the We are conscious of the role that relationship with the male members of resources of Third World countries for culture and the misinterpretation of their families. Often women are victims the '':o 1e purpose of profit maximiza- religious values play in maintaining the of rape and other forms of violence. As tion at the cost of human development. status quo and perpetuating patriarchy. part of the most exploited and oppressed Women bear the brunt of this In the light of the above, it is clear groups, industrial women workers suffer economic strategy. that there is a need for far-reaching and as cheap, docile and dispensable labour. 3. To protect the interests of the radical transformation in Asia and the Women in the sex industry, often related economic powers, governments have First World towards a new international to tourism and military basis, are used as resorted to the use of political and social and economic order. Such a new commodities and are considered as social ideological military apparatus in the order should lead to a just and human outcasts. Indigenous minority women name of national security and which society, free from discrimination of the have been deprived of their ancestral land deprive people of their democratic basis of class, race, sex, religion and and cultural identity. Urban poor women rights. We see that the growing mili- belief. Recognising the inadequacy of the live in constant t'hreat of eviction and tarisation evident in Asia is encouraged , responses of church agencies and non- economic dislocation and are denied their supplied and often financed by the governmental organisations, we commit basic rights to proper housing, facilities two superpowers in pursuit of their ourselves to the following: and services. Rural women are forced to own economic or political interests. 1. The struggle for the liberation of work long hours at home and in the Third World countries are further women should be a concerted effort fields, often paid unequal wages, if not as subjected to cultural imperialism, at local and national level. There is unpaid labour. including consumerism, which is also a need and obligation for inter- national solidarity which will lead to ...the economic strategies of the Third World different forms of action. We recom- mend the establishment of a process countries are Imposed on Third World of forum. Such a process would enable Asian and non-Asian women involved governments by First World countries and in the struggle for full human libera- tion to meet one another, exchange International Institutions ... experiences, discuss common problems,

Aliran Monthly October 1984 14 learn from one another and elaborate an international strategy to respond to the transnational exploitation of women. 2. Recognising that the liberation of women is not an isolated issue, we strongly recommend that organised programmes should be linked up with other movements for social transfor- mation. 3. Although oppressed in their own country, wonien in the First World are called upon to recognise the oppressive role played by the First World towards developing countries. In this regard the We are conscious of the role that culture and the misinterpretation of religious values play in following actions receive our support: maintaining the status quo and perpetuating patriarchy. o Development education and con- sciousness raising in First World countries; 5. With regard to projects we offer the and evaluation. This is true not o Work with women's organisations, following criteria: only for women's projects but for trade unions and other relevant a) We recognise the validity of entry all development projects. Mecha- groups to raise awareness of the points and stress that the project nisms should be instituted to ensure First World's oppressive role; must meet the full needs of the such participation. o Pressure their governments so that community. We stress, however, 6. Bearing in mind that this is an APHD policies - economic policy, official that socio-economic projects are Consultation and that women are a development assistance and military valid only ;. , ~o far as the ll!l)roject priority target group for the APHD, aid are critically analysed; as a whole emphasises increasing we recommend to APHD: o Develop a simple life style that awareness of their situation which a) Each partner agency of the APHD would cha I lenge the unequal distri- is translated into collective action should have a representative bution of the world's wealth and and organisation. Thus, entry number of women at the executive resources . points have to be placed in the and decision-making levels. b) The APHD Executive Committee ...conscientlsation and organisation are key should have a greater number of women than at present. features of any women's project. c) We recommend that mechanisms be established within the APHD to ensure that action be taken on the 4. Projects of development agencies context of the overall objectives report of this conference to keep should create conditions for women to (based on scientific analysis of the alive the theme of Asian Women's participate at all levels and thus structure and mechanisms of struggle for justice and that the develop their self-confidence and self- society), methodology and time recommendations of this con- image. Recognising that changes can sq,le of the project. ference be implemented • only come from the most oppressed b) We stress that conscientisation and and exploited, the priority in terms of organisation are key features of any Reproduced from the NOHD Bulletin January programmes should be geared towards women's project. - March 1984 conscientisation and organisation of c) Women should participate at all these women. levels - planning, implementation Announcement Women & Religion Forum

The one-day Women & Religion. Forum will be held as scheduled at 9.00 am, Saturday 20 October 1984. It will take place at the Ru mah Universiti, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Since the forum is by invitation, f those who would like to attend should get in touch with Hing Ai Yun, Jabatan Sosiologi-Antropologi, Universiti Malaya. (Tel: 03-555266 ext. 324 (office); - (iE.,'t-11\ATt W~ 03-528448 (home). 'tt\1"~? Already a number of women's groups -1TOWYOIJW0',1EN and individuals have indicated a desire ~~ ~M 'ltOEIOOTI~L to participate in the forum. Remember, this is not an academic ~~IS KINP OF W~;I forum. The emphasis is upon the ordinary J~ Malaysian woman and how she perceives © 1983 Jim Borgman-Cincinnati EnQuirer the role of religion in her life. Ride: 'It's important people don't think I was picked because I am a woman'

15 Aliran Monthly October 1984 The Human File TheSemai: A People Left Behind

her six-year-old brother, Yok Ped, carries her and tries feed her with the milk bottle, her head would hang listlessly over his arms. Her huge eyes seem to lack coordination and her mental growth must surely be stunted by her malnourished state. Her · apetite doesn't seem to improve and she tends to vomit out the little milk or boiled tapioca that is given to her. For Bah Sooq, this was certainly a bad omen for him and his four surviving children. Last year he lost the whole harvest to marauding pigs, monkeys and rats because he had to accompany his wife to the hospital in Raub. She, how- ever, eventually succumbed to a dreaded combination of dengue fever and malaria (as did five others in the village, including three children). His wife's death had spelt the beginning of a life of additional A Semai-Senoi village in north-west Pahang. hardship for him and his children. Having to care for four children, aged between hen the North-east monsoon con- collaborate among themselves and set 2 and 1 2 years, meant that he had less Wtinued into the month of February their prices. Once, when he and the batin time for his normal activities. This was this year, the elders of Kampung (headman) went to Raub to look for a the main reason why he could only clear Empooq*, a Semai-Senoi village in new 'towkay', they were bluntly told that north-west Pahang, were visibly worried trade in such forest products was control- and frightened. The sound of crashing led and that I icences were only given to trees, news of lands I ips upstream and the certain individuals, in line with the govern- loss of all of their rakits (bamboo rafts) ment's ~w Economic Policy. For this to the torrential ,. 3ters of the swelling reason, Bah Sooq is sometimes adamant river, did little to console them that in refusing to sell his share if he feels that perhaps a repetition of the hardsh ip, the price is too low. He would rather see death and destruction brought about the petai rot than give in to exploitive by the great flood of 1926, was imminent. manipulations. Even if this was not so, life in the When the petai is not in season, Bah coming year would certainly be difficult Sooq does not engage in rattan gathering, as al most half their crop of hi 11 pad i had as do the others in the village. The main been destroyed by t he st ro ng winds and reason is that the work requires him to rain. Prolonged bad weather also mea nt be away in the forest for a few days at a that they could onl y work for a few stretch; something which is difficult for hours a day to sa lvage whatever they him beca use of his children. Previously, could. The gl oomy skies meant that the he would leave them under the care of padi had to be fire-dried, otherw ise t he his younger brother's wife but now feels damp grai ns would rot in no t ime. that it is not right for him to burden her, During July-August, which is the peak especially since she is expecting her fifth of the petai season, he can earn $15-00 child. More importantly, his youngest to $20-00 per day, sel ling them at $6-00 daughter, Wa Risa is always sick and to $10-00 per bunch of 100 pods. He is he feels he needs to be around. (He was aware that the price in t own is f ive to away working in a logging camp three six times more, bu t is helpless against years ago when three of his children died the Gob (Malay) traders who usually during a malaria outbreak in the village. Since then, he had vowed to be around A $110/-cassette recorder with a $ 130/- receipt. whenever his children were sick.) * The name of the v i llage, as lik e the names o f all i ndividuals mentioned in thi s narrat ion Wa Risa looks so frail and emaciated have been changed to protect their identity. that it is a wonder she is sti 11 alive. When

Aliran Monthly October 1984 16 with atap roofs which leak during heavy rain, and still depend on the river for their daily needs. There has also been an increase in the number of intrusions into their n~nggi.rik (customary land) - loggers, the construc- tion of a highway, non-Semai opening their own selais and settling down, and there's even talk of a dam being built there in the future. In all these instances, the views of the Semai of Kampung Empooq were not sought. The effect of all these intrusions is a depleting resource base for the Semai so much so that it is . getting more and more difficult to eke out a subsistence living. Hence they have to resort to generating a surplus in order to earn a cash income and participate in the market economy. Purchases of food items have become a necessity to supple- ment their traditional food sources . . . . even a Panadol is considered a luxury The Semai in Kampung Empooq are a smaller selai {rice-field) the fast season . the Semai are natura lly immune to also much caught up in the modern And now, with al most half the crop malaria. consumer culture. The same traders who destroyed, it looks like he will have to None of the children in the village go deal in petai and rattan take advantage of find other means to feed the family. to school even though there is one about this and try to peddle all kinds of manu- As it is now, what little money he has five miles away, set up by the Depart- factured consumer items from plastic goes to buy sweetened condensed milk ment of Orang Asli Affairs. It i~hot that wares to earrings to cassette-recorders. for his two-year-old daughter, Wa Risa . they do not value education but just that Prices are usually hiked upwards because This he considers a real waste of money previously, when some of the children of the controlled nature of the market. In since most Semai infants continue to were in school, the teachers would scold one instance, a trader proudly produced suckle until the age of three or four or hit them if they did anything wrong. a genuine receipt for $130.00 when he But then he has no other alternative in this For the Semai who do not usually lift a handed over a cassette-recorder to Yok case. finger against their children for any Chah, who had asked him to buy it from Cash, for Bah Sooq, is hard to come mischief on their part ("After all, they Raub on his behalf. The trader claimed by because at any one time it is likely are only children. What do they know?"), that he was not making a single cent from that one of his children would be ill and even the commonly accepted 'mild' forms this transaction and that he was only he would not be able to gather petai or of punishment can be construed as an doing this as a favour for Yok Chah who rattan, the main sources of a cash income unsafe environment for their children. In was his most hardworking and reliable in Kampung Empooq. At such times, one extreme case, Bah Sooq's neph·ew source of rattan. He, however, slipped up even a panadol tablet is considered a had come home from school one day by forgetting to remove the sticker on luxury. with a bleeding nose, after being hit by the cassette-recorder which showed a Bah Sooq is aware that he can get the teacher with a ruler. A delegation of sales price of $110.001 free medical attention from the govern- Semai elders went to see him and a But Bah Sooq has no time to worry ment health clinic eight miles down the $10.00 compensation was agreed upon. about al I these things. He is aware that road. But he fears facing the Hospital Now more than a year later, the amount there is much progress and development Assistant again, especially after the last is still to be paid. The parents have since to be seen in the neighbouring villages time when insults and derogatory remarks withdrawn all their children from the and in the towns. He is sore about being were thrown at him. Bah Sooq explains school and have requested that one be set left behind. His father had lived a diffi- that he will only go to the government up in their own village or in the other cult I ife. So did his father's father. He clinic when it is really necessary, like when adjoining Semai village. In the meantime, cannot afford to worry about the distant Yok Sek was mauled by a honey bear and they would rather have their children in future for tonight, as like most nights, had to have a skin graft in the General their care. Wa Risa will cry because she is hungry Hospital in Kuala Lumpur. Otherwise, he In the last twenty years or so, there or because the mosquitoes are biting will resort to traditional medicine rather had been many changes in the lifestyle of her. As usual, he will go down and build than be a victim of chin-haq (harm or the Semai in Kampung Empooq. Bah a fire under the hut so that the heat will death brought about by visiting a non- Sooq is not too sure whether this has drive away the mosquitoes and he will Semai who has evil intentions). However, been for the better or worse. For have 'co warm up the diluted condensed i-.n' fnerms) illness is caUSt;'-- y r.,c,nT O, ,- ,_,-----.c.. Communist Terrorists, had asked them morning, check his snares or stay back in to resettle in a more accessible area so the village and repair the roof. He need which are too small e~::'.'1 tor . a,.J ha/aq.. (shaman) with a powerful gumq ,_sp~ it- that the government forces could keep an not have to look for rattan as he still has familiar) to seize with his -bare hands. eye on them. Modern amenities such as $7 .00 left from the $10.00 which he Nevertheless, he is still angry that the Fei° ..,,,_type houses, piped water and easier received from the loggers who came to us'-' t -1-iools, clinics and shops were buy three of this chickens yesterday. And Anti-Malaria team of the Ministry of acce S O Sl-,, . rom· d H - -- to date, apart from he hopes that the s.hivers he is experien- Health doesn't extend its services to P 1se . oweve,, '---,v . -~,.., left Kampung Empooq when it makes its the rubber trees which '''-'. e bHt, · · cing is not a relapse of his malaria• regular visits to the Gob kampungs near- untapped, the Semai in Ka,7:', 0 u!1~ by. Maybe it is because they think that Empooq still live in bamboo stilt-houses - Colin Nicholas

17 Ai~;:_"n Monthly October 1984 Education Medical Education : Fundamental Changes Needed here is an urgent need for funda- political and administrative structure that mental changes in the content, allows him to play a decisive role in structure, orientation and goals of shaping his own affairs. This is perhaps Tmedical education - if medicine is possible only in a small or medium-sized to ensure the health of every human community. In other words, to enable the being. individual to look after his own health To start w ith, the very concept of there has to be a transformation of the disease and treatment wil I have to change. social system itself. Disease should not be seen as an external There is another reason why the entity that attacks a particular part of individual's role in managing his own the body. Neither should treatment be health should be accorded priority in seen as curing an illness associated with a medical education. This is to counter the particular part of the body. present trend in most places which sees · This mechanistic notion of the human increased institutionalization and bureau- body as if it were a machine that can be cratization of medicine as essential to an taken apart and dealt with in terms of effective health-care system. It is seldom its individual components is a product of in such circumstances, become a divine realized that this over-dependence upon the influence of Newtonian Physics upon art. the institution not only affects adversely the life sciences like biology and medicine. However, healing is only one aspect of the individual's autonomy but also It is an inaccurate notion of the human medicine. Curative medicine is not the centralizes power with the medical elites body and the human being. It is one of be-all and end-all of medicine. Indeed, in and contributes towards the spiral Ii ng the factors that has given rise to over- our situation it is preventive medicine cost of health care. For very often it is specialization in medicine. that should be accorded priority. In this maintaining the medical establishment We now realize that it would be more connection, it is regrettable that in 1973 and its administrative supports which logical to regard disease as a disturbance nearly three quarters of the total health takes up a huge slice of the health budget. of the whole organism. The purpose of expenditure in the public sector went Emphasing individual responsibility medicine would be to restore order and into curative medicine. And yet, it is for health is not enough if medical balance in the human body. To do this, preventive medicine that has the greatest education does not also give due weight doctors must learn to treat the entire potential for improving the health of the to ethical values. By ethical values we human being, and not a particular disease populace is concerned. It is through mean the entire gamut of norms and as such. prevention that many infectious diseases principles essential for bringing out the It fol lows from this that in our concept have been brought under control. Preven- humanity in every human being. The of medical education there will be no tion is th~"?nost effective way of reducing medical course in the university should at over-specialization. This does not mean cardio-vascular diseases. Prevention every level and through every subject of however that specialists are not vital to through better housing, cleaner water, study expose the student to these values the profession. They are, but medical healthier diet, regular exercise and of truth, justice equality and freedom. education must henceforth give a lot of moderate I ife-style has done a great deal Most of all, it should instil in him an emphasis to generalized medicine which to curb some of the more chronic ailments awareness of medicine as a noble pro- also takes into account the psychological known to man. This is why preventive fession whose hal I mark is compassion. and social aspects of a patient's illness. medicine which stresses upon making the At a time when the sublime sentiment of This makes explicit the need for a human environment suitable for healthy caring for the sick has given way to the medical education curriculum that living should receive much more attention vulgar vice of grabbing from the ill, it incorporates elements from psychology, in medical education in the future. is important to remind young doctors of sociology, economis, political science and This approach to medicine automati- the cherished ideals of the profession. - other such disciplines. In this way, doctors cally enhances the importance of the This is particularly so in a country like will develop a better understanding of individual's role in looking after his own ours where a lot of poor people are stil_l. the patient as a whole being responding health. Hm,v the individual can be provided exposed to the type of disea:".;; whic·h

to various pulls and pressures within with more knowledge and information to have disappeared in ~:-i1e of- the more himself and his social environment. Once enable him to maintain a high standard affluent socie~;;;;,. When so many of our doctors see illnesses from a wholistic of health should be the major concern of fello"'; "numan beings live below the perspective, their attitude towards healing medical education. The goal is to increase :health-line', it is the responsibility of itself will change. Since the patient is a his own autonomy in regard to his li_~·ith. medical faculties to inculcate in their total human personality operating in a This of course requires mt~':_~1 more than students that sense of service and sacrifice certain milieu, the doctor will have to knowledge and in'.::irmation. The indi- which will inspire them to work in approach him with a deeper under- vidual must ~,dVe sufficient command and deprived rural localities and crowded stanctfng, with more love, with greater ~ont!:<;,'i over his own economic resources. urban slums. The situation that confronts tenderness. Indeed, healing itself will, __:- At the same time, he must be part of a us should compel our curriculum planners

Aliran Monthly October ~."dtl~ 18 to re 0design our curricula in such a way interest to do so for there may be situa- it may be, the health situation in the that the health needs of the deprived tions where the lack of facilities could country as a whole will also improve. and dispossessed majority take precedence well compel us to work out alternative It does not require much reflection to over everything else. Only then will we technologies. This is why it is crucial realize that however who I istic our concep~ be able to say that medical education is that medical education nurtures a spirit of disease and however comprehensive guided by ethical values. of discovery, fosters creativity among our our approach to the patient, as long as Ethical values in medical education students. the practice of medicine is conditioned should go hand in hand with a commit- In this connection, medical education by profits, very few doctors will have ment to maintaining high professional should include some exposure to the any time for their patients. By the same standards. More specifically, a trainee various systems of medicine associated token, there will always be less emphasis doctor should be made to realize that with the three main communities in the upon preventive medicine for the money examining a patient thoroughly, preparing country. Making medicine relevant to the is in curative medicine. Even with the comprehensive notes on him, advising local situation must also mean inves- state this is the case, as we have seen, him on how he can take care of his health tigating scientifically local modes of for its orientation is also determined by and so on are essential ingredients of treatment, concepts of medicine and the market in an economy where the professionalism. Similarly, a doctor who approaches to health care. market lords over everything. Besides, is concerned about professional standards Having looked at the type of changes the state with all the power at its will not overcharge his patients or pre- medical education should undergo, we are command is not going to allow the indi- scribe unnecessary drugs simply because now in a position to summarize our vidual to exercise autonomy over his he can make more money. Perhaps, one main arguments. Medical education health. Neither will the state re-arrange way be which medical students can be should, on the one hand, check over- its health priorities because the medical convinced of the need for professionalism specialization, over-institutionalization, faculties are giving emphasis to different is if medical faculties in the country over-bureaucratization and over-techno- values and goals for the simple reason themselves consciously endeavour to logization. At the same time, it should that it is he who has effective power in uphold professional standards. de-msytify medicine. More important, the social structure that decides who gets Apart from all this, medical education medical education should develop an what, when and how in the health must also be able to alert the student awareness of the significance of budget. against certairi myths and falsehoods (a) a wholistic concept of disease and What all this shows is that a new which have gained currency over the last treatment medical education programme will not few decades. There is, for instance, the achieve very much unless the entire belief that the doctor is a 'know-all', a (b) approaching the patient in his social system is changed - as we observed miracle worker who deserves absolute totality in an earlier context. But that is going to trust. Like every other profession, medi- (c) elevating healing into a sacred art be a much more difficult process. As cine too suffers from many limitations. In (d) emphasising preventive rather than citizens, medical students and doctors certain areas of medicine, more than curative medicine have a role to play in that transformation too. perhaps other fields of knowledge, (e) creating a social environment that is However, what is important for now is there is still a great deal of doubt and conducive to healthy living uncertainty. Medical faculties can help to to effect some of these proposed changes change wrong perceptions of the pro- (f) enhancing the power of the indi- in medical education. For even if one fession by showing the public how and vidual over his health cannot alter the existing order, at least wh_y the role of the doctor is a very (g) reinforcing professional standards producing a handful of doctors every modest one. One way of doing this is by (h) inculcating the ethical values of year who will remain faithful to some of mak ing medical terms understandable service and sacrifice and the ideas and ideals imbibed from their to ordinary people. Medicine, of all medical s_tudies is going to be a crucial (i) reorientating priorities in the professions, has to be de-mystified. Its beginning, a worthwhile start. After all, interest of the majority. meanings, its procedures - apart from its every journey begins with a small step• vocabulary - have to be brought within It is of course naive to believe that (A summary of a talk by Dr. Chandra Muzaffar the range of the ordinary citizen's under- merely by changing the character of at a national medical students' congress in stand ing. medical education, however fundamental March 1984) At the same time, medical students shou ld not be allowed to develop an irrational fascination for the latest and continued from page 23 the fanciest technologies. The usefulness grassroots testify to the social costs of this Development Theory and prevailing rnQdel of development which the of every new piece of technology in the The Third World' common pepple must pay. Bjorn Hettne medical field has to be carefully appraised remarks, "as it turns out that even the 'great on the basis of a variety of criteria. alternative', China, has put modernization (or Unfortunately, this is not happening. even 'four modernizations') on the develop- men·t agenda, one should not be surprised if New technologies are invented and modernization (if not exactly the moderni- marketed at such a rapid rate that there is zation paracligm of the becomes a key no time to evaluate their impact. This copcept ,irf.clevefopment y during the rapid turn-over in technology is one of eighties" (p. 38). Facts, however, go faster ·than theories. It the main causes of the escalating cost of remains te be seen how development theory health care. will encompass new phenomena such as the Apart from the fact that countries global restructuring which js presently taking like ours cannot afford to get hooked to place in · rid under th~,pombined impact this technological craze, we must also of the i tion of new t~hnologies, the shift' of ncial centres to the Arab oil remember that a lot of what is being .countries, and the crisis of export-oriented invented may not suit our needs. It is industrialization in the Third World • better for us to improvise, to invent if - Reviewed by Charles Foubert. possib le, our own technics. It is in our (Repr-ol:tuced from Ideas& ActionJ

19 Aliran Monthly October 1984 THE BMF A Royal Commission of Enquiry now! Lim Kit Siang

The call by the Chairman of the work of other people.of an independent Tan Sri Nordin's frustrations Bumiputra Malaysia Finance loans scanda l committee?" I can understand Tan Sri Nordin's inquiry committee, Tan Sri Ahmad Nordin, Tan Sri Ahmad Nordin's sta tements frustrations for the people had been led for a Royal Commission of Inquiry nine have come as close as one could possibly to place very high hopes on him to months after his appointment is a expect from a public servant to put the redeem Malaysia's international financial plaintive cry of frustration, helplessness blame of failing to take action to bring reputation and integrity, and if there is and even futility in trying to get to the to book the cu lprits of the BMF scandal no breakthrough in the BMF scandal bottom of the BMF loans scandal. squarely on the Bank Bumiputra by the Committee of Inquiry, then Tan The OAP (Democratic Action Party) Executive Chairman, Dr. Nawawi Mat Sri Nordin's impeccable personal had right from the beginning called for a Awin. reputation could not avoid being tarnished. Royal Commission of Inquiry into the I understand that top government BMF loans scandal, and had great authorities are not pleased with the BM F reservations about the terms of reference, inquiry committee report, and do not scope of inquiry and the powers available want the Committee to probe deeper to the Inquiry Committee, and we have into the BMF loans scandal , in particular now been proved right with Tan Sri the role of Bank Bumiputra under its Nordin's cal l for a Royal Commission of new Chairman then, Dr. Nawawi Mat Inquiry. Awin, in its massive attempt to rescue One of the blemishes of the the Carrian empire from co llapse by government's handling of the BMF scanda l throwing good money after bad money' is that despite repeated top Cab inet and thus putting the BM F deeper into Ministerial assurance that those found the red. guilty of breach of trust and guilty of The longer the interim report of the offences in the BMF loans scandal would BMF inquiry committee is suppressed, the not be spared, there had not been a single longer will various versions of the BMF person who had beef"! arrested or charged UPI scandal make their rounds in the country. in the biggest financial and banking Bank Bumi; Nawawi: Billion-dollar deal For instance, it is believed that Jalil scandal in Malaysia history in the last Ibrahim before he was murdered , had been three years! Dr. Nawawi Mat Awin should stop submitting periodic audit reports back It would appear that the top Cabinet 'passing the buck' and explain to the home to Bank Bumiputra from Hong Ministers would keep repeating their people why he had failed so far to take Kong and had strongly recommended determination to bring to book the cu lprits action against the BMF scandal 'culprits' against any Bank Bumiputra attempt to in the BMF Loans scandal, without when he had all the records and rescue the tottering Carrian empire, but actually bringing anyone to book! investiglions even before the BMF he was overruled. What was the actual Dr. Nawawi must explain inquiry was established. Is Dr. Nawawi position? The pub I ic have a right to The Auditor-General's statements claiming that he knew absolutely nothing know the answers to these questions yesterday that "Bank Bumiputra has how the BMF's $2.4 billion bad debts about all aspects of the BMF loans scandal. enough resources at its disposal to bring came about, who wa3 responsible, and As a first step, the BMF interim report those responsible to book; they have all that he is depending solely and wholly of the inquiry committee should be made the time to do it; after a 11, the records are on the findings of the Ahmad Nordin public without delay. there" are very significant, because it Committee of Inquiry? The OAP calls on the g_overnment to confirms my view that the establishment Or is it because Dr. Nawai had rio give serious consideration to Tan Sri of the inquiry committee with its limited authority to act against the 'culprits' Ahmad Nordin's call for a Royal terms of reference is more a delaying because they are too powerful, even for Commission of Inquiry which must be tactic than a genuine endeavour to get to him, who moves in the corridors of even more persuasive and compe lling as the bottom of the BMF loans scandal. power in Malaysia? he had spent nine months inquiring into The Auditor-General had also said Dr. Nawawi should fully account for the BM F loans scandal. If the top that his committee could not have been his actions and that of the Bank government leadership has nothing to the first to detect guilt in the $2.4 billion Bumiputra to the people, even though hide, then there is no reason for case of bad debts. He also said: the Bank has now been bought over government reluctance to set up such a "It is on public record that Bank by Petronas, for they are pub! ic servants Royal Commission of Inquiry. Tan Sri Negara started its own investigation into who are entrusted with the charge of Nordin has offered to sit on the Royal the BM F accounts as far back as 1982 public funds and trust. Commission of Inquiry, which he and Bank Bumiputra also appointed its Dr. Nawawi must not think he is a suggested should be headed by a High own internal auditors to examine the servant to top Cabinet Ministers only, Court Judge. accounts. for he is in fact a public servant to the I have today given notice to the "You can quote me on this. Why make entire_Ma laysian population to whom Speaker of Dewan Rakyat, Tan Sri promises of taking action based on the he must account for his actions. Zahir Ismail, that I am tabling a motion

Aliran Monthly October ! 984 20 for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the BMF BOOKS loans scandal, in the light of the Tan Sri Nordin revelations. The goyernment must decide whether special Parliamentary time would be DEVELOPMENT THEORY allocated for such a debate, or whether the motion would be ignored altogether. In view of the gravity of the BMF AND THE THIRD WORLD issue, I will write to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, seeking the agreement of the government by Bjorn Hettne, 168 pp. with biblio- o the colonial attitude of social science: the graphy. conceptual schemes and models presented SAREC Report 2: 1982 as framework are Eurocentric and thus misguiding for the study of developing Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation countries; with Developing Countries (SAREC). o the 'captive mind' produced by "the higher S-105 25 Stockholm, Sweden . institutions of learning whose ways of think- ing are dominated by Western thought in an Is it possible to put some order to the imitative and uncritical manner. A captive ) abundant literature on development and to mind is, furthermore, alienated from the assess the value of the many studies published major issues of society and from its own in this field? The 1982 SAREC Report, national tradition. To the extent that this Development Theory and the Third World, situation prevails, social science research tries to do so and, in the process, its author, tends to be a process of reproduction of Bjorn Hettne, leads us on a fascinating itinerary Western values and consequently the Dahn: "We must account for every cent" through the various theories of development Western model of development" (p. 114); and the Third World response to what was o finally, the phenomenon which P. Streeten to set aside two days for Parliament to originally a Western preoccupation. defined as "academic imperialism": debate the motion for the establishment "The study of development did not spring "research teams . . . moving into their country with already-designed research of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into from an autonomous progress of '!lf>cial science theory, but from Western preoccu- projects trying to 'mine' for data and the BMF loans scandal. I am suggesting pation with the new nations in the context statistics, using locals for semi-skilled Oct. 17 and 18, just before the new of an emerging cold war. In this perspective, activities like interviewing, filling out forms Finance Minister's budget presentation these nations were seen as potential allies and interpreting, but preserving for them- selves the basic research design, processing on Oct. 19. by the two superpowers who held up their own experiences, reflecting the Western and publishing." The ;researched' country, Have the Malaysian authorities paradigm, as models of development" having been stripped of its data, sees the anything to do with the 'secret' trial (p. 18). results published in the journals or books of of George Tan & Co.,? Development studies did not develop into a the industrial countries, adding prestige to It is reported in today's press that theory until "after the discovery that the the foreign professors and their institutions" (p. 112). the preliminary inquiry into the problems of development in the Third World were specific (although varying from one The emancipation of the mind from these conspiracy charges against the former country to another) and qualitatively different" constraints was part, as its intellectual com- Carrian Chairman, George Tan, and (p. 10) from the path followed by the indus- ponent, of the general effort towards self- his righthand man, Bentley Ho and trialized nations. It is a recurrent theme in the reliant development. Many researchers from the three of their advisers, beginning Report that: Third World managed to define original "development theory grew out of a gap approaches based on the concrete experience of next Monday on Oct. 1 will be held between evolutionistic growth and moder- their people. In Latin America, for instance, in secret in closed doors. nization theories, derived from Western "the dependency tradition . .. to a certain This is most shocking, especially experiences, on the one hand, and the extent functioned as a nationalist ideology" as the Auditor-General, Tan Sri manifest lack of development in the Third (p. 115). It also influenced Caribbean thinking Ahmad Nordin, had gone on public World on the other" (p. 131 ). as well as Samir Amin's school of thought in Today, as a result of Third World critique Africa - in both cases, however, "non- record as saying that the BMF inquiry of these theories, development studies have European cultural elements seem to be stronger committee is awaiting the proceedings grown into a new branch of social science and and so is the emphasis on indigenous forms of of the trial of the Carrian kingpins the process of building a comprehensive development" (p. 119). to assist in the preparation of their development theory, sensitive to contextual In the process, Third World researchers factors, has begun and will be pursued at least introduced valuable innovations to the universal final report. "as long as the global communication structure patrimony of social sciences and made original There is disturbing speculation that is not disrupted by war" (p. 143). contributions to the growth of development the secret session of the Hong Kong studies. Bjorn Hettne cites the following The impact of Third World research examples: magistrate's court was the result of o the introduction of the concept of margina- pressure from the Malaysian authorities, The main concern of Hettne's book is the lidad (marginality) by Pablo Gonzales and for the good name of the Malaysian impact of the Third World on the development Casanova of Mexico; authorities, this matter should be cleared of development theory. In one of the most o the method of action-research developed by Orlando Fals Borda in Colombia to bridge up immediately. interesting chapters "Transcending eurocen- trism: indigenization of development thinking", the gap between the researchers and the I call on the highest Malaysian he examines the concrete conditions in which non-elites; authority to make it clear publicly Third World researchers had to work and the o the work of the economists of the "New and internationally that Malaysia welcomes obstacles they had to overcome in producing world group" in the Caribbean; an open and public proceeding of the genuine research relevant to their countries: o the "drain theory" developed in India as far o the foreign and alienating means of instruc- back as the end of the 19th century by George Tan preliminary inquiry, and that tion in many Third World universities; Dadabhai Naoroji; Malaysia has nothing to hide whatever o the lack of available data: "even theories o Gandhi's approach, which Hettne describes the revelations that may emerge in the and data about the country concerned - be as "action oriented (the oppressive environ- George Tan trial! • it Kenya or Indochina - very often are ment was his laboratory), normaHve (his produced by foreigners and mediated viewpoint was that of the poorest of the Lim Kit Siang is.Parliamentary Opposition through an alien language" (p. 111), when poor) and global (the ultimate goal was a leader and OAP Secretary-General. This statement was made on 25th September, they are not kept in the capital of a far- non-violent world order)" (p. 122); 1984. awav country; o the method of social investigation developed

21 Aliran Monthly October 1984 / in China; nalistic attitude toward non-European cultures. assume a particular importance because of o the original social and pol itical ideas which This in turn created the rationale of develop- the continuous transfer of surplus from the emerged in Africa during the struggle for ment aid, as well as the forms it took" (p. 37). periphery to the centre; independence and in the immediate post- A lthough there were differences of opinion, o development of the centre consequently colonial era; as to the practical implementation, most implies underdevelopment of the periphery. o the contribution of economists such as development theories proposed in the fifties Development and underdevelopment are Senegalese Mamadou Dia, and Ghanaian and sixties belong to the same family, two aspects of one single global process; Tetteh A. Kofi. commonly ca lled the growth model. According o "since the periphery was doomed to under-

to this model, development wi ll flow almost development because of its linkage with the0 Development theories and models automatically from capital accumulation - centre, it was considered necessary for a saving and investment - hence the stress on country to disassociate itself from the world For most of the book, Bjorn Hettne takes foreign aid and on trade. Popu lation growth market and strive for self-reliance" (p. 46). his readers on a journey through the various was considered a problem because of the The impact of the dependency theory was development theories that have appeared in restraints it puts on savings. strong: it undermined the idea of progress as a reaction to each other and as a result of the "The early discussion on development had more or less automatic and linear process, impact with Third World reality and thinking. an optimistic tone wh ich it is hard to explain replaced the idealized and mechanical vision of He warns us, however, that, in the social today. . The simple formula was: just find development by a more historical method, and sciences, theories do not replace each other but out the incremental capital outpt;t ratio and the shifted the focus upon the particular cond itions tend to accumulate. While it is true that some desired rate of growth. Then you can (after due and contradictions affecting the development are introduced as antitheses to previous ones, consideration to the·rate of population growth) process in the Third World. It also "stimulated elements from all of them keep pi ling up to arrive at the appropriate level of investment. the debate on the New International Economic form the present patrimony of development Growth was thus seen mainly as a function of Order and provided the critics of the old inter- thinking. The development debate is now part investment and very few doubted that a process national order with many good arguments and of the common culture of humankind, an of economic growth through a series of 'stages' an appropriate language" (p. 52). Governments element of the mental framework of each of us. ultimately would benefit the whole nation. emerged which were deeply influenced by the The SAR EC Report is an excellent textbook ... Those were truly innocent years" (p. 27). dependency perspective: Allende in Chile, for all of us concerned with development to When the first development decade clearly Manley in Jamaica, Nyerere in Tanzania. On ly become aware of its many components. showed the limits of such a strategy, a variation one of them survived and it had to change its In examining systematicall y the theories of of the classical positio·n came to the fore: policies substantially. This may point to some development, Hettne keeps in mind their close red istribution with growth, introducing social basic weaknesses of the dependency approach. relationship with development stra tegies, t hose objectives in the growth model. This raised the One is the fact that it developed mainly "changes of economic structures and social w hole question of political w ill - hence also of "negative thinking" and lacked a pos itive institutions, undertaken in order to find political power - to achieve a transfer from the theory of development: "so much stress was consistent and enduring solutions to problems rich to the poor nations and strata. put on the external obstacles to development facing decision-makers in a society" (p. 7). that the problem of how to initiate a develop- 11. Dependency ment process once these obstacles were I. Modernization removed was rather neglected" (p. 50). The The dependency theory was a reaction from other is that the self-reliant national path to "Development thinking" sa id Sri Lankan Latin America to these modernization theories development it proposes is too inward look ing : Goonatilake, " is largely a product of the West". and to the development optimism of those these countries had to learn the hard way that, The first deve lopment theories, t he moderniza- years. Its roots can be traced to the CEPAL whether they like it or not, they are part of the t ion theories, follow closel y the "Western Doctrine developed by a group of Latin "system" and that "there are limited possibili- paradigm": American economists around Raul Prebisch ties of transformation within the capitalist "Development is one of the oldest and most within the UN Economic Commission for Latin world economy" (p. 62). powerful of all Western ideas. The central America. element of this perspective is the metaphor "What ... was this doctrine? Theoretically, 111. Interdependence of GROWTH, i.e. growth manifested in the it was an assault upon the conventional organism. Development is in accordance w isdom concerning the relationship between The decline of the dependency theory did with this metaphor conceived as organic, international trade and development, and not lead back to a classical modernization immanent, directional, cumulative, irrever- the elaboration of an alternative framework, theory. Its approach was subsumed in theories sible and purposive .. .. The most significant the centre-periphery system, according to stressing global interdependence. While for shift in emphasis was the identification of which the central nations benefitted from some this term is only the re-affirmation of the growth with the idea of PROGRESS ... trade whereas the peripheral nations structures of domination, for others it expresses implying that civilization has moved, is suffered. . . . In terms of development the awareness of the growing complexity of moving and will move in a desirable direc- strat-.JY, the CEPAL doctrine emphasized international relations beyond the centre- tion" (p. 12). industrialization by import substitution, periphery paradigm. This global awa reness In identifying this direction conceived as planning and state interventionism in appeared during the second half of the seventies "desirable" for all, the only point of reference general, and regional integration. Ideologi- thro·ughout the debate on a New International for the Western mind was the path which led cally, the CEPAL doctrine constituted one Economic Order (NIEO) and iitthe work of the their countries from an agricultural to an example within a long tradition of Pconomic Brandt Commission. While NI EO documents industrial civilization with advances in science nationalism ... " (p. 41). push the demands of the developing countries, and technology and a rise in the standards of The CEPAL-proposed development strategy the Brandt Commission report suggests a living. Hettne calls this basic assumption the failed due to a lack of internal markets and to Keynesian strategy for the survival of "modernization paradigm": technological dependency. It was soon replaced capitalism. Both start from the perspective that "Development was seen in an evolutionary by the current export-oriented industrial iza- the former arrangement of international perspective, and the state of underdevelop- tion. As a theory, however, the dependency relations is no longer stable and is becoming ment defined in terms of observable approach came to maturity, thanks to the defective, and that new rules and norms differences between rich and poor nations. contribution of Latin American economists regulating international economic cooperation Development implied the bridging of these and sociologists such as : Celso Furtado, Andre are needed. gaps by means of an imitative process, in Gunder Frank, Ruy Mauro Marini, Tectonic Within this context, new development which the less developed countries gradually Dos Santos, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, etc. theories and world-modelling scenarios came to assumed the qualities of the industrialized The center of research moved from Brazil to the fore, trying to integrate the dependency nations" (p. 29). Santiago and, since 1973, to Mexico. approach with the interdependence of the In practice, "modernization was very much It would not do justice to these researchers world economy and the complexity of inter- the same as Westernization" (p. 30). Moderniza- to simplify their thinking into a single theory of national relations. The world system approach tion theories, such as those proposed by Walt dependency. It has many variations. However, identifies, between the core-states and the Rostow and his followers, envisage a gradual Hettne lists some of the main theses of the periphery, a space for a "semi-periphery" and transition from trpdition to modernity, dependency school: it attempts to define the complex functional considering as ideal development the stage o the most important obstacles to develop- relations linking them. The nee-structuralist achieved by the industrialized countries. "In its ment are external to the underdeveloped school distinguishes between the "least depen- more simplistic form the modernization economy, not internal : they lie in the inter- dent", the "semi-dependent" and the paradigm served as a development ideology, national division of labour; "depend,ent countries". Scholars of the Marxist simply - rationalizing cu ltural colonialism" o the latter can be described in terms of the tradition developed the theory of the inter- (p~·32). Its appeal to the wider public is mainly relationships between regions of which two nationalization of capital and the. theory of due, according to Bjorn Hettne, "to the pater- kinds - the centre and the periphery - articulation between the capitalist and pre-

Aliran Monthly October 1984 22 capitali st modes of production. reactions. T hird World crit ique of moderniza- t radition; Osvaldo Sunkel and Edmundo Fuenzalida tion theories has rad ically called into question c) ecodevelopment, a sc hool of thought repre- speak of the transnationalization model, the development model they propose, including sented by lgnacy Sachs in Paris, d rawing on characterized by a global dualism: trans- the type of development pursued in the West. the conclusions of the Club of Rome report nationalization and national d isintegration: Institutions such as the Dag Hammarskjold on t he limits of growth and on t hose of the,., "A new transnational community is Foundation and the International Foundation 197 2 UN Conference on t he Environment . emerging, made up of people from different for Development Alternatives ( I FDA) have To these three parallel t rends among t he nations, but with similar values and ideas, taken up the cha llenge to find answers to these proponents of another development, one could as well as patterns of behaviour . . . (at the basic questions. The alternative development add Schumacher's school of thought on sm all- same time) national societies ... undergo a envisaged by this ongoing resea rch could be sca le tec hnology. Bjorn Hettne observes that process of disintegration implying a disrup- defined as follows: the alternative development people belong to tion of indigenous economic societies and a o need-oriented, i.e. geared to meeting human the romantic/utopian t radition and are attrac- concentration of property and income. This needs; ted by "the inheren t superiorit y of _s mall -sca le, process of marginalization, in turn, explains o endogenous, i.e. stemming from the heart decentral ized, ecologica lly sou nd , human and the tendency toward repression and autho- of each society; stable models of societal development" (p. 13). ritarianism which can be seen in both under- o self-reliant, i.e. implying that each society developed and developed countries. relies primarily on its own strength and Conclusion However, at the same t ime, the national resources; societies are generating a variety of counter o ecologically sound; From "how to develop t he T hird World", processes· that assert the national and/or o based on structural transformation "so as the question bou nced back to " is t he First subnational va lues, sometimes reactionary, to realize the conditions of self-management World really developed?" and, f inal ly, "what sometimes progressive" (pp. 69-70). and participation in decision-making by al l do we mean by development anyway?" . From a This emphasis on culture - rather neglected those affected by it, from the rural or urban mere descript ion of stages, obstacles, mecha- nism s and processes, d evel opment t h ink ing is in structural ana lysis - leads us to the problem community to the world as a whole, with- now producing its normative theory w it h a of the content and quality of development. out which the above goals could not be deeply ethica l dimension. Rather t han " Obviously," says Hettne, "there is more to achieved" (p. 76). "searching for a hidden conform ity to law in development than changing positions within an Three aspects have been the object of w hat actually takes p lace", development international division of labour and the produc- deeper study: thinkers engage in "theorizing about what t ion and distribution of material goods. a) se lf-reliance, which was introduced as a development shou ld imply according to certain Development concerns people, it affects their development strategy before the N I EO va lues" (p. 134). T his may be a way of over- way of life and is influenced by their concep- debate. Previous attempts to implement it coming t he great development/liberation t ion of the good life, as determined by their met w ith serious d ifficulties and raised a dilemma emphasized by the 'dependistas'. cu ltures" (p. 70). series of questions. Today, the debate involves not only national self-reliancEJ!r•but Development could be liberating if it adopts, in also regional and even col lective se lf-reliance Sau l H . Mendlovitz' words, the viewpoint of Another development in a south-south cooperation; " the enl ightened and compassionate people b) basic needs approach, officially ad opted by w ho see k to reform and improve upon what prevails" (quot Jd p. 138). Sign ificantly the main proponents of the participants in t he 1976 I LO Conference What p revails is t he growing transnationa- "another development" are located in the on World Employment. A f ter t hat , t here liza tion of t he economies and the enforcemen t industri alized countries. This reflects the were va ri ous attempts at classifying basic growing d issatisfaction, in t he "consumer needs. A cleavage appeared between those of a m odel close r to t he m odernizat ion sc heme t han to t he ideals of "anot her development". soc iety", with what is so metimes termed "over- who, stressing t he "basic material need s" , NGOs involved in action for development at the development" or even " maldevelopment", as fell back on the classic growth m od el, and well as Western self-criticism of t he moderniza- those who exalted the "basic hum an need s" continued on page 19 tion parad igm under the impact of Third World and be long to the alternative development

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Aliran Monthly October 1984 24 (sambungkan dari muka surat 13) (continued from page 11) College-General, Penang Eti~a dan Pelajar-Pelajar Universiti Public Participation followed by a tokenistic Council hearing and the eventual "we'll do wh~t we want Increasingly, people feel that they are to anyway"? merely recipients of decisions made by other people in high towers. Conclusion And it is both ironic and sad that Untuk mengasah pemikiran harus those privileged to make decisions on It is regrettable that the State Govern- mempunyai reaksi pada isu-isu di dalam behalf of the majority should make them ment and the City Council have chosen to dan di luar kampus. Untuk berbuat in favour of the minority. ignore the public's request for the reasons demikian, senarai bacaan harus memasuk- Planning is one aspect of local affairs kan surat khabar dan majallah-majallah . behind the decision to rezone the College- in which the City Council has to accept Ada yang berpendapat bahawa pelajar- General grounds. some consultation With members of the pelajar universiti tidak patut melibatkan The demand for information before public. diri dalam isu-isu politik. Akta universiti plans are made final and implemented is The law allows the individual to make juga tidak menggalakkan mahasiswa- a right, not a privilege. It brings the his protest and prescribes ways in which mahasiswa berbuat demikian. Pandangan individual into the governing process and he can appeal against the proposals and ini salah. Adakah wajar pelajar-pelajar reduces the dangers of secret government. decisions of the Counci I. sastera dan sains sosial yang belajar The government should realise that However, the outcome of the College- tentang masyarakat hanya membaca buku such demands are in fact, part of an open General issue demonstrates that attempts dan tidak mengambil bahagian dalam isu- and responsible society. to exercise this democratic right con- Dismissing public-interest issues as isu semasa? Pelajar-pelajar universiti harus cerning the environment in which one belajar dan berani menyuarakan pendapat mere opposition 'storms-in-the-teacups' is lives in have been reduced to a result not going to work any more. Look at mereka. Mereka harus belajar menentang bordering between tokenism and farce for Papan. Look at Bukit Cina. perkara-perkara yang tidak adil. Jika ada two reasons. The government should not stoop to pensyarah yang kurang bertanggungjawab Firstly, the local councillors who insulting the public's intelligence by dalam pengajaran, biarlah pelajar-pelajar theoretically represent the public's wel- dismissing public protests as opposition mengkritikan dia. Jikalau pemimpin- fare and interest are wholly no~inated issues. pemimpin politik kurang "cekap, bersih by the State Government. Their non- The public is intelligent enough to dan amanah", biarlah pelajar-pelajar elected positions do not make them distinguish feeble excuses from sound mengkritikan mereka juga. Begitu juga responsive to any grassroot group or reasoning and for that matter, personal dengan isu-isu seperti kemiskinan, constituency. squabbles from real issues. kemerosotan demokrasi dan lain-lain. Secondly, while the public is permit- The tide is beginning to turn. The Masyarakat kita mempunyai banyak ted to present their views and opinions masalah, seperti kemiskinan, korupsi, public should realise that this is only the through the premises of a public inquiry, polarisasi yang berdasarkan kaum dan beginning of the extensive process of the City Council on its part does not feel agama. Di dalam kampus-kampus univer- participation in planning - in deciding obliged - morally or otherwise - to siti juga ada kemiskinan dan polarisasi on the kind of environment you want to justify their ultimate decisions and kaum, tetapi kemiskinan di universiti live and work in; and in which you wish action. ialah kemiskinan intelektual dan your children to grow up in. The Penang Structure Plan which is kekurangan semangat mengkritik. lni It is your right to seek and secure the presently being prepared by the City perkara yang serius. Semua kakitangan liberty to refurbish, renew and create Council includes a section on 'public universiti dan pelajar-pelajar harus ber- your own environment in the way you participation'. The Plan will allow for the usaha membetulkan keadaan ini. Kalau want it, not in the way someone else public to make individual or group objec- saudara misalnya, menjadi ahli jawatan- thinks is good for you. tions to its recommendations. kuasa Persatuan Buddhist ataupun For the freedom of people to create Is the present outcome an indication Persatuan Islam, saudara boleh memaju- the place in which they live is a basic of what to expect of the section on kan dialog di antara kelompok-kelompok human right, as important as freedom of 'public participation' in the Structure agama . Kita harus juga membangkitkan speech or freedom of conscience • Plan? semangat intelektual. Malangnya ke- Should the Penang public look out for banyakan pelajar-pelajar sekarang meng- Sc1ve College-General Campaign Committee, a Council invitation for public objections Penang anggap universiti hanya sebagai satu titian (stepping stone) kepada pekerjaan baik yang bergaji tinggi. Apabila mereka memilih bidang pelajaran, soalan yang mereka tanya ialah samada sesuatu bidang itu berguna dari segi mendapat kerja. Minat akademik jarang diambil kira. Pelajar-pelajar tahun pertama bagitu ,-~ juga. Kita harus membetulkan sikap ini. Sebagai kesimpulan, saya ingin tegas- kan bahawa apabila membincang tentang -~- etika dan tanggungjawab moral pelajar- pelajar universiti, bukan saja keperluan pelajar-pelajar belajar bersungguh-sungguh difikirkan, tetapi harus juga dibincangkan peranan mereka dalam mengkritik dan mencari kebenaran •

Tan Chee Beng The safest place to sit during local elections

25 Aliran Monthly October 1984 CURRENT COMMENT A record of Allran's complete press statements made In the preceding months J~? Q'?-3• I' \ itf ,/\ ~ ~I ~)~~ _ _:@}(,~ l I \ \ (( \ \ ~1 I rY7 \__~ ' ~ 1~Z: >J ~~ ~~l,\~7~ (([~ ~r =--- ~ t , ( - (() L ) ~ l v1C~ \ )y, !-v< ~ 1-J\V c,t~ . Japan-Malaysia Economic Relations Reform of the Civil Service Service is happy and contented will we be able to create a dynamic and dedicated A1iran commends Ii ran endorses the administrative system. Apart from im- the Prime Minister for a frank forthright A proving wages and working conditions, view that our Civil Service is in dire need exposition on Japanese economic rela- of reform. there must also be ample opportunities tions with Malaysia. This frankness is However, if reform of the Civil Service for civil servants to acquire new skills and particularly gratifying because Dr. Maha- is to succeed it must address itself to the new knowledge. They must also be thir himself is the initiator of the ' Look given every chance to contribute ideas to root causes of the present lethargy and East' policy. listlessness that pervades the Service. the actual running of the Civil Service. It is significant that he described the Making ad hoe changes here and there Every civil servant must develop a sense pattern of economic relations between will not help create a more dynamic of involvement. This is the most effective Japan and Malaysia as one that "con- Civil Service that can really serve the way of overcoming alienation from the forms in many regards to the classic ordinary rakyat. Service. pattern of economic colonialism". His In this connection there are perhaps Thirdly, if the Civil Service is to serve remarks on Malaysia's trade deficit with 3 crucial areas that need special attention. the interests of the ordinary rakyat Japan, Japan's unwillingness to buy First, the top-down approach to there must be a concerted endeavour to more Malaysian manufactures, Japan's administration should change. Public rid the Service of both corruption and practice of transfer pricing, and Japan's administration should be grass-root based. chauvinism. Corruption saps the morale poor track record on technology trans- This means that local level administration of the entire administrative system. It fers, on the use of local raw materials, on should be the foundation of the entire leads to a loss of a sense of purpose and the inclusion of local consultants, sub- Civil Service set-up. Planning and breedil selfishness and acquisitiveness contractors and professionals and on decision-making, apart from supervision among civil servants. Similarly, chau- local manpower training are all of utmost and implementation, should as far as vinism causes polarisation within the relevance. possible be within the control of grass- Service and affects the general perfor- However, we should be realistic root administrative units. Only then will mance of the administrative system. This enough not to expect Japanese economic the ordinary rakyat have direct access to is why there is an urgent need to elimi- policy to change dramatically after the services provided by our civil servants. nate ethnic discrimination within the Prime Minister's public chiding. At the Only then will ordinary rakyat be able to Service. Ability, excellence and dedica- most, there will be some minor adjust- participate directly in decision-making. tion should be given much more weight ments in trade ties over a period of time. Direct participation is an essential condi - in recruitment and promotions. This is Instead of depending upon Japan tion for evolving a more just and humane not only in line with the concept of a to change, we should undertake a major Civil Service. modern, efficient bureaucracy, but it is review of our own manufacturing, trading Secondly, our Civi I Service should also in harmony with the spiritual values and other economic policies. ensure that their personnel at al I levels embodied in Islam and all the other First, our manufacturing sector should religions. derive maximum satisfaction from their In view of the urgent need for serious be re-orientated to meet the basic needs work. In order to do this there must be of the majority of our people rather than reforms in the entire structure of the continue with the present emphasis upon greater mobi I ity for those who are at the Civil Service, it would be useful if the producing for the world market. In this middle echelons. At the moment this government undertakes a comprehensive middle level of the Civil Service made-up review of the entire bureaucracy. Aliran way, we will be less affected by the of non-graduates is experiencing tremen- is prepared to participate in such a review protectionist policies of other countries. Second, we should try to reduce the dous frustration as a result of poor wages, in the interest of the nation. poor working conditions and lack of invisibles deficit especially in the form Yusoff Ahmad Shariff promotional prospects. Only if this of freight payments, by strengthening Executive Committee Member .middle leve l which is responsible for the capacity of our own shipping lines. doing a lot ot important work in the Civil 22 August 1984 At the same time, the six ASEAN states

Aliran Monthly October 1984 26 members of the public, unions, consumer organisations, social groups, political parties and the Malayan Bar Council, it would be undemocratic to ignore all these ., protests against the many glaring short- comings of the Bill. Apart from this, it is also an attempt to exclude the people from having a say in the democratic process. It is as if the right to formulate policies belongs exclusively to the elected politicians. It is only they who can deter- mine what is good for the people. Aliran first applied for a KON in could give much more attention to It may be worthwhile to remember November 1983 and our application was developing a strong shipping industry on that Parliamentary Democracy is not the rejected in March 1984. Aliran subse- a col lective basis which should attempt primary concern of only th~ 154 elected quently appealed to t he King t o recon- to break the dominance of foreign parliamentarians. It concerns the entire sider our application but there has been shipping cartels. nation. Parliamentary Democracy no reply. Third, we should reconsider awarding requires the participation of the people. From what we know a few other turnkey projects to foreign contractors Only then will people care for Parliamen- organizations which steer away from when local firms can undertake the same tary Democracy; only then it will be sex and communalism have also had tasks with as much efficiency. meaningful to them; only then would great difficulties in obtai ning KDNs. On Fourth, we shou ld be much more they want to defend it for they will see the other hand, a number of magazines selective about the type of foreign themselves as having a stake in Parlia- and newspapers which are on the market investments we want in the manufacturing mentary Democracy. blatantly sensationalise sex issues. There sector. Those that do not provide suffi- It is difficult to understand why the are others which do not hesitate to cient scope for the utilisation of loca l Bill had to be rushed through Parliament exploit communal sentiments and yet resources, or for manpower training in such haste. Was it a question of I ife and they have had no problems getting..i..heir and technology transfers should be death that this Bill had to be passed by KDNs renewed every year. phased out. Also, we should ensure that the just-concluded Parliament session? Indeed, the evidence seems to indicate royalty payments by these foreign firms How could it have affected the progress are fair from our point of view. that groups that are committed to the and development of this nation if we had Finally, we should promote and promotion of genuine multi-racialism and delayed passing the Bill and given the social justice are the ones who are being upgrade our own technologies by creating people more time to discuss and debate penalised and punished. a strong scientific base for industrial the issues involved? production. This will require a compre- And why the secrecy about the Bill? hensive survey of existing, local techno- Mustafa K Anuar No one was aware of the Bill - not the logies in various spheres and the establish- Secretary MPs until the eleventh hour, nor the ment of technical training institutes and 8 September 1984 people until the day after. It is this cloak programmes in different parts of the of secrecy that raises questions about the country. The foundation for such a intentions of the Bill. Hasn't the nation training programme must come from a 0 as much right as the Cabinet to be more innovative and creative science Democracy & The Civil Law notified in advance of the impending Bill? education curriculum in our school and (Amendment) Bill Since the Bill was going to affect the universi ty system . public, shouldn't they have a say in it? Only if these and other measures are " We always consider Isn't it also part of the democratic taken will we be able to stand on our own public opinion. You pass laws and if you process? feet without having to depend on hand- find (that) the laws passed are no good, And finally, the MPs themselves must outs from others. you can always amend it. That is what be held responsible for the undemocratic Parliament is for," said the Minister of manner in which the Bill was handled. If Chandra Muzaffar Justice, Datuk James Ongkili. (STAR : they felt that they lacked knowledge or President 19/8/84) had insufficient time for consultations, 28 August 1984 These words made everybody happy they should have spoken up and deferred for they seemed to indicate that the the passing of the Bi 11 to a later stage. 0 government wasn't going to be indifferent Since they didn't, it gives the impression to public sen timents but would respond that they were obliged to pass any Bill Liberal Attitude Towards KDN? positively to the many criticisms made that is submitted to Parliament. against the Civil Law (Amendment) Bill. Now that it is evident that a substan- A1iran notes with But the same Minister was quoted 9 tial number of people are against the Bill, interest the Prime Minister's Comment days later as having said that the ·civil we hope that the government will over RTM's "Hal Ehwal Semasa" that Law Act passed by Parliament recently respond to the people and will not since assuming office he has been en- would be enforced first before the enforce it until it has been suitably couraging the unrestricted issuing of government took another look at it. amended. KDNs - except to those magazines and "Once it has been enforced, we will see if One also hopes that in future all Bills newspapers that sensationalise sex and there is any real need to amend it," said will be made public at least a month exploit communal fee lings. the Minister of Justi ce. (ST AR: 28/8/84) before they are debated by Parliament, so It is only too obvious that Aliran does While the earlier statement reflected that we can al I benefit from the national not fall under either category and yet we the true spirit of a Parliamentary Demo- discussion that is bound to ensue. have been denied a KON for our Bahasa cracy, the latter statement made a Malaysia Monthly with no reason given mockery of it. P. Ramakrishnan whatsoever. In the face of strong objections from 13 September 1984 Exco Member

27 Aliran Monthly October 1984 Thinking allowed

A Caring Society ... So all you sweet-young-things in from providing outlets for local labour schools, colleges, universities and the and enterprise, and boosting the capability The Singapore Parliament has passed professions, take heart ~ Mr. Cupid, or of local industrialists to penetrate the a new law which will help create an agents of his, will be coming to town to international market on their own steam. opposition - if the situation so demands. spread the warmth. Perhaps you ought This would also go to show that Malaysia This is the mark of a government that to consider dropping out of whatever you doesn't mince words when it comes to takes care of everything. For many years are doing right now (except delivering). fighting protectionism. now, it has been taking care of the trade For those who want to stick on to unions. The PAP government has even their education, try pleading with the *** appointed and dismissed trade union government to be "lenient". But remem- Hungary ...... for love leaders. It has also been taking care of its ber this, girls : don't plead too hard. You University students since the late sixties. may be construed as anti-national. After And for those who are still egged on Every campus activity is followed by the all defending your rights is sometimes by this procreating feeling, keep your authorities with loving care. seen as subversive in our country! cool. A quail-egg liqueur with aphrodisiac As part of its caring attitude, it has As for the Honorable Minister, if she effects has gained popularity in Hungary. now decided to tighten its hold over the really decides to heed the Prime Minister's The "cassanova" liqueur, produced by press. The various newspaper companies population advice seriously, then she will Kiskunhalas State farm, has excellent have been merged into a single body - so have to prepare herself, at least psycholo- flavour and "love potion" effects. that it'll be easier to embrace the truth. gically initially, for the day when she'll This perhaps illustrates that at times More than anything else, loving care is have to vacate her prestigious post in it does pay to visit Eastern Europe - shown in the government's desire to order to take care of her children and especially in view of our new population organise the island's sex life. It is the one home. Her children, in line with the policy. And for our Look East friend, outstanding proof of tender, intimate leadership's example, will have to drop South Korea, with its Ginseng, this is a care. Why, the PAP even ta kes care of the idea of pursuing their studies and new competitor. South Koreans, better dates and marriages, what with computer careers and instead chase after a romantic buck up or we'll have to switch to some- dating and courses on the type of dream and a spouse. one else. Don't say , we hit youbelow the partners one should choose. This is indeed one queer but sure way belt or stabbed you in the back. This is what one means by a caring to get yourself "spaced out"! society .. .. (Incidentally, after this marriage pro- *** posal was made, the Minister concerned Studying ...... *** did try to clarify her statement. We can only pray that she will try to emulate Perhaps it is this belief about travel what one seemingly "well-informed" being life's better teacher that really minister used to do: "clarify" yesterday's promoted two New South Wales statement.) (Austral ia) legislators to mount a world The above episode is really a stark tour "to study how authorities in other contrast to what's happening in the nations deal with prostitution". United States. While US Democratic The fear over here is that some of our presi~ntial candidate Walter Mondale study tour-prone MPs, (and City Council- chooses Geraldine Ferrnro as his running lors) might easily yield to such spurts of mate, Malaysia's political leaders have ideas. Mind you, this is a 'tour de force' Malaysian women running for their coming from Down Under that might lives! just put our MPs in a quandary. *** *** Taking a Cue A Stitch in Ti.me The 70 Million Ecstasy Still on sex-related matters. Indonesia Of late, local newspapers had been is planning to build an approximately $21 padded with stories of sanitary towels In the fervour to propel Malaysians million condom factory near Bandung. being accidentally left in vaginas after to reach that 70 million ecstasy, one Malaysia should take a cue from this operation. Minister at least has come out with yet especially in view of its own drive (or This should be a matter of concern for another idea that could just push us to urge) to industrialise and export. It many of us, especially would-be mothers, that target (and perhaps up the wall) should encourage local industrialists and because it not only poses a danger to a little bit faster. capitalists to venture into this booming women's health but also smears the Datin Paduka Rafidah Aziz had called business in one of our Free Trade Zones. credibility of local doctors and hospitals. on all nubile women and girls (of the Of course, we'll have to make sure that The authorities concerned should see 19-29 age range) to contribute (babies) these condoms are meant for export only to it that an undoctored report be made to this national cause. Young women, (to countries which don't share Malaysia's public to explain why a stitch in time she insisted, should get married at an population plans) so as not to tamper may not necessarily save "mine". early age so that they can space their with the 70 million policy. children out fairly well, apart from This might just herald a new era in Mustafa K. Anuar & lessening the mortality rate. appropriate technology application, apart Khor Yoke Lim

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