PP3739/12/2003 ISSN 0127 - 5127 / RM3.00 / 2003:Vol.23No.4 AliranAliran CelebratesCelebrates 25th25th AnniversaryAnniversary Aliran Monthly : Vol.23(4) Page 1 COVER STORY Aliran’s 25 Anniversary Dinner Celebration Aliran Will Go On No one can stop Truth from marching on r Chairman, Distinguished Guests, MMM Friends, Ladies and Gentleman: Let me, first, thank all Aliran members and friends who have sweated hard to make this func- tion a reality. Seeing all of you here this evening, especially those who have come from outside Penang to be with us, I can already say this function is a success. For this, we are very grateful. We are grateful to the many generous donors and supporters who have kept faith with us and continue to be a source of inspiration in our long and arduous journey to- wards ‘Freedom and Justice’. We are grateful to our famous friends from the In- stant Café Theatre Company for performing gratis. Dear Friends and Members of Aliran, you represent the best in our society, citizens who are truly con- cerned with the larger issues that affect us as a na- tion. You represent the conscience of this country. It is people like you who nourish our spirit and strengthen our resolve to continue the good fight. 25 Years Is A Long Time In historical time, 25 years pass like a mere twinkle of the eye. For a nation, 25 years form a relatively short period. But, Friends, 25 years is a long time in the life of a society that is dedicated to ‘Freedom, Justice and Solidarity’. For 25 years, Aliran has stood its ground in a hos- tile environment. Aliran has spoken up fearlessly on numerous issues whether those be corruption in Aliran Monthly : Vol.23(4) Page 2 EDITOR'S NOTE Aliran is 25! In terms of historical time, this is but a twinkle of the eyes. Amidst Malaysian NGOs, how- CONTENTS ever, we probably have senior citizen status - and are as poor as pensioners. COVER STORY So we decided to celebrate our 25th Anniversary ••• Aliran Will Go On 222 with a fund-raising bash, which was held on 24 ••• Why Aliran? 888 May 2003 in Penang. The response from the public was overwhelming as people from all walks of life ••• 25 Years Of Telling The Truth 101010 including those from out of town chipped in. We ••• Revelry And Reflection 111111 dare say that they enjoyed the event and by the ••• Messages Of Solidarity 141414 evening’s end our financial position looked rela- ••• Singing Allowed 191919 tively healthier. Rakyat Malaysia Boleh! In this issue, we carry speeches by Aliran president FEATURES P Ramakrishnan, and founder member ••• Might Has Overthrown Right 151515 Subramaniam Pillay. We also publish messages from ••• Malaysians Against War On Aceh 303030 founder president Chandra Muzaffar, who was ••• An Embarrassment For The State 323232 unable to join us and Kamunting detainees, Tian Chua and Hishamuddin Rais, both of whom have ••• I Was Assaulted Too 373737 since been released. They somehow managed to send ••• Assault In Kamunting 404040 messages that were read out to loud applause. Anil Netto describes an evening to remember. REGULARS Enjoy Singing Allowed - a medley of spoofs of old ••• Thinking Allowed 222222 pop hits that were performed by the Aliran Singers ••• LettersLettersLetters 282828 in their World Premiere. OTHERSOTHERSOTHERS The back page article describes in detail the assault on Tian Chua and Hishamuddin and raises the ••• Free The Six - Redeem Yorself 262626 question whether the Kamunting authorities were ••• The Struggle Must Continue 272727 creating incidences to prolong their detention. ••• Subscription Form 292929 In the light of the assault on Tian Chua and Hisham, Stephanie Bastian points out that the rising inci- dence of custodial violence is proving to be embar- rassment for the state. The detainees’ lawyer Cheah Kah Peng also recounts how he was assaulted at the Kamunting Detention Centre in a complaint to Suhakam. Published by Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN) 103, Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, ALIRANALIRANALIRAN is a Reform Movement dedicated to Penang, Malaysia. Justice, Freedom & Solidarity and listed on the Tel : (04) 658 5251 Fax : (04) 658 5197 roster of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Founded in 1977, Aliran welcomes Homepage : http://www.aliran.com all Malaysians above 21 to be members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or visit our webpage. Printed by Percetakan Tujuh Lapan Enam Sdn. Bhd. No. 16, Lengkangan Brunei, 55100 Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. Aliran Monthly : Vol.23(4) Page 3 public and high places, abuses of Aliran was being used in a man- den political motives”. power, threats to democracy, or the ner ‘prejudicial to, or incompatible need to advance the causes of with, peace in the Federation’. Later others accused us of disre- women, the disadvantaged, the garding the Rukunegara, of being under-privileged, the homeless, Dear Friends, you and I would anti-monarchy, of being anti- the helpless, or the evicted. never believe that a society that Bumiputra, of being frustrated had 55 peaceful and peace-loving politicians. On these and other matters of pub- members could threaten peace in lic interest we have taken strong this country. The mass media had its turn at and principled positions that de- discrediting us. Shaik Osman serve the support of all fair- But we knew then, as we know Majid, wrote a feature article, minded Malaysians. now, that those in power could ‘’Whither Aliran’’ in the Sunday always find a reason to shut you Mail of December 28, 1980. The But carrying out our tasks respon- up or put you in. That is how the article was only good for serious sibly and consistently has not politics of fear works in this sys- misrepresentations, distortions, been easy. There have been many tem. and lies about Aliran. challenging moments and trying times. When Aliran survived the Regis- And, of course, surprise, surprise, trar’s attempt to put us out of busi- the Ministry of Home Affairs said Let me just recall a few of those ness, many Barisan Nasional poli- the Malayan Communist Party moments in our history. ticians concocted lie after lie to had expressed support for Aliran discredit us. in its dispute with the Registrar Aliran Targeted of Socities. For Destruction Lies Concocted To Discredit Aliran National Language: In 1980 we were just 3 years old. Heavy Price To Pay Already someone wanted to tar- The then Deputy Prime Minister, get Aliran for destruction. Why? now about to retire as Prime Min- There were other ways of hamper- We hadn’t committed any crime. ister, darkly hinted about our in- ing us, too, of preventing us from We didn’t incite any riot. We ternational connections. reaching out to the public. As weren’t conspiring against any- many of us will remember, Aliran one. Next, then Deputy Minister for had planned to publish a fort- Home Affairs Sanusi Junid made nightly magazine in the National The reason was simple. We had insinuations about Aliran’s “hid- Language and had applied for a made the fatal mistake of displeas- ing those in power when we criti- cised the new allowances for top civil servants. You and I and many other people in this country wouldn’t think that such a statement could be miscon- strued as a threat to national se- curity. Yet the Registrar of Societies de- manded that we show cause why Aliran shouldn’t be deregistered. Evidently the Registrar was con- fused enough to believe that Aliran’s statement showed that Aliran Monthly : Vol.23(4) Page 4 permit since 1982. string budget. But with the gener- Worse was to come. In a period of ous support of our members and less than 2 years, between Febru- Each time Aliran’s application friends, we survived. ary 1999 and September 2000, the was rejected without just cause or Aliran Monthly was printed by no reason. Aliran Survived less than 8 printers. Operation Lalang So Aliran took the government to Why? Any of our past and court. The High Court on 2 Sep- We more than survived other at- present printers will tell you tember, 1987 quashed the Home tempts to do us in. In October that Aliran is a good paymaster. Minister’s decision to refuse a 1987, several newspapers were (By the way, that is partly be- permit to Aliran. shut down. The others were heav- cause we don’t pay the dedi- ily controlled. The Aliran Monthly cated writers and contributors In fact, Justice Harun Hashim was sorely needed as a source of who make every issue of the declared that an application for a information and a rallying point Aliran Monthly possible!) permit to publish a newspaper against the mass ISA arrests and should be granted as a matter of repression. Yet each of those printers lasted course.” only 2 to 3 issues before sorrow- But our poor printer did not have fully telling us they couldn’t ac- But the Government never takes his licence renewed! We moved cept our business any more. defeats in its suppression of the from printer to printer trying to freedom of expression in good bring out the Aliran Monthly to tell No one, however, can stop Truth grace. our fellow citizens and the world from marching on! Aliran and the what was happening in Malay- Aliran Monthly remained in the In retaliation, the government sia. Only after a long search and forefront of a wider and growing amended the Printing Presses and endless effort did we find one movement for Democracy, Free- Publications Act to remove min- brave soul who would print the dom, Justice, Human Rights and isterial decisions from judicial re- Aliran Monthly.