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September 16th, 2008

09:25 pm - Of political options in Malaysia I'm not going to blog about whether the Pakatan Rakyat will take over government tomorrow, next week or next month. I think what's going on now is political brinkmanship, between Pakatan and BN in general, and between PKR and Umno in particular. I'm not good at political analysis - being an idealist who is always harping on principles rather than strategy makes me a bad predictor of political outcomes. But I have been wondering about political options in this country. Right now it seems as though the rakyat is forced to choose between either the Barisan Nasional or the Pakatan Rakyat. Anwar's logic is that the people have no confidence in Pak Lah. But Anwar's conclusion is, to me, not so logical - that we then have to place our confidence in him instead. One thing doesn't necessarily lead to another. Losing confidence in the BN doesn't necessarily translate as confidence in the Pakatan Rakyat. Anwar keeps harping on the 30-something MPs who'll be crossing over to his side, but he is annoyingly silent about PAS's antics in Kedah and Kelantan. And he wants us to accuse Pak Lah of falling asleep at the wheel. Anwar hasn't even gotten hold of the wheel and he's already lost Kedah in his blind spot! I am not someone who likes party politics and I don't think I will ever join a political party - that's a matter of personal principle, because I've made a commitment to play my role as a member of civil society - but I must admit that I think our political options extend beyond BN and Pakatan. We have the newly registered Parti Sosialis Malaysia. And we must not forget that Parti Rakyat Malaysia still exists in its own right, with the admirable Hasan Karim as President and the equally impressive and humble Koh Swe Yong as Vice President. (When I say "we", I am referring to Malaysians who believe in a non-racial, non-sexist, non-religious chauvinist, non-discriminatory, and economically just Malaysia.) True, PSM only has one seat in Parliament and one ADUN seat in Selangor, but this is how parties grow. We have our first socialist in Parliament in more than 40 years. For me, that's really something. And PSM is not officially part of the Pakatan Rakyat. And PRM. What can I say about PRM? When Reformasi was going on, and I was studying in Australia, I was really despairing because even then I had lost hope in the BN, but could not bring myself to support either Keadilan, PAS or DAP. And I discovered PRM. With its truly multiracial, and gender balanced composition. I was inspired. PRM has never won a seat in either Parliament or a state assembly. As a friend who is a former PRM member told me, "We were broken progressives." But I will always have a soft spot for PRM, and I'm glad they still exist. Granted, KTemoc has written about how PKR is intent on destroying PRM. But this is what makes me have an even softer spot for PRM. Marginalised even within the opposition. I'd like to see PRM grow. I don't want PRM to die. Where I think PKR's trumpeting of its 'multi-racial' composition is sometimes an uncomfortable compromise that is airbrushed to make it look good to the rakyat, I think PRM's multiracialism is more organic and truly unforced. And I don't think it's impossible for PRM and PSM to grow, as a true, secular, democratic, left-wing option in the opposition. It can happen. How many of us ever imagined that the Opposition would topple 4 BN-held states in the 12th general elections? How many of us anticipated that the Opposition would deny the BN its two-thirds majority? Similarly, I think those of us who are uncomfortable aligning with either the BN or the Pakatan Rakyat should start dreaming about having at least 5 PSM candidates and 5 PRM candidates elected to Parliament. It's a start. This is not an endorsement of PRM or PSM. Like I said, it is unlikely that I will ever join a political party. But I have a soft spot for folks like Dr Nasir and Arul of PSM, and Koh Swe Yong of PRM. When Toni Kasim was bedridden in hospital, and we didn't know yet that it was cancer, I would go every day and spend time with her. Some days I shelved all my appointments and stayed for hours with her. Some days, when I could manage only half an hour, I would maximise that half an hour with her, making her Milo, massaging her feet, singing to her and so on. During this time, I saw many different kinds of people come to visit her. Some were only 'tunjuk muka' visits. People who came and loudly proclaimed their arrival, talked at her and promised much but delivered little. But there were some friends who came and truly looked after her (and me, by extension). Some were busy and had hardly any time to come, but came anyway and tried their best to alleviate her anguish and pain. This last group of people included Arul and Dr Nasir from PSM, and Koh Swe Yong from PRM. They didn't only make Toni feel better, they also made me feel better with their presence. These three men knew Toni well, and respected and admired her for her warmth, her principles and her commitment to human rights work. But they did not know me well at all. And yet, they treated me with respect, too. So I developed a soft spot for them on a personal level, too. I think this is what makes human beings congruent - when their professional and political work is a reflection of their personal values. So yes, I believe our options are not confined to the BN and Pakatan Rakyat only. We have PRM and PSM as well. And I'm just talking about party political options. Like I've said before, there's also the exciting task of supporting the principled and brave journalists, activists, academics and lawyers around us. Current Mood: contemplative

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September 15th, 2008

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September 13th, 2008

10:59 pm - Sing I spoke to a friend and a fellow concerned citizen this morning - someone I respect and enjoy working with. And we were talking about what feels like an impending crackdown. And we both agreed that we can't be cowed with fear. We meaning concerned Malaysians. We need to maintain our righteous anger against the excesses of the State. We need to respond, and fight for the release of those detained under the ISA, while at the same time living life normally. Being alert is not the same as despairing. Being prepared is not the same as surrendering to fear. Staying connected does not mean spreading messages that escalate panic. My friend reminded me of the 1993 Miss Sarajevo pageant that was held during the Siege of Sarajevo. It was held in a basement due to constant sniper attacks by Serb militias. The beauty queens held up a banner that read, "Don't let them kill us." I know another inspiring story. In Poland, in the 1980s, when citizens were getting fed up with the Government's repressive tactics and its stranglehold on the media, citizens would push their television sets to the windows of their apartments and turn them outwards. It was a message to the regime that the citizens were not watching the lies on television anymore. So I went for my playwright's workshop in the day time. I participated fully and joyfully. Then I went to the candlelight vigil at Bukit Aman after buka puasa, along with some friends from the workshop, and others who wanted to join in. And I nearly cried so many times, because this is the first civil society gathering that I have been to since Toni's death. I missed her like anything. But I know she would have been happy for me to go, and light my candle, and sing harmonies to "Suara Rakyat" with the rest of the crowd, even as the police were surrounding us with their shields, helmets and batons. I met old friends again. It's so strange, catching up with friends at an anti-ISA candlelight vigil. I saw my friends from Suaram, Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA, PAS, CIJ, the women's groups, church groups and so on. And then I came home. I lit a candle and put it on my balcony. And I will try to get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is a new day. Life will go on, and I will enjoy it, and I will fight, too. But I will not forget to sing. Current Mood: optimistic

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01:43 am - The Insanity Starts Accelerating I am terrified that the ISA is being used again. Terrified and disgusted. And I am wishing that Toni was still here to help me think this through, to respond, to find strength, and to let my conscience defeat my fear. She'd want me to be true to my conscience. As she was to hers. Always. And I know what her conscience would have said about the ISA. I know because I heard her articulate it once during a gathering at Wisma Peladang, during the 2004 General Elections. She said, "The ISA is the filthiest, most disgusting piece of legislation that citizens of this country have to endure." Toni, I am publishing your words now, to draw strength from them, and to offer strength and solidarity to others who need it. I will be sleeping badly tonight, but I hope the memory of your legacy guides me into more effective action. Soon. Here is what Sisters in Islam said about Raja Petra's arrest yesterday under the ISA: SIS calls for Immediate Release of Raja Petra Kamaruddin from the ISA Detention 12 September 2008 SIS calls upon the Malaysian government for the immediate release of Raja Petra Kamaruddin who is currently detained under the draconian Internal Security Act. As a member of the Abolish ISA Movement, SIS reiterates our strong opposition against the use of ISA under any circumstances.  This draconian law that allows a citizen to be detained without trial not only violates a person's fundamental rights, but is also against the basic principle of democracy upheld in Malaysia.   As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Malaysian government should in fact ensure for Raja Petra Kamaruddin to exercise his basic right to be presumed innocent until prove  guilty, the right to legal counsel and for him to exercise a citizen's basic right for a fair trial in an open court. ---- Statement ends ---- But the rakyat shall prevail. We must prevail. All of us who are against detention without trial for anyone, anyone at all, especially those we most vehemently disagree with, must make our feelings known. In whatever ways we can manage. No matter how small, or how big, it is how we express our collective conscience now that matters. Current Mood: infuriated

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September 5th, 2008

08:02 pm - True colours and now fangs showing Sinar Harian reports today that Kedah state Exco Dr Ismail Salleh has also announced a blanket ban on all women performers. Wonderful. I remember on 9 March, so many friends of mine started congratulating me over the "new dawn" in Kedah. When I expressed caution, they pooh-poohed my fears, saying that this time things were different. This time, PAS was different. And this time, PKR would hold PAS accountable if it started misbehaving. Do you hear anyone from PKR admonishing PAS for its latest decisions in Kedah? Do we hear Anwar Ibrahim saying anything, other than that the Pakatan Rakyat will overthrow the BN federal government come September 16? Hello, Anwar? I thought you had remade yourself as an Islamic 'moderate'?  I even got an e-mail today, telling the rakyat to SMS our BN MPs and urge them to defect to the Pakatan Rakyat. The e-mail condemned the BN's racial politics, but failed to address PAS's Islamic fundamentalism. True, UMNO is beyond redemption. Ahmad Ismail's refusal to apologize for being a racist is proof enough that UMNO has completely lost touch with not only reality but basic principles of equality and human rights. And true, there is a growing group of new leaders in PAS who are earning my own respect and admiration. But they are vulnerable within the party, and derided as kumpulan Erdogan, a cunning comparison to the Prime Minister of Turkey who is apparently too moderate an Islamist for the liking of PAS's status quo. I think it's frightening if the Pakatan Rakyat were to form government on September 16. We are not seeing teething problems in Kedah - we are seeing a preview of things to come. I think what's healthy for democracy is precisely what we have now - a BN that has to deal with the loss of an additional 4 state governments and its two-thirds majority in Parliament. And a strong Opposition in Parliament that is also in control of at least 3 rich states. Then we the citizens now have to hold both the Pakatan Rakyat and BN to account for their misdeeds and broken promises. We have to drill into our elected representatives' heads, over and over again, that they work to fulfill our aspirations, not the other way around.  Anyway, LJ is driving me nuts. I have to scoot off to terawih soon. But let me just reproduce my letter to the press on concert bannings in Kedah, which was carried by Berita Harian, The Star and the New Straits Times.  Here it is:  ( Read more... ) Current Mood: enraged

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