Kuala Lumpur: ‘Student Power’ researcher Fahmi Reza is facing obstacles to present the lecture to University Malaya students in campus. On August 12th, the Student Power lecture was banned from entering the university less than 24 hours after the Dean from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences allegedly gave permission to the Historical Society to organize the lecture on campus.
Courtesy of Fahmi Reza
When contacted earlier today, the Dean, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Redzuan Othman, said that he did not approve the proposal submitted by the Historical Society and did not give permission for organizing the lecture.
The lecture, set to take place on August 24th, was also previously banned from entering Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) on August 10th which forced the organizers to organize the lecture outside campus.
The Student Power lecture looks into the history of the student movement and autonomy in the 60s which originated in UM. Guest speakers include Syed Hamid Ali and Khong Kim Hoong, both prominent leaders of the movement in the 60s.
“In the 1960s, our university students were free, autonomous and independent. Now they are oppressed and colonised by the university administration. Our mahasiswa are now treated like kids. The university administration continuously controls what type of politics or history the students are allowed to be exposed to,” says Fahmi.
In his effort to pressure UM to allow Student Power to ‘come home,’ Fahmi is organizing ‘Kami Tuntut Student Power Lecture’ campaign to mobilize and empower UM students to claim their history.
I write to you as a deeply concerned and saddened citizen of Malaysia. For most of the 45 years of my life, I have been proud to be Malaysian. Recently, I have become heartbroken to be Malaysian.
I am profoundly grateful to write this with the support of both my local communities in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo and California, U.S.A., and a larger world community. That said, I take full ownership of and sole responsibility for the views articulated in this letter; I express them from my stand as a mother, an earth citizen and a leader.
I founded and lead a public charity and non profit organization both in Malaysia and in the U.S., to bridge between worlds and build partnerships for ecological conservation. I have been at the front lines of the founding and mobilization of Green SURF (Sabah Unite to RePower the Future), the civil society movement opposing the construction of the 300 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu, Sabah, on the edge of the Coral Triangle, one of three of the world’s most bio-diverse ecosystems. You know. You signed the 6-nation declaration between Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Solomon Islands to collectively protect this 1.6 billion acres of ocean. You also know of course of your pledge at Copenhagen to reduce carbon emission intensity by up to 40% by 2020. You likely also know that the plant will displace fishing communities who have been there for a long time – irreparably contaminating their livelihoods forever. And if you listened, you would also know that they do not want the “development” that your government is imposing on them.
One of the priorities of Green SURF was to study clean energy alternatives to the coal-plant, and propose them to the government. We collectively invested tremendous time and resources to identify and commission the expertise of Professor Daniel Kammen at Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory of University of California, Berkeley to conduct the Clean Energy Options for Sabah report. We had no notion of the outcome of the study, and results showed that Sabah is in an exceptional position to shift towards clean energy due to the availability of natural resources. We are in fact in an opportune position to lead the nation and the region in clean energy – the kind of leadership the world so urgently needs now. I wonder if you know that Sabah is the last coal power-free frontier of Borneo. FYI, the 5 core NGOs in Green SURF are amongst the largest, oldest and most recognized conservation groups in Sabah and Malaysia – collectively responsible for most of the conservation work in the nation, with partnerships that span the world.
We have tried every avenue available to communicate to you the results of our findings and to engage in discussion about the future of energy for Sabah. After months of unsuccessful attempts to meet with you, I can only conclude that you do not want to meet with us. This confuses and disturbs me. Your words in public are about listening to the rakyat (people) and hearing their views. A sizeable portion of the rakyat of Sabah has been doing everything within their power to be heard by you. To no avail. We have given you the benefit of the doubt that word is not getting to you, and yet we have met with those around you who promised they would convey our message to you. Many months, memos, reports, letters, faxes, emails and phone calls later, and we have not received a single response from you or any member of your administration. We also did our best at state level government, and have huge support from within the government but ultimately the message is that this is untouchable because “ini Najib mau” (Najib wants this).
Sir, my most consistent experience of your administration is stone walls, arrogance and insincerity. I am shocked by the behavior of the leadership of my nation. I find it patronizing, archaic, oppressive, blatantly and self-righteously elitist and top-down. I do not experience your administration as democratic, transparent, open, accountable or responsible. There is a deep incongruence between what you are projecting externally and what we have experienced internally. I can only surmise that you intentionally run your administration in this manner. Otherwise, it would mean that your leadership is incompetent and ineffective.
I am angry, and I am not willing to accept systemic disempowerment of our people. I am writing this open letter as a last resort. Sabahans are speaking up because we are deeply troubled and scared about the fate of our ecological and cultural legacy, and what we will be able to hand down to our future generations. Please show true leadership and listen. You and your administration have much to do to regain a modicum of respect amongst many Sabahans. If 1Malaysia is more than a PR campaign and is truly intended “to provide a free and open forum to discuss the things that matter deeply to us as a Nation”, please walk your talk.
Yours sincerely, for the children,
Cynthia Claire Ong Gaik Suan
IC#
c.c. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
United Nations General Assembly
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Human Rights Watch
Amnesty International
The Parliament of Malaysia
Suhakam – Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
Professor Daniel Kammen, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, U.S.A.
FaceBook, Twitter, blogs and websites
Local, national and international mainstream and alternative media
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(passed by United Nations General Assembly, 1948)
Article 21.
* (1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
* (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
* (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
KOTA KINABALU (18th July 2010): After half a year of trying to personally meet with the Prime Minister, environmental groups today turned up at an event he attended here to pass him a memo on the proposed coal-fired power plant.
Despite the best efforts of Green SURF (Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future), they were stopped by officials from handing Datuk Seri Najib Razak the memo and hundreds of postcards signed by concerned citizens.
Members showed up at the Pacific Sutera Hotel prior to Najib’s arrival at a dialogue session with the Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah, and were positive about meeting him.
However, just as T. Tashnee, 10, the daughter of one of the Green SURF members was about to pass the postcards when Najib walked into the venue, security officials stopped her.
Tashnee who was excited about passing the postcards to Najib had to settle with handing over her postcard and others written by people asking the government to reconsider the project, to an aide of the Prime Minister.
Green SURF’s Cynthia Ong said she was concerned that the Prime Minister was not getting the correct information on the issue of having a 300 megawatt coal plant in Lahad Datu.
“There are local, national and global movements against this plant. We have passed numerous memos to him via other officials and all we wanted was a few minutes to explain our stand,” Ong said in a statement.
Before Najib arrived, Ong and other members including Sabah Environment Protection Association (SEPA) president Wong Tack managed to spend 10 minutes with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
Ong said Koh promised to pass the message from Green SURF to the Prime Minister.
“He told us not to worry, and that he wants a power point presentation with details,” she said.
Last month, Green SURF tried to meet with Najib at the Dewan Rakyat but were unable to, passing their memo to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz instead.
For more information on Green SURF, visit http://nocoalsabah.blogspot.com
Organised by EcoKnights, an environmental NGO, the Eco Film Festival is the first of its kind in Malaysia and now in its third year, the festival is reaching out to international filmmakers from Britain, India, Spain, Netherlands and more. SHARYN SHUFIYAN features Yasmin Rasyid and Eco Film Festival, from the early days to the international success they received thus far.
“Films are vehicles to carry or send urgent messages out about the state of the environment and what we should and should not do. But that doesn’t mean that films can change the way things are – humans can,” Yasmin Rasyid
A subject that is as urgent and multi-faceted as environmental issues is hard to penetrate the minds of an average person, especially if they have already erected a defense mechanism towards these issues. Most Malaysians have not quite grasped the relevance of environmental issues and are still plagued by the tidak apa (don’t care) attitude.
“The human psyche is such that we need to entice their whims with different creative outlets, for them to be able to grasp the message, even if the message is something simple like recycling,” says Yasmin. Even though we are constantly exposed to public announcements and advertising campaigns about the environment and conservation, it only reaches a niche population. Yasmin believes that these campaigns fall short on attracting the public, and that creativity is not in how fancy the advertisements are, but in crafting the programmes that can effectively engage the mindset.
Realizing that Malaysia lacks creative and educational local content about the environment, Yasmin and her ex-staff Taq Latif conceptualized the Film Festival in 2008. “Because films are the windows of real life situations, and also speak a million words, we wanted to encourage Malaysian filmmakers to be our spokesperson through the development of films that can best represent the current environmental situation, solutions or stories in the country.” Now in its third year, the film festival has opened its doors to international submissions attracting filmmakers from Britain, India, Spain and Netherlands, to name a few.
Since its birth, the festival took off successfully even with limited funds. The first Eco Film Festival in 2008 attracted 6500 visitors and received endorsement from the then Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment who attended the award ceremony.
The event also attracted media coverage through mainstream media and the festival saw continued success in 2009 as the films were screened to full houses every Sunday in October of that year.
Filmmakers from all genres have entered the festival. Interestingly, most of these filmmakers did not have a green background and most of them have never even thought about the environment before they entered the competition. For filmmaker Audrie Yeo, she was more interested in making compelling films rather than pushing an environmental agenda. But after entering the festival and winning the 2008 Eco Film Festival Award, she is now a passionate environmentalist.
“Clearly, the festival has converted someone to an ‘Eco-Knight.’ We have started a chain reaction (with the filmmakers) and we hope this can trickle down to the masses.”
When asked about her own favourite films, Yasmin replies, “for the local films, I thought Wasiat was very moving and emotional. As for the foreign films, Blue Gold as it highlighted an issue we almost always take for granted like water resources, water availability, etc and brought it out and slammed it on the audiences’ face with facts and figures and most importantly of all REAL visuals.”
Wasiat, a film produced by Mohamed Fazry and Norhafizzah Razak shows us the declining state of the environment through the eyes of a 50 year old man, while Blue Gold brings to our attention the issue with water – from depleting fresh water to privatization for profit to water exploitation for political gain – the documentary introduces the struggles for the right to water.
Films with the strongest visuals have an impact on viewers. Especially on those who have not experienced these issues first hand, these visuals show them the reality they have not seen. In Malaysia, we are blessed to have our basic needs met but sadly we exploit our resources blindly. “Most of us are blinded by our daily routines, chasing after money, and meeting other people’s goals, not realizing that the state of our environment is deteriorating gradually on a daily basis. Most of us are not aware of the severity of some of our actions in contributing to environmental deterioration.”
But films can only do so much. Films are great platforms to expose environmental issues and good films can move and inspire the audience. However, human psyche does not change overnight, especially when we are so used to our damaging habits. It is up to the individuals to take action to reduce their impact on the environment or help out however they can. “I just hope we won’t take our own sweet time to be more responsible as time is definitely not on our side.”
Yasmin surmises her hope for this year’s festival that will be held on October 11th-16th. “I hope that Malaysians will see the humanistic side to people who are fighting for the environment and I want to erase the social stigma on environmentalists as tree huggers – I hope it will attract more youths and leave them inspired with ideas and more importantly, to get them all geared up for some kind of positive environmental revolution.”
About EcoKnights
EcoKnights is a non profit, non government environmental organization established in 2005. EcoKnights aspires to be a perfect vehicle to conduct professional environmental programmes, environmental outreach activities for youths and also to support and encourage grassroots support for the environment. EcoKnights also aim to adapt to the psyche of Malaysians and current trends so that creative outlets can be produced to change the way Malaysians think about, use and manage the environment.
For more information on Eco Film Festival 2010 and how to enter, visit EcoKnights.
This article was published in Wild Asia, 25th March 2010.
IDEAS, which was launched recently by young people, hopes to restore the optimism of our great-grandfathers and bring freedom to each and every Malaysian.
THESE days it’s normal for Malaysians to befriend and to form associations with one another abroad. In 1927, there were few Malayans in London but several young Malayans co-founded the Malay Students’ Association of Great Britain.
They included two individuals by the name of Abdul Rahman. Their fathers were both monarchs of Malay States – independent Kedah and the Federated Malay State of Negri Sembilan – representing different traditions and experiences with modernity.
Kedah, with its history dating back to before the Siamese empire, was the most ancient and spiritual of the Malay States while Negri Sembilan, imbued with its Minangkabau traditions of constitutional democracy, federalism, female emancipation and individualist self-discovery (merantau), was one of the most progressive.
What both princes had in common was a yearning to see their countries develop and the lives of their people improved. Today, these two individuals are known as “Bapa Merdeka” and “the chap on our currency notes” respectively.
Symptomatic of the superficial way that history is taught in this country, there is little understanding of the ideological battles and numerous hardships they encountered. And there are those who would not care if this history was forgotten forever.
Being blood heirs of these two men who did so much to secure our free and independent nation, we were lucky to have unique access to their stories.
Sharyn on Tunku Abdul Rahman
I grew up as a complacent young girl. Only recently did I realise that I have some views of my own that are worth sharing with my fellow citizens. When I was given the opportunity to talk at the recent launch of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), I realised that as Tunku Abdul Rahman’s great-granddaughter, I could propagate and promote his views and values that so few of us still remember.
The blogosphere has united me with a great-grandson of my great-grandfather’s close friend, the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Rahman. We not only share a bond through our great-grandfathers, but also through our vision of a better Malaysia where democracy is upheld, justice is preserved, and the well-being of the people is ensured.
Abidin and I were privileged to have been exposed to democracy during our years abroad, and these experiences have shaped our world views.
Studying in New Zealand, I saw how the police assisted in public marches rather than crackdowns, the public can question and pressure the government and that public opinion matters. When the public had enough of Labour, they voted National – without any dramatic legal proceedings! The media can play its independent role as the fourth estate, and public votes were not bought through bribery and business tenders.
Politics pre-Malaysia was not about race or power. It was about freedom and the people. May 13, 1969, has been allowed to become a tool of racist propaganda such that we forget the political motives behind the riots. Even the threat of communism was not one of race, as Malays were also involved. They framed their struggle as one against colonialism, even if some argue that their links with China represented a new imperialism. But this was an ideological, not a racial conflict – as is being claimed by some Malays now.
During my early years, my contact with my great-grandfather was limited. Alas, if I had been older, I would have rained upon him question upon question, and chatted with him about politics, society in general and religion.
My great-grandfather was a Malay nationalist, citing that Malaysia is a Malay country but “it is up to the Malays themselves to play an active and constructive part in every aspect of society, to take up the challenge that brighter future offers, bearing always in mind that it is the Constitution, its spirit and its application, which is and will be the safeguard of the security and progress of us all”.
I believe it has now come to a point where non-Malays have as much right to this country as Malays, that special privileges should be awarded to those in need – the poor, the oppressed, the stateless, the powerless – regardless of race and religion. Government policies that were drawn up to help uplift the status of the Malay have-nots have been abused, giving rise to cronyism and nepotism.
Racial exclusivity is also a growing problem where people are only helping their own community. It is also disheartening that non-racial political parties also practise exclusivity.
The Democratic Action Party widely speaks in Mandarin and is intimidating to non-speakers who share their ideals while the Human Rights Party is very much Indian-oriented. Political parties should be accessible to all Malaysians. Malaysians have to work towards recognising merit and character instead of playing race politics and preferring connections over capability for business opportunities.
Tunku Abidin on Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Unlike Sharyn, I never met my great-grandfather. My father was only 12 years old when Tuanku Abdul Rahman passed away in the early morning of April 1, 1960. When the news was announced, some assumed it was an April Fool’s Day joke, but the mood quickly turned sombre as the Federation of Malaya prepared for its first State Funeral. He had lived a full life, witnessing war and celebration, misery and splendour, ancient rites and modern industry.
As a boy he walked to school barefoot every day, picking his breakfast from fruit trees along the way. This humble attitude was later evident when, as King, he personally switched off all the lights in Istana Negara every night.
He was proclaimed the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan in 1933, and administered the state with the generally cordial British advice. This was all to change after World War II.
During the Japanese Occupation, my great-grandfather was confined by the Japanese, forced to publicly approve of the replacement of one imperial power with another. When the British returned, he put his legal training – he was the first Malay Ruler to be qualified as a barrister – to good use as he fought the Malayan Union which was proposed by the new British Government.
Together with his brother Rulers, politicians and friends in the Malayan Civil Service from before the war, he fought the awful plan for centralisation until it was defeated. Indeed, Negri Sembilan provided the inspiration not only for the system of federation that replaced the Malayan Union, but also the system of elective monarchy that we continue to uphold.
Tunku Abdul Rahman wrote that he based this unique practice from Negri Sembilan’s system of election and, in fact, the Reid Commission’s minutes show that the proposed title for the Federal Head of State was Yang di-Pertuan Besar, changed only later to avoid confusion.
During the Emergency, my great-grandfather had a brush with death as communist terrorists attempted to murder him after derailing a train he was travelling in. If only I had the chance to ask him what was going through his mind at this and so many other pivotal points in history which he witnessed first hand.
I was, however, fortunate to know Tuanku Abdul Rahman’s wife, the first Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Puan Besar Kurshiah. I did not appreciate her stature until her dying days: I remember clearly the doctor at the hospital where she was warded telling me his memories of her as Queen. And only recently did I find out that she was one of the ladies who donated her jewellery to support Tunku Abdul Rahman’s mission to London to negotiate for Merdeka.
Thirty years after our great-grandfathers met in London, they shared a podium in the Merdeka Stadium as the first Head of Government read out the Proclamation of Independence which had been endorsed by the first Head of State and his brother Rulers.
If they were alive today, we are sure that they would be surprised and deeply disappointed at how Malaysia is evolving. The language and tenor of politics has changed. Politicians no longer invoke the word “freedom”, as citizens endure restrictions in freedom of expression, controls on the media, limitations in peaceful activism and books disappearing from shelves.
The quest for unity is still languishing, 52 years after our ancestors adopted “Unity is Strength” as the federal motto. Optimism has been replaced by a strained hope that things will not degenerate further, as the government of the day battles to liberalise the economy and stem the emigration of increasing numbers of those it designates as “Malay”.
Hyperbolic statements of the threat of racial and religious violence have emboldened the exclusivist diatribes of one set of racists and extremists, and the once great institutions of our country have been hijacked, infiltrated and subdued to obey politicians who have achieved their positions through bribery, patronage and intimidation. The few good eggs that have survived the maelstrom are routinely sidelined, co-opted or threatened, even if their names are adorned by prefixes and post-nominals.
IDEAS
IDEAS seeks to reverse this trend, to restore the optimism of our great-grandfathers and above all to bring freedom – Merdeka – to each and every Malaysian. We have been accused of unrealistic romanticism, striving to recreate a time long gone and irrelevant to today’s generation. But if the vision of the future is that of extremists, inspiration from the past is necessary and timely.
This mission is not exclusive to IDEAS – there are many other organisations striving to achieve the same vision in their own ways: through charities and social enterprises, building schools and hospitals, empowering the marginalised and, yes, environmental conservation. After all, differences in methods and opinions must flourish in a healthy democracy.
And our ancestors believed in such differences because they valued parliamentary democracy, constitutional federalism, rule of law and individual liberty. They opposed global communism in favour of the free market and they understood the limitations of government. While we are proud to carry their blood, we are delighted to invite you to join us on a journey of rediscovery – for, after all is said and done, every Malaysian is an heir of their legacies.
Tunku Abidin Muhriz is president of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (www.ideas.org.my). Sharyn Shufiyan is a programme coordinator at Wild Asia Sdn Bhd
This article was published in the Star, 9th May 2010.
Malaysia’s tendency of re-instating outdated and irrelevant forces is unbecoming of a nation gearing towards modernization and development. Malaysia’s struggle as a democratic nation with dictatorial preferences places the nation in a dichotomous dilemma – sugarcoated promises of unity and way forward but in reality, we are a nation ruled by insecure politicians. We have seen how the Internal Security Act, an Act originally enacted to tackle the communist insurgence, exploited to keep dissent at bay and muffle public opinion, and the Ikatan Relawan Rakyat Malaysia, or RELA as they ominously known, formed in 1972 to assist in local security during times of unrest used as an extension of authorized armed forces dealing with illegal immigrants.
As the name implies, relawan, or voluntarily, members of RELA consist of everyday citizens concern about peace and security. However, Malaysia is no longer facing the threats of communism and Indonesian confrontations. There are new threats, new crimes, new social problems that came with the country’s obsession with rapid developments. In a short period of time, we see a boom in migrant population brought in to work in plantations and construction sites. We see migrants filling up positions unattractive to Malaysians themselves. Because we need labour, we opened our doors to foreign workers and when we couldn’t handle the sudden influx, we appoint armed men to round them all up.
How is it then, that RELA is being mobilized, with full authority, to detain, question and nab migrants, illegal or otherwise? RELA members, with little or no proper training, are authorized to carry firearms.
The most training that members go through is a 7-day handling course. Now with approximately 1.3 million members, there is a lack of capacity to subject all to training, and the ones from the rural areas sit through a one-day basic RELA course! Not only do they lack in proper firearm training, they also lack in understanding and abiding by our national laws and policies relating to wildlife. They also fail to, or not concerned with, distinguishing between undocumented migrants, and refugees and asylum seekers.
The recent killing of a juvenile tiger in Perak caused uproar among wildlife conservationists and environmentalists. Of course, this issue was belittled by RELA officials, steadfast in their belief that what they did was to protect the villagers. In a Star article dated June 25th, 2010, director-general Datuk Zaidon Asmuni said that the RELA member found the tiger behind a friend’s house after going in search for it when he was alerted by a villager, then later defended the shooting by saying, “I would have done the same thing if I was in Mohd Sulong’s position as he was caught by surprise.” Now, how can Mohd. Sulong be caught by ‘surprise’ when he went LOOKING for it in the first place?
In a joint statement produced by MYCAT, it is not the first time RELA members engaged in misconduct. In 2004, a RELA member was charged for killing a tiger in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan. The tiger was discovered with its internal organs missing and was believed to have been shot by the man after villagers sighted it in the forest. Last October, two RELA members were arrested by the Pahang Wildlife Department for using their shotguns to kill two mousedeer in Rompin, and just earlier this year, nine Orang Asli; two of whom were RELA members were detained for snaring and torturing a tiger in Sungkai, Perak.
On top of that, during a recent work trip to Terengganu, I learned of another RELA nuisance: RELA members go out into the forests to hunt. These villagers who joined RELA are issued with shotguns which they use to hunt jungle fowls. Because of the non-existent training, for a lack of a better word, accidents happened where villagers were accidentally shot at. These cases may be rare, but the fact that it has happened should not be an oversight.
A RELA high official acknowledged that mishandling of firearms does take place among RELA members and that it is frowned upon. RELA members are forbidden to hunt and in the case of migrants can only detain migrants without proper traveling documents. But unfortunately, with great power and little knowledge, abuse of power is inevitable.
The issue I wish to raise here is not to question the need for local or national security, but the extent of it. The number of RELA members is almost, if not equivalent to the number of immigrants in Malaysia. Instead of working towards monitoring the trafficking of migrants into the country by contractors and imposing tighter control on this multi-million business, the government opted for inexperienced and gung-ho beret-clad vigilantes to run amok on our streets. Refugees and asylum-seekers escaping their home countries in search of a better life find themselves as fugitives and criminals. What makes it worse is that there is no provision in Malaysia that recognizes refugees and the UNHCR cards are proved to be useless.
The problem is not the illegal immigrants, or refugees, or asylum-seekers. The problem lies in the system itself. Human trafficking exists in Malaysia whether we like it or not but the government has not done anything substantial to acknowledge it, let alone address it. Instead, they punish and stigmatized these people. If we need their labour, (and surely we have room for them), then proper guidelines must be drawn to ensure their safety, that their basic human rights are protected and that they are viewed and treated like any other person and not a thing. There are better ways to deal with undocumented migrants than to shove them in cramped and unhygienic cells. It is appalling how these illegal immigrants are treated in Malaysia. Labour laws should and must be reviewed and Malaysia should recognize and be party to the UN’s 1951 Refugee Convention Protocol.
And for human-wildlife conflict, we have only ourselves to blame. Because Malaysia’s economy is heavily dependent upon agricultural revenues, we have impinged and destroyed their habitats to make way for rubber and oil palm plantations and the dwindling number of prey had caused tigers to hunt nearby villages where poultry and cattle stock are available. There are many alternatives to address this problem and many organizations in Malaysia specialize in such matters. Engagement and co-operation must take place so that our majestic tigers and other wildlife can be preserved.
Malaysia does not need armed forces to patrol our streets for illegal immigrants and refugees when other crimes, like snatch theft, car jacks and break-ins are rampant. We do not need our tigers killed off when illegal poaching or wildlife abuses in theme parks take place regularly. Our ministers, politicians and decision-makers seem to always, always focus on menial issues or get distracted when there’s a public outcry. No doubt our police and army forces have done so much for our country, but we can do better and we have to start looking into alternative solutions, not by looking backwards because we are not in the 60s anymore. If we are so in need of extra officers, then proper training, clear standard operating procedures and tight monitoring must take place to curb violations and abuse of power.
When I first heard the news of child marriages happening in Malaysia, I was shocked. I didn’t know this practice still exist in modern Malaysia. But when I heard the replies from our religious leaders, I was just dumbfounded. I just could not believe they have the cheek to defend it. A child deserves freedom to live out their childhood and definitely not pressured into sex or burdened by wife-ly duties just because some middle-aged Muslim men are pedophiles. Islam has been abused so many times to fulfill one’s perverted needs. Polygamy, and now this?
This idea that a grown man can marry a child in Islam was perhaps stemmed from the story of Muhammad s.a.w and his young wife Aishah, and thus, child marriages have been mistakenly justified as the way of the prophet. But what we all fail to acknowledge is the historical condition of medieval Arab. There were wars and poverty and many women were left widowed and children orphaned. A colleague of mine explained that children then and now are different – they were forced to grow up and mature faster because their of their socio-economic condition of that time. There were no computer games, PS2 or Barbie dolls during that time – there was only survival. And he justified the marriage between Muhammad s.a.w and Aishah as “for a specific purpose for the survival of the religion and was a commandment from Allah to the Prophet (saw). That’s why in the Qur’an it says “O Prophet”. It does not say “O you who believe” or “O mankind” or “O people of the book”.”
So who are we, mere humans, to take on the prophet’s responsibilities?
Times has changed so much, why are we still stuck in medieval Arab? Now we have institutions established to look after widows, single mothers and orphaned children. And even if the parents can’t afford bringing them up, there are adoption programs. But these institutions are sidelined – not funded well, not looked after. Instead of consenting to the marriage of under-aged girls, why can’t our religious institutions look into strengthening these institutions? Why not provide women with the necessary tools to survive, to empower them, to give them independence – not bound them to some cheap men to look after them.
My guess is fear. This fear and insecurity that men will lose their power and authority over women when we all run amok fighting for independence and rights.
When it comes to gender roles, we have to understand that roles are not static – they interact, intermingle, interchanging over time. I’m not a feminist, but I’m a realist. And the reality is that women are becoming more financially independent, they’re commanding more respect and trust and more and more women are career-driven and successful. You cannot stop this evolution. For God’s sakes, there are women Prime Ministers! Women can now bring home the bread and men can stay home and look after the children. Who says men can’t breastfeed? Google it.
I believe that men and women are made to complement each other. Many people criticize the feminist movement for demanding equality. I agree that men and women are not the same and cannot be the same; we are different biologically, physically and mentally. But these differences are there to complement each other – not overrule the other. In the most extreme cases, equality means giving women the same opportunities available to men – like driving, education, career. But generally, for people who don’t live in Iraq or Iran, equality means recognizing both the strengths and weaknesses of men and women, and work to complement each other.
An 11 year old child won’t be able to understand this. If maturity is measured by her period or how good of a cook she is at 11, then it’s illogical to marry the child off. I got my menses at 13 and I wouldn’t consider myself matured at that point. And no one should decide whether this child should marry or not but herself.
Here’s a story which illustrates that marriage consent is up to the women and most definitely not up to religious officers.
“A woman companion of the Prophet came to him and said: “My father has married me away to one of his relatives without asking my opinion. I do not wish to stay with this man as his wife.” The Prophet ordered their separation. When she realized that she was free and that she was no longer married to the man, she said to the Prophet: “I now accept what my father has done and I am marrying this man. I only did this so that women may know that it is not up to men to marry them away against their wishes.”
I may not know much about child marriages in Islam, sources have shown that it is permissible – but even so it is not a rule and if it’s no longer applicable to modern day reforms must be made. I believe Islam does respect women and women’s rights, and speaking to moderate Muslims, they too agree. It’s only these religious bigots that are giving the religion a bad name.
In Malaysia, there is no such thing as privacy for Muslims. An individual is at the mercy of some vague religious officers and have no right to question their authority.
Early this morning I found out that a friend of mine was caught by JAWI for having male friends over to their house to watch a game of football. They were verbally abused and taken to a JAWI lock-up at 1.30am. They were not told what they did wrong, nor were they not given any explanation. Their house was ransacked without any reason.
I called JAWI asking them to clarify their offence. A male representative picked up the phone, and told me they acted based on a complaint, and when JAWI officers got there, the door was locked, and when no one answered their knocks they broke into the house. I asked the representative what were they doing, and he said they were in their own rooms. The girls were dressed and they were not caught in the act of anything suspicious. So why were they arrested? He then passed me to a Puan Siti, pegawai dewan. She said that it was based on complaint, and if there was a complaint that means it’s not the first time it happened. And they were arrested on the grounds of ‘khalwat.’ She became quite irritated when I posed more questions on khalwat and asked me to read section 27 on khalwat – that a male and female without blood relation found not just in a room, but even a house is considered khalwat, regardless of what they’re doing. And when the officers got there, they found evidence of some hanky panky going on. I asked her what kind of evidence to which she did not reply but asked me to go to JAWI and see the officers there for further questions.
Interestingly, our religious officers breaking into people’s houses is NOT Islamic. A verse in the Quran reads, “Do not enter any houses except your own homes unless you are sure of their occupants’ consent.” (24:27)
Islam protects privacy, not kill it. Where did the Malaysian idea of Islam go wrong?
The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) is disturbed by the statement made by CUEPACS Secretary-General, Mr. Ahmad Shah Mohd Zin regarding the number of women in the civil service. We reject discrimination in any form, be it gender, religious or racial discrimination.
IDEAS recognises the immense contribution of women to our nation’s development. We applaud Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s response to Ahmad Shah’s statement, as well the government’s commitment to empower women via the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
When Tunku Abdul Rahman declared in the Proclamation of Independence that this nation “shall be forever a sovereign democratic and independent State founded upon the principles of liberty and justice”, we can be sure he had a dream of a country that does not discriminate against its own citizens on any basis. Any suggestion that there should be discrimination against women in favour of men, or vice versa, is completely against our Bapa Kemerdekaan’s vision of a country based on “liberty and justice”.
IDEAS believes employers should maintain a recruitment system that is blind to gender, race or religion. There shoud be no attempts at social engineering by selecting one group over another as Ahmad Shah seems to be suggesting.
***
This press statement was released on February 23 2010 as a response to the Secretary-General’s statement that “such imbalance will have long-term implications on the progress and growth of the country.”
Last week, on February 1st, 2010, as I was walking in Hartamas, two men on a motorcycle came from behind me, grabbed my bag, and rode off. It happened in less than 5 seconds – just like that. I had my phone, car keys, house key, purse with all the important documents, my ASB book and various miscellaneous girly items. Everyone was relieved I wasn’t hurt, as so many others have fallen into ditches, scraped their knees and elbows, gotten slashed by parangs, knocked their heads on tar roads – to an extent some had lost their lives to this petty crime.
As this happened, where was the police? Where was anyone to help me? The ‘ane’ from Agros stood helplessly as the men rode off. I had to walk a few hundred metres, frustrated and crying, all the way to the Mont Kiara Police Station to make my report.
2 hours later, I found out that the 7 Eleven store in Hartamas was robbed by two men on a motorcycle. Possibly the same men, possibly not.
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — The Government Transformation Programme (GTP) registered an excellent early performance in the National Key Results Areas (NKRA) when it charted a 13 per cent reduction in street crimes last month.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the street crime rate for the fourth quarter of 2009 fell by 7.6 per cent while the crime rate dropped by 3.7 per cent in the last quarter ending December.
News like this makes me want to puke in the faces of our ministers. Are you seriously blind?
A foreigner got shot in Sunrise, Mont Kiara last year when he tried to help a woman whose bag was being snatched. The Bukit Kiara Police Station WAS RIGHT IN FRONT.
Do you really think thieves are scared of the police? Do you think that by having road blocks all over the place you can really reduce crime? Do you truly understand the root of these petty crimes? Poverty. Drug abuse. What have you done to address poverty systematically, efficiently and effectively?
The Police/Traffic Force is heightening road blocks, OPS Sikaps and catching speedsters with fancy new gadgets, but where are the police patrolling the neighbourhoods? What fancy new gadgets have they invented to catch getaway thieves on motor kapcai?
In an effort to meet that target, several initiatives have been implemented including ensuring the presence of police at 50 hot-spots backed up by 3,000 trained Civil Defence and Rela personnel and having 500 closed-circuit cameras in those areas to deter crime.
Wow. Impressive. I feel so safe now.
I just feel like by releasing articles such as the above, the Government is giving a false impression that the country is safe. Someone I know has to house-sit and miss a diving trip because his house was broken into before. Just this afternoon, 2 cars were jacked in front of a row of shop lots near my house. Crime rates escalate especially nearing public holidays like Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and others.
Our government should not slack just because there is a drop in crime rates of 13% and are ‘awed’ by it. The government must persevere until we can truly feel safe to walk on the streets of our neighbourhoods again. The Police Force should do more than just sit at the counter writing reports. Rounds shouldn’t take place between 10-5, or any given time, but continuously.
Taking measures into my own hands, I no longer carry girly bags – just a pouch would do. I walk with my car keys in between my knuckles so that the sharp edge sticks out, my phone in my pocket, and I stop whenever a motorcycle pass by me.
