The Omega and the Ring

Once there was a tale not so long ago of a ring, a most precious stone, of value out of all proportions, said to be gracing the finger of the land's foremost lady. A legendary ring whispered to have been bought from the West that would bind them all to bring disrepute to such a chic fashionable madam and slander the country's first family edging closer into political ruin. Being silent and keeping quiet about it did not help for the evil ones kept murmuring in the darkness of the web. Denying it only made the spiteful stories become more open spreading the telltale news throughout the lands. All of the ruler's media and all of the state's spin masters could not keep the saga of the ring away from the people's gossips and rumours still abound about this strange gem. The much fabled ring had a sinister life of its own and its yarn set to devour all that came into its path. Nasty foul mouthed invisible tongues lashed out like demented trolls through contraptions called blogs kept on haunting the premier family.

Then there was the tale of the time keeper, a clock given the name Omega. An evil trinity cast a spell on the time piece and accused a person of illicit immorality. The trinity of wicked old men conjured up a vision in an utter display of lurid content and smut in a grand mansion up on a hill. The staged apparition was flaunted to a host of mean spin masters who in turn paraded and assailed the mass public through their prints, their reverberations, their mantra and their spectre screens. The evil lewdness of the state's story tellers and irresponsible lawlessness of authority was much to the chagrin of religious and moral people. The chronograph called the Omega was said to have disappeared and has ever since been cynically and maliciously sought to prove the innocence of the one slandered. The trinity of old men of vice invoked the powers of the divine by swearing in a holy and sacred place, placing their oaths on the holy book, seeking to be damned if ever they lied, challenging those who reject or deny them to do the same. These depraved and perverted old men had their iniquitous way and were not stricken by flashes of lightning or blasted by bolts of thunder. They thought that they had their day and shall forever after be that way.

In Malaysia, you are guilty until you can prove your innocence. This is how the system works in Malaysia. This epithet comes from fugitive controversial blogger Raja Petra himself.

So keep away from fitnah and slander, it does not do anyone any good but harms all in its way. This public service announcement is brought to you for the sake of a wonderful Malaysia.

Time for Change

If the problem and malaise affecting BN is merely that of public perception, then they are quite delusional and are caught up in their own self serving propaganda. BN as a government is in decline and is performing badly relative to the days in the past. They are losing economic competitiveness, their keen sense of development strategies which are losing lots of public money, revelations of rampant corruption and they have not been able to transform unlike whatever grand pronouncements made in that direction. They cannot even reconcile between national unity and Malay rights. Their media machines gun after each and everyone's racial phobia. Worse is that they have been caught time and again to be lying through their teeth.  So this is beyond public relations and APCO like perception insights or piecemeal "make people fear or make people feel good" solutions. It needs a major revamp and that denial syndrome or that "even if we are not performing we are still the best for you" attitude and condescendence has to go.

Why is it supposed to be a proposed reconciliation only between BN and PAS? Why be so dismissive of Anwar as if he is not significant politically whether in terms of national unity or Malay interests? If it is thought that  Anwar has lost it and cannot garner public support across the races and throughout the country then let us remind ourselves of what the embattled Pak Lah, a former PM said back then. He said Anwar is someone forgotten before setting out to lead one of BN's most disastrous elections ever. It is a fact that Anwar has been in government administration and has so far been able to transcend across diverse political parties and backgrounds. It is still a fledgling political process but now we almost have a viable two party system for vibrant democratic check and balances.

The ones out to cripple Anwar are the same Malay-Muslims with an outrageous destructive agenda turning everything onto weapons to assail and destroy him. It has gone beyond mere character assassination. Some insane drive has them fanatically devoted to vanquish him.  If God forbid, they somehow manage to be able to terminate him, it shall come together with demolishing and bringing down the whole nation's justice system. Does PAS really want to have anything to do with such wayward terminator like politicians?

We have to ponder this Sufi anecdote of the past. One day, Mulla Nasruddin a famous Sufi was seen kneeling on his lawn outside his house looking for something. His trusted pupil saw him and went to him kneeling beside him to help. The pupil asked, "What are you looking for, Mulla?". Mulla answered, "I'm looking for my keys." The pupil then asked, "Where did you lose it, Mulla?". Mulla replied, "In the house." The pupil wondered, "Why don't you look for it in the house, Mulla?". Mulla replied nonchalantly , "It is brighter outside."

Applied to Anwar, crippling attacks and character assassination shall not stop until realpolitik objectives are not achieved no matter what even if it goes against religious, moral, legal universal or human considerations. Applied to BN-PAS reconciliation, they maybe barking up the wrong tree.

Anwar's detractors seem to be overly infatuated to the point of chronic alarm with his aspirations to be the nation's leader. If we were to ask him, Anwar says he wants to be able to conduct islah - reform the nation for the better. So, please brush aside those intolerable hearsay innuendos - just tell him and us what is so wrong with his ideas and politics so that we are free to choose democratically.

It is a mistake to  simply categorise and stereotype people like Tuan Guru Nik Aziz as if PAS is  similar to UMNO's "follow the  leader right or wrong mentality". We have to give PAS their due credit in managing their own political transformation which out surpasses UMNO's illusions of change anytime. PAS is a party with a future and of the future. UMNO is still relishing and languishing in the past.

UMNO's foe is not Anwar, they are greatly mistaken for Anwar is part of their own history for them to judge. UMNO's bane is the party itself which desperately needs major reform and moral resuscitation even before they can think of reconciling with and partnering any other party with a better semblance of moral principles and practice.

It is actually no more about the continuance of Malay Muslim dominance and superiority  (right or wrong!) - we must earn it through integrity and social justice, to build respect and deliver leadership to all Malaysians. We have to shed this presumed Malay thinking of  this inherited superiority as the sole source of strength every time.

Yes, it is time for reconciliation but it  is also a time for change.

( this is written in response to   http://azrilmohdamin.com/2011/08/05/ramadhan-a-time-for-reconciliation/  )

Show a little kindness

You do not lead by hitting people over the head. That's assault, not leadership -Dwight D. Eisenhower.

When the prime minister of Malaysia went on national TV scoffing at the injuries suffered by his political nemesis Anwar Ibrahim, many were shocked. The PM's facial contortions as he mimicked his condition and made fun of the pain were ridiculous and clownish. His eager dismissiveness that it was only a "little" tear gas was gross.

This shows a clear lack of empathy and a little heartless on his part. He failed to notice and surprisingly, he was seemingly unaware that there were many others of his fellow citizens who were hit by much of the "little" tear gas and suffered the searing and nauseating consequences. It was obvious that the PM himself had never tasted being sprayed chemical laced water and suffocating CS gas. Some remarked that he should try smearing chilli pepper in his eyes and feel the pain. He seems to have a bizarre lapse in reasoning and thus engaged in ludicrous bravado for a captive audience, one which is becoming more and more out of touch with reality and the feelings of people.

He apparently overlooked another former PM's outrageous dismissal of Anwar's infamous black eye beating years ago. The strident former PM was recorded to have said that the injuries were self inflicted which made him look like a farcical comic to the whole world.

Of the recent incident, Anwar himself admitted it was only minor injuries. It would only be groundbreaking and really transformative if the PM would have dropped by and showed just a bit of concern. Of course, it goes both ways and everyone has to have a heart and be considerate to others especially in times of difficulties. Politics should be humane. It should not reach the stage of boiling heat and burning bridges as mature democracies show a sort of special relationship accorded between a ruling party leader and an opposition leader. They have to come to terms if not for themselves; it is for the people of Malaysia.

Kisah Benar

Setiap kali anak saya kembali dari kelas tuisyen, dia akan mengadu tentang guru tuisyen biologinya. Gurunya agak menebal kefahaman politiknya dan bolehlah dikategorikan sebagai seorang nasionalis totok. Masalahnya adalah pegangannya terbawa-bawa pula ke dalam kelas tuisyen itu. Ini menjadikan ramai anak muridnya berasa resah dan gusar terutama anak saya. Kadangkala, guru ini mengeluarkan pandangan-pandangannya yang kesat dan berbaur fitnah di hadapan kelasnya. Jika ada bangkangan daripada anak muridnya, dia akan tegas menempelak dengan menggunakan autoritinya dan terpaksalah anak-anak muda itu menahan telinga.

Apabila anak saya meminta pandangan saya, saya nasihatkan dia terus hormati gurunya dan saya memberitahunya hasrat saya untuk kemungkinan akan memberikan teguran secara terhormat selepas SPM nanti supaya tidak menimbulkan ketegangan antara guru - murid buat masa ini. Anak saya memahami bahawa dia terpaksa membenci perbuatan seperti itu di dalam hatinya.

Pada hari Ahad yang lepas, anak saya kembali dengan riang gembira. Dia menceritakan bahawa di kelas tuisyennya, gurunya mengambil kesempatan untuk mengutuk Tuan Guru Ustaz Abdul Hadi Awang dengan mengatakan,

"Lihat Ustaz Hadi rela menggadaikan jubahnya untuk memakai T-Shirt Bersih."

Secara spontan pula anak saya mencelah, "Tapi, Cikgu, Najib pun tak pakai jubah!"

Seluruh kelas tuisyen ketawa terbahak-bahak. Guru tuisyen tersipu-sipu dibuatnya.

Itulah sebahagian kisah benar polarisasi hubungan dan pola-pola negatif komunikasi akibat terlampau banyak berpolitik tanpa adab dan akhlak, perbahasan bukan pula pada tempatnya serta gagal menyedari bahawa anak murid pun berhak, cerdas dan bebas berfikir juga.

Daulat Tuanku

Alas, His Royal Highness comes to the rescue by issuing a decree and granting an audience to Bersih's representatives. This royal intervention is timely indeed so that the authorities can start to bring back some sanity to this whole sordid affair. The people are relieved that royal wisdom prevails.

Bersih 2.0 is just about legitimate electoral demands which are really quite reasonable in seeking free and fair elections. A strong government committed to democracy would never feel threatened by it. However, maybe the nation's top political leadership were ill advised or became callous, letting loose sledgehammer tactics by trying to stamp out anything that can be remotely connected to Bersih 2.0, activists, T-shirts, colours and symbols.

The relentless backlash was to be expected as any public relations disaster would in an open and interconnected world that we live in where thinking people cherish freedom, reason and level headedness. The mindless spree of detention and intimidation has to stop. Never again should repression and force be resorted to in a civil and peaceful protest.

Let the people go to the stadium safely, let them assemble in free association, let them wear their yellow shirts or whatever decent dress they wish proudly, release the detainees; it maybe a tiny victory but it is a Malaysian first.

Unggun-bersih

Semakin lara kita didera bara –

kita laungkan juga pesan merdeka:

Demokrasi sebenderang mentari

sehasrat hajat semurni harga diri.

Lama resah kita – demokrasi luka;

lama duka kita – demokrasi lara.

Demokrasi yang angkuh, kita cemuhi;

suara bebas yang utuh, kita idami!

Dua abad lalu Sam Adams berseru

(di Boston dijirus teh ke laut biru):

Tak diperlu gempita sorak yang gebu,

diperlu hanya unggun api yang syahdu.

Kini menyalalah unggun sakti itu;

kini merebaklah nyala unggun itu.

Sasterawan Negara A Samad Said

The Colour Yellow

The time sledgehammer tactics were used was by Pharaoh who upon advice by his trusted magicians decreed that all new born male children from the Children of Israel be killed. The Pharaoh envisioned that there shall come a time when a leader shall arise from among the enslaved people to fight and free his nation. In the end, such prophesied leader led his people to freedom and liberation leaving Pharaoh and his wicked men to drown in the Red Sea.

Several years ago the corrupt regime of Hosni Mubarak used underhanded tactics to overwhelmingly win Egyptian general elections by resorting to arresting opposition candidates just prior to polling. Egypt's feared police blockaded electoral posts where opposition supporters were strong in order to prevent them from voting. However hard they tried, Hosni and his evil men could not stop the Arab Spring from happening.

The was a time not so long ago when green was designated enemy of the state. It may look ridiculously childish but these colour-phobic fanatics got their way and pressured many authorities, designers, architects and even oil giant Petronas to acquiesce to be forced to change their colours, their logos and building facades. These changes were not cheap.

When people are threatened and arrested just for wearing certain shirts, symbols and colours without any legal gazette against them, it just goes against common sense and civility. Lessons from our own past and our cherished democracy are not learnt. Mature political reasoning and even handedness are thrown out in favour of brute force and intimidation. There is no need to overreact and reach boiling point.

When National Laureate A Samad Said is hauled up for purportedly reciting poetry, something is greatly amiss in this lovely land of ours. We can be sure by now that Pak Samad wears yellow.