No Country For An Old Party?

Uhm, is this proper protocol or did UMNO just managed to secure itself a seat in the United Nations?

Saya terserempak dengan bendera-bendera ini di sebuah hotel lima bintang yang terkenal di pusat bandar hari ini. Sebenarnya hotel ini merupakan tempat penginapan untuk permerhati-permerhati dari luar negara yang memantau Perhimpunan Agung UMNO yang dijangka berakhir pada Sabtu, 28 Mac 2009 ini. Cukup menakjubkan bahawa parti berkenaan menganggap mereka ibarat sebuah negara. Tindakan sebegini tidak juga boleh dikatakan sebagai taksub, maupun bongkak. Mari kita renungkan bersama-sama.

Sebelum meneruskan nukilan, ingin saya memohon maaf dari parti(?) UMNO kerana menggunakan gambar kedua (seperti dibawah) yang diambil pada malam Gemerlap 14 di Kampung Baru. Semata-mata gambar tersebut digunakan untuk tujuan ilustrasi dan bukannya untuk propaganda hitam. Maklumlah, saya ini pun bukan bersabit dengan sebarang media lama yang dibenar melapor suasana dari PWTC. Sedih.

Berbalik kepada perkara bendera. Dari sudut pandangan saya, wujudnya dua kemungkinan bagi UMNO menaiktarafkan status mereka dari sebuah parti ke sebuah negara. Pertama, jumlah ahli UMNO pada masa ini keseluruhannya sama ataupun lebih daripada jumlah penduduk sesetengah negara yang adanya sekarang...

OK, it ain't an UMNO get-together, but hey, its still a large crowd, right?

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The folks at PWTC should relax. Its only for illustration purpose. Don't get too excited.

...ataupun kedua, jumlah pendapatan per kapita setahun kesemua ahli UMNO mencecah, kemungkinan mengatasi Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (dalam bahasa Mat Salleh 'Gross Domestic Product', disingkatkan ke GDP) dua, tiga negara yang menghantar pemantau-pemantau tersebut.

Sekian.

Mahathirism

12. Keadaan hari ini lebih merbahaya daripada keadaan semasa British merancang untuk menakluk negeri-negeri Melayu dengan perancangan Malayan Union. Pada masa itu kita boleh cakap berkenaan Melayu dan tidak ada sesiapa yang akan tuduh kita sebagai racist. British pun tidak panggil kita racist. Mereka akui memang pun hak orang Melayu menuntut negeri-negeri Melayu sebagai hak orang Melayu. Semua perjanjian berkenaan dengan negeri-negeri di semenanjung mesti dibuat dengan Raja-Raja Melayu. Tidak ada siapa dari kaum laim yang berhak membuat apa-apa perjanjian.

13. Sekarang orang Melayu tidak pun boleh berkata negeri ini negeri Melayu, tidak boleh sebut negeri ini dikenali sebagai Tanah Melayu. Negeri Jepun boleh dikatakan negeri orang Jepun, negeri Korea – negeri orang Korea, negeri China – negeri orang Cina, negeri India – negeri orang India. Tetapi negeri Melayu – bukan negeri orang Melayu. Dahulu mungkin. Tetapi tidak sekarang. Sekarang Malaysia, hak orang Malaysia dan bukan hak orang Melayu. Kesanggupan dan kerelaan orang Melayu berkongsi milik negara ini tidak sedikit pun dihargai. Pemberian satu juta kerakyatan oleh Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra kepada kaum lain tidak dihargai bahkan tidak diingati, dilupakan dengan begitu sahaja.

14. Orang Melayu dikatakan kaum pendatang di negaranya sendiri. Dan kaum pendatang lain tidak boleh dipanggil kaum pendatang. Jika sesiapa berbuat demikian, mereka mesti minta maaf. Tidak perlu sesiapa minta maaf jika berkata Melayu kaum pendatang.

TUN DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD DI PERHIMPUNAN DAN SIDANG KEMUNCAK PRIBUMI PERKASA NEGARA DI KOMPLEKS SUKAN TNB, JALAN BANGSAR, KUALA LUMPUR PADA HARI AHAD, 22 MAC 2009

The Language Of Tear Gas

Language.

It cuts right to the heart of identity. If a non-native speaker could carry him or herself fluently in another language, praises would be heaped upon the speaker and a sense of glowing pride could be felt by the natives. It makes interactions all the more easier, and far sweeter some would say. It is no wonder anthropologists, carrying out studies in far flung corners of the world make much effort to study and imbibe the native languages of the tribes that they study. And the same goes for intelligence officers, I suppose.

Today, a controversial issue stemming from the government's decision to implement English as medium to impart and dissect for subjects Science and Mathematics, known as PPSMI, came to fore. At the heart of it, national identity and cultural pride stood out like a nail waiting to be hammered. Malay Language, or known as Bahasa Melayu, was seen as being sidelined as a result of this belated and some would say, misguided effort. Despite 50 years of independence, one cannot help but conclude that the body specifically created to disseminate the wealth and nuances of Malay Language, Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka, have failed. Period.

But I digress. Back to the present.

As I made my way to the National Mosque, the site of a protest against the implementation of PPSMI, the weather was foreboding and unpredictable. There was a sense of anticipation and excitement in the air. Police presence for the early parts could be basically described as minimal, and I was afforded much opportunity to photograph families with their children and the gathering protesters.

Shortly, I noticed a group of Amal volunteers forming a ring around a group of persons. I believe they were the driving force behind the protests. However, I was not able to identify a single person save for the long flowing locks of Datuk A. Samad Said, Malaysia's most pre-eminient National Laureate.

By this point of time, those same said persons, including our National Laureate made their way into the mosque for prayers. Despite the perception, the perceived affront posed by PPSMI was not only felt by Malay Malaysians, as it turns out...

...did I also mention some of those who turned up for the protest were far more interested in the study of Commerce and Finance rather than Science and Mathematics?

Language. At The Heart of the Issue.

Sorry, Nikon!

Mr. Sydney Jeremiah, seen on the left at the photograph below, was probably not too happy to see my face again, judging by his expression. By the way, I am in the process of e-mailing the photograph(s). So please call off the Special Branch.


"Why so serious?" The police and the protest organizers discuss the situation on the ground. The police, under orders straight from the very top, to utilize all means necessary to prevent the protest from making its way from the National Mosque to National Palace, attempts to dissuade the organizers from making the March. The organizers, energized by their supporters and belief in their cause, remains adamant at presenting a memorandum to His Royal Highness, The Supreme Head of Malaysia regarding their 'dissatisfaction' with PPSMI.

Shortly after, a jostling and shoving match between the protesters and security forces occur. Tense minutes pass by as one or two bottles are hurled towards the Boys in Red. A crowd of humanity swarms and surges over and by me...

...and before I knew it, 'gelungnya terpokah' and a tide of protesters washes over the Boys in Red. The March to the Palace was on.

A segment of the estimated 2000+ strong crowd making their way to the Palace to present the memorandum on PPSMI.

The photograph below was the last one I took before I was overwhelmed by tear gas. It was my first encounter, and it took place 100 meters downwind from where the canister landed. As I took in the first whiff, Madonna's controversial hit from the Eighties began playing in the back of my head. Yeah, you know the one.

I have always wondered how does tear gas feels like. Well, guess I found out at last.

Imagine the taste and scent of burning rubber infused with a light dose of exhaust fumes from a belching car two decades old. And imagine then when it hits your face, a stinging and burning sensation caused by rubbing excessive balm oil. And when you feel it in your throat, you get a sensation of dryness, inflammation, and thirst. And that was downwind 100 meters away.

I quickly ran back 50 meters or so and whipped out my water bottle. The stench and irritation was just too overwhelming. As I rinsed my face the best I could, several passerbys were afforded water as well from my bottle. Quickly, it finished and I sought out some salt to salve the irritation in my mouth and throat. Luckily for me, a gentleman from Unit Amal was on hand to dispense some.

Now, in the comfort of my home, I judge that the disproportionate reaction from the very top may have serious political repercussions in the future. When a much respected and highly apolitical National Laureate believes, rightly or wrongly, that the PPSMI may jeopardize the status of Malay Language, the raison d'etre for the existence of a particular political party comes into question.