A Tough Act To Follow
By: Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (pg 15) December 12, 2013
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/columns/onpointe
In rare show of global
solidarity, the world pays tribute to Nelson Mandela. Yet as Madiba's long road
to freedom is being recounted, there are many others who are shamelessly taking
the opportunity to ride on his coattails and find some parallel link to the
great leader's legacy making light of his immeasurable contribution to
humanity.
Juxtaposed against
news of the passing of a leader who championed equality was xenophobic
headlines to change our country's slogan from "Malaysia" to
"1Melayu". It's shocking how we have disgracefully moved a long way
away from the days when our passport did not allow for travel to South Africa
in solidarity for Mandela's anti-apartheid struggle.
Instead of cheapening
the legacy of Mandela and associating it with the skewed political agenda and
personal vindication soapbox rhetoric, perhaps our leaders might want to
emulate the qualities behind the causes Mandela championed and the wisdom
behind the decisions he made.
RAINBOW NATION
When in office, Nelson
Mandela expounded on Archbishop Desmond Tutu's term "Rainbow Nation",
which captures the incredible multicultural essence of South Africa, something
we share in common – the diversity of ethnicities and peoples.
Now we can look at
diversity as a problem or we take the perspective that it makes us richer and
more balanced.
However for some
reason while Mandela worked tirelessly against deep racial divide, our
politicians operate under the guise of unity on one hand, while on the other
hand aggressively fanning the flames of racism.
How do we transcend
from such prejudices when politicians are hell-bent on the divide and conquer
rule?
As difficult as it was
for Mandela to champion his country's rugby team which stood as a symbol of
apartheid, the simple act of donning a Springbok rugby jersey at the 1995 World
Cup was the catalyst to unimaginable change. He put into practice the slogan
"One team, One Country" and he set the example.
Perhaps it's time to
take stock of our national prejudices which were so well documented in the news
coverage of a recent general assembly. It's not just our racial prejudices that
need to be checked but our religious prejudices, lifestyle prejudices,
political affiliation and even social prejudices that stop us from reaping the
intangible and immense benefits of being a true rainbow nation.
THE ONE-TERM PRESIDENT
If we comb the pages
of history, we will be hard-pressed to find a leader who decided beforehand to
only serve one term and to stick with that decision. Yet after years of
struggle and spending almost 27 years in prison, Mandela carried through his
decision and was not drunk with power, stepping down after serving a term of
five years.
In an age where
leaders hold on to power as the people take to the streets demanding their
resignation, it is rare and near impossible to find true leadership that is as
visionary and gracious as his.
What is also admirable
is that as a former president, he played the role of reconciliation once in
retirement. Besides the many causes he championed, Mandela was part of The
Elders, a group made up of public figures, statesmen, human rights advocates
and peace activists brought together to use their collective experience and
political independence to work on solutions of "intractable
conflicts".
Mandela stood for the
greater good and not for personal gain. Sadly, I wonder if we can say the same
of our former and present leaders. Not just in our country but even within the
Asean region.
Where is that level of
graciousness, humility and true vision that is able to rise above injustices,
focus on a shared future and champions democracy for the good of the country,
serving all regardless of who they voted for?
If parallels must be
drawn, then measure it by how well reconciliation is championed within this
country, how opposing views are treated in this country and how truly genuine
are the words of reform reflected in this country.
Only when our leaders
have shown the grace, stature and wisdom of a leader like Mandela, can
parallels be drawn.
Natalie
believes that leaders should not just pay tribute in words to Nelson Mandela
but follow the example he set.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
On Pointe, theSun (page 15) http://www.thesundaily.my/node/233960
Losing The Real Retro To Development
By: Natalie
Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
(pg 16) December 5, 2013
The new "cool" is all about going retro. Wearing vintage
clothes from an op shop or preferring an old school Casio watch with the
calculator attached or the one that plays games instead of something from a
brand that is a firm fixture at London/Paris Fashion Week.
It doesn't just apply to fashion. Photo apps like
Hipstamatic and Instagram have recruited the masses to create faux-vintage
photos that make people swoon with nostalgia even if the photo was taken all
but 30 seconds ago.
Ten years ago admitting to loving The Golden Girls
would get you confused pity-sad looks, but today dear 91-year-old Rose aka
Betty White (pix) has CNN doing a piece on her titled Cool Betty White is red
hot and there's a Pintrest page titled "Betty White is da bomb".
Clearly this concept of everything old is new again,
has been recycled many times over.
Remember how a few years ago, the old kopitiam with
its wooden stools, tiled walls, ceramic chipped bowls of noodles was
trademarked and crafted into a popular chain – with standardised menus,
furniture, interiors and plastic utensils for an "authentic"
experience? A great business idea that has flourished but many still crave and
frequent the original kopitiams that are fast becoming a dying enterprise.
Development has taken the place of many of these
kopitiams, not just physical development but also skill – how many stall owners
have someone to pass on their trade secrets to? With age catching up, even
though business is good, it's really hard sweating work which is not kind to
the knees and gets crueller with age.
That aside though, many of the old kopitiams in Kuala
Lumpur are bowing down to fancier development, eateries and global-domination
coffee chains. But here's where we get the concept mixed up. Development does
not need to do away with the old, neither does it have to become part of a
soulless retail empire.
For a young country, we have lost many heritage
buildings to redevelopment. Prime land is no place for old buildings is the
mentality of the day and instead of maintaining the buildings we tear them down
to make way for new development.
Needless to say there are a few old buildings that
have been transformed into boutique hotels and eateries but a more vigorous
effort is needed change the mindset of town planners, city councils and higher
powers to protect old structures and historical sites from being destroyed.
The heart of Kuala Lumpur is clogged by shopping malls
built on land that once housed a race course and the oldest school in the city.
Do we really need more shopping malls on heritage land? We have to weigh out
whether the profits of trade and economics are worth more than our priceless
heritage, our history and our environment.
It's not just about nostalgia it's about long-term
benefits versus short-term gains. There needs to be a positive attitude shift
in thinking that maintenance and restoration of old buildings is important
because it reaps economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits while
creating niche technical skill.
We need stronger champions of the National Heritage
Act and National Land Code who will advocate without fear.
There are parts of the historic environment of our
country that are important culturally and need to be protected.
Sustainability needs to be at the core of our planning
system. New buildings cannot just be something that is announced in a budget
speech but something debated and proved a best option with the backing of
environmental impact assessments, taking into consideration historic,
traditional, artistic, archaeological and architectural views.
The idea that conservation is part of sustainability
and sustainable development is not just for us but for future generations needs
to be better recognised and inculcated in our minds and in the minds of our
leaders.
Ever wonder what the commentary of our heritage walks
will sound like in years to come when everything is new? It might sound
something like this. "And this used to be our National Independence Park
but now stands a shiny 100-storey building sticking out like a sore thumb metres
away from Merdeka Stadium and the National Stadium and built on People's
Reserved Land. Make sure you use a retro filter before uploading your photos –
so that the tower looks like it blends in with the surroundings."
Natalie believes that
you can't put a price tag on heritage, old kopitiams and Betty White even if
you pay in liquid gold and fancy banded handbags.
Comments:
letters@thesundaily.com
On Pointe, theSun http://www.thesundaily.my/node/233101
When The Law Interrupts Love
By: Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (pg 14) November 14, 2013
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/columns/onpointe
'Aint' no mountain high enough, I will swim the deepest ocean, go through fire for you, catch a grenade for love, pluck the sun, moon and stars just to be with you.'
'Aint' no mountain high enough, I will swim the deepest ocean, go through fire for you, catch a grenade for love, pluck the sun, moon and stars just to be with you.'
Ahh ... love is a many splendour thing that makes people sing of such grand promises. If only it were that easy, legally.
Malaysians are pretty accustomed to inter-racial, inter-religious marriages. It's part of our heritage of living in a country with diverse people, and thanks to globalisation intercontinental love stories are not uncommon here either but for some reason our laws have not caught up with the times.
Once the wedding outfits are dry-cleaned and set aside, the reality of living as a foreign, non-citizen spouse in Malaysia hits hard. What is meant to be the honeymoon period might turn out into a bit of a nightmare.
While our immigration regulations may look clear on paper, many foreign spouses have been given the run-around with regards to employment and for many obtaining Permanent Residency status can take decades. The whole process is complicated and not clear cut.
This makes it very difficult for families in this predicament. The cost of living is ever increasing and not many can afford to live on a single income. Without the proper documentation, qualified foreign spouses of Malaysians will not be able to find employment.
We are just talking about basic employment. What about using their talents and skills to place them in the right jobs.
For a country with a skill deficit, trying to contain its brain-drain problem, it would work in our interest to speed up such employment approvals. Wouldn't giving qualified people, already living in the country the right to work (quicker) one part of the solution?
The longer people have to wait and the more obstacles in place, only makes it easier to leave for other countries that would welcome them with open arms.
If the excuse is the outflow of currency, well really we're already one of the top three countries for illicit money outflow. It can't get much worse by giving foreign spouses the right to work. After all these spouses are staying here spending the money they earn on their families living on our soil.
Now, the issues become a lot more appalling for a female non-citizen spouse. While Malaysia is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), for some reason, these foreign wives of Malaysian men, need to get permission from their husband to work here.
It is a mandatory requirement that the Malaysian husband grant his wife permission to work. Permission? I mean aren't we living in the 21st century?
Permanent residency applications are made by the Malaysian spouse and the application is withdrawn when the Malaysian spouse dies or the marriage becomes estranged.
While the home minister has the discretion to approve such cases, a more clear cut timeframe for PR applications should be in place because there are other complications that arise.
While non-citizen spouses hold PR status, they are charged double for hospitalisation in government hospitals, yes even to deliver their Malaysian children.
It is a sad state of affairs and there is more from difficulty in opening a bank account to access to religious facilities. Even getting a credit card requires a RM10,000 deposit.
While we applaud raising the minimum property purchase price by foreigners to RM 1 million, it also means that the unemployed non-citizen wife or husband of a Malaysian would now have to struggle to jointly own property with their spouse.
Add to this the vulnerability of foreign spouses to domestic violence or divorce. A foreign spouse is not allowed to renew the Long Term Social Visit Pass without the presence of the Malaysian spouse at the immigration office.
Imagine if there is abuse going on, our laws have forced these spouses to remain in a vulnerable and dangerous situation with the only alternative of leaving the country all together. What happens if there are children involved?
We are doing a great disservice to ourselves with such legal disparities. Such policies need to be reviewed and not at the discretion of the officer in charge but on a higher level and with groups like the Foreign Spouses Support Group, Malaysia who have first-hand experience of the issues mentioned.
Our laws need to work for the people, recognising that family is important and looking after the people who live here for years. If it has been so easy to give away identity cards as been highlighted by the recent RCI on Project IC, surely we can do better for spouses of Malaysians and their families.
Natalie believes Malaysia not only suffers from brain drain but also love drain because of such unaccommodating policies.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
 |
| http://www.thesundaily.my/node/230679 |
Unpacking Our Values
By: Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (pg 19) October 31, 2013
Since the
early 90's there has been a debate of an East versus West value system. This
argument has been widely used to challenge the notion that human rights are
universal by promoting the view that human rights are culturally relative. The
argument entails that universality places western values over Asians and this
is not the right fit. Of course many Asian leaders were proponents of this
square peg, round hole argument and ran with it.
Our
leadership was quick to align the country with this reason supporting it by
coining the term "Asian Values". It suited the development argument,
which included the primacy of economic development over civil and political
rights.
For years,
we were part of this Asian values argument but of late, there seems to be a shift
away from Asian values towards Malaysian values.
Is this
because we no longer think that Asian values cuts it for us here, or has Asian
values moved forward while we take steps backwards – or are we the moral
compass that hasn't shifted? Perhaps we've just become more insular.
Recently, a
music concert was cancelled with one of the reasons being if the concert did
take place, it would touch on Malaysian values – and not in a good way of
course.
While not a
fan of the artist, I wondered though what exactly are these Malaysian values
that are becoming such a popular reason of late.
Are our
Malaysian values based on the Rukun Negara? They should be I'm guessing.
The Rukun
Negara was introduced in 1970 at the 13th Merdeka celebrations to strengthen
unity among the various ethnicities. It was also to maintain a democratic way
of life while creating a just society, where the wealth of the nation will be
equitably shared. It also states that the country is dedicated to ensuring a
liberal approach to the rich and diverse cultural traditions while building a
progressive society which will be oriented to modern science and technology.
So let's
look at the events in the month of October. Three important documents were
released – The AG's Report, Malaysia's Human Rights National Report at the
Universal Periodical Review and Budget 2014. Then there was the passing of the
revised Prevention of Crime Act (PCA), the controversial secrecy amendment to
the Penal Code and the Court of Appeal ruling against the Catholic Church using
the word Allah in its weekly publication.
There was a
hue and cry over the shocking abuse of public funds when the AG's Report was
released seven months from the time it was prepared. There were calls for
anti-corruption measures to be strengthened and for legal action to be taken
against the officers and leaders who pilfered public funds. It's the end of
October and still nothing has been done. The irony, however, is that on the day
the budget was released, there was an acquittal in one of the biggest
corruption cases the country has had – the sad thing is that none of the money
has been recovered – is there any telling that the billions will ever be
recovered?
While that's
happening, the people are being told that the price of sugar will increase with
the removal of sugar subsidies and the implementation of GST because the
government needs the money. So the people are told that we should reduce the
intake of sugar and add sweetness to our smiles. It's hard to add sweetness to
our smiles knowing that our bills are increasing while there is so much money
gone "missing". Yes, subsidies should be reduced and GST implemented
but the reason that the government needs money is not a good enough reason when
there is so much wastage of public funds. Is this what we call Malaysian
values?
With the
implementation of the secrecy amendment, one must wonder what next year's AG
report will look like.
The trust
deficit in this country is colossal and worsening by the day. So how does that
reflect or measure up to the pillars of the state and our Malaysian values?
Natalie
ponders if it's really about cultural values or political power.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
Moderately Truthful
By: Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (pg 12) October 17, 2013
Imagine reading a memoir that comes with the fine print "that's mostly true". It can be infuriating as memoirs are supposed to be accurate, needing no fine print.
It's frustrating because even if some bits of the memoir were truthful, you'll be second guessing everything because of all the half-truths peppered into the story.
That's how our national report for the Universal Periodical Review reads – moderately truthful.
In exactly a week, it will be Malaysia's turn to deliver this already public document to the Human Rights Council in Geneva and you might find yourself in the same predicament trying to decipher the truths from the half truths.
The report states that there is a "strong commitment to the rule of law, to upholding respect for human rights and a commitment to continue widening the democratic space" – that is what this re-elected government is strongly committed to.
Let's just look at these three elements juxtaposing them to some realities of today's Malaysia.
STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW
The 2012 Auditor General's Report, which was prepared in March 2013 was only released in October.
Putting aside questions as to the delayed release, the report states the many misappropriations of public funds, from wall clocks that cost RM3,810 instead of the budgeted RM100 a clock to a four-day study trip that cost over RM300,000, a K-Pop concert that the government paid over inflated prices (but claimed it was sponsored) and the "lost-at-sea" firearms to name a few.
As per previous years, nothing will come of it. Every year, the public get up in arms about the blatant corruption proof that the AG's report exposes and yet, year after year nothing happens to those who siphon public funds.
If there truly was a strong commitment to the rule of law, why has no one been investigated – the proof is in the report and yet nothing has been done. Somehow this is also missing from the section in the report titled "Good governance".
Another glaring injustice is custodial deaths. In July 2013, Amnesty International reported that there were 12 custodial deaths since the beginning of the year and till today their deaths and the bruises on their bodies remain a "mystery".
Then there are those who are still detained without trial deprived of a day in court, denied justice and their right to freedom.
These are just some of the many more real examples of violations to the rule of law. Using the words "strong commitment" seems like a half truth when measured against these convenient lapses.
UPHOLDING RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
In the UPR report, Malaysia touts the repealing of the Internal Security Act (ISA) as legislative developments related to civil and political rights.
But what about the Prevention of Crime Act of 1959? Of course since the recent amendments to the PCA (which allows for people to be detained without trial) was made after the report was published, the PCA is conveniently not mentioned in the report.
Even Suhakam has stated that the PCA is inconsistent with fundamental human rights principles, yet we are patting ourselves for a half truth that the ISA has been repealed.
Add to that the fact that Malaysia still refuses to sign and ratify without reservations core UN conventions which makes a mockery of our seat on the UN Human Rights Council.
Never mind about that for now, what about statements about Malaynisation of Sabah natives, forced assimilation policies or the lack of respect for native rights, native customary lands, land rights and rights to ancestral lands.
Then there are the other issues of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Not only have we violated international protected prohibition against refoulement, the report states that documented non-skilled foreign workers "enjoy protection under various domestic laws".
Do we really protect migrants from unpaid wages, harassment and other hazardous situations? We might want to reassess that statement based on the fact that we have not ratified International Labour Organisation Convention No: 189 neither do our domestic laws and practice reflect such "enjoyment".
One also has to wonder where the terms "Chinese tsunami", "shoot to kill policy" and the issue of franchising language based on religion fits in to the section about upholding "respect for different cultures, languages and religions of its people …"
A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE WIDENING THE DEMOCRATIC SPACE
Let's talk about how the report states that "The Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 [Act 736] (PAA) was enacted to breathe life to Article 10 of the Federal Constitution to enhance the implementation of the right to assemble peaceably as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution."
I'm not sure prohibiting, sorry I mean regulating, street protests is the same thing. Judging from the burns from the tear gas used during 2012 Bersih rally this must be another half-truth couched in flowery language.
Then there is the Sedition Act and the amendment 114 A to the Evidence Act which are not mentioned in the UPR report.
The report peddles the use of indelible ink as an electoral reform, but fails to state that the ink used was not silver nitrate but food colouring.
While we still have a Printing Presses and Publications Act, which requires government licensing of publications, one amendment (namely the removal of the "Home Minister's 'absolute discretion' in relation to granting of permits and also abolished the requirement for annual licence renewal" has suddenly turned this draconian law into a progressive, positive move premised on the right to be heard and the right to freedom of expression according to the report. I'll be damned!
This report is clearly filled with disinformation, not just misinformation.
In an address via video last week, US President Barack Obama lauded Malaysia saying "Malaysia's diversity, tolerance and progress can be a model to countries around the world."
The most dangerous of countries are the ones labelled progressive because they preach of being moderates yet suppress every citizen while the rest of the world place them on a pedestal.
Natalie is exhausted from reading through a "mostly true" report.
What Is In A name?
By: Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (pg 12) October 3, 2013
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/columns/onpointe
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet was Juliet's rebuttal in
the Shakespeare love story. Some may not agree but perhaps it matters not what
the name of something is, but its essence is of utmost importance.
When the Internal Security Act was repealed, many
applauded. Sceptics, however, knew such forward measures would be short lived
and they are right.
This week Parliament debated on the return of
preventive detention adding revisions to the Prevention of Crime Act to lower
the crime rate – so it seems. The problem is there is no surety that these laws
will not be open to abuse.
It may be easy to look at the amendments as curbing
crime but on the reverse, it can be used to impede civil society and civil
movements. What does that mean?
According to reports, one can be placed in detention
for up to two years (renewable) and without the right to legal representation
with a limited scope of appeal.
Let's take all that legal jargon and put it into a
real life simulation. Say the suspect in question is a proven thug who has a
criminal record. Such a law will put the suspect behind bars without trial for
up to two years. Now if the suspect is held for two years, there is a chance
the detention can be renewed.
Yay! Our streets are safer, but what if the suspect
has been rehabilitated, picked up because he "looks like a thug" but
not proven to be one any more? Or what if the suspect is a she and was at the
wrong place at the wrong time and was picked up because she refused to be
intimidated by the authorities?
If you're one for being hard on criminals, let's look
at this from another perspective.
What if the crime was a protest against corruption or
a civil society movement against environmental damage or a big bully stealing
your land to build a dam? Forget about kicking up a fuss because these
amendments can be broadly interpreted and someone you know may be held without
trial for years.
The PCA amendments cannot be looked at in isolation
either. The Penal Code is also being beefed up with the government proposing that
5-15 year prison terms be made mandatory for promoting a false national flag
and "vandalism", the definition of which includes the displaying of
banners or placards without permission, to carry a three-year prison term.
There also seems no way out of this as the proposal includes curtailing the
judges' powers to favour the minimum mandatory sentences.
So if some company decides to throw toxins into your
waterway and you've no other choice but to peacefully protest, think again.
But you might say, that's not going to happen because
we've got an oral assurance that such abuse will not happen. See, that's the
funny thing about gentlemen's agreements – not many of the people giving us
these assurances are gentlemen.
Even if they are, what will happen when they are no
more in power to give such assurances? The bottom line is that the law
supersedes as it should and this is the very reason why such amendments should
ring alarm bells because repealing the ISA and adding such amendments to the
PCA only begs the question "what is in a name?"
In exactly three weeks, Malaysia will deliver its
National Report at the Universal Periodical Review in Geneva. The public report
screams of another Shakespearean quote: "I was searching for a fool when I
found you".
Under section 3(103) titled General Elections, we tout
the use of indelible ink patting ourselves on the back for such big leaps of
election reforms while quietly omitting the fact that our indelible ink was
edible and we paid RM7.1 million on food dye instead of silver nitrate.
It's hard to read point 148 in the report which
highlights the government's commitment to "ensuring the promotion and
protection of all human rights in the country" – listing down the rights
of refugees and undocumented migrants when we out rightly rejected all attempts
to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
Sadly, the report is far from a true reflection of the
state of our country, yet exercises like these highlight our shortcomings and
may be a catalyst for some change, at the very least we know the world is
watching, even if it's just for one part of an afternoon in cold beautiful
Geneva.
Natalie's fridge is peppered with
Shakespeare insults and one that resonates through and through is "My
tongue will tell the anger of my heart" – in this case, her pen will do
the talking.
Comments:
letters@thesundaily.com
Migrant Issues Come To A Head
By: Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (pg 14) September 19, 2013
He would have paid a large sum of
money to an agent for legal documents before entering Malaysia as a documented
migrant worker. Yet last week, debt-ridden and jobless, he climbed the rooftop
of a two-storey building in an affluent neighbourhood in Kuala Lumpur and ended
his life.
A group gathered,
took photos and video footage. Some of the bystanders thought the public needed
to be "educated" and posted their photos and videos – after all if
the papers were publishing it why not them on social network sites.
Perhaps what came
after was far worse – the comments made in bad taste, one of which (to
paraphrase) was "jump and get it over with".
A man died but
because he was a migrant worker, it seems of less importance and value.
But what drove him
to climb that rooftop and think that his only option was to die?
According to news
reports, he was brought to work in a kopitiam which closed for a month and that
added drastically to his mounting debts. Where was his protection as an
employee and what are the responsibilities of his employers when they closed
shop?
Migrants legal or
illegal arrive on our shores debt-ridden.
Promised good
salaries, many are cheated and forced into what is now defined as modern-day
slavery. Not only are they to pay off the debts they owe for making that
journey here, they are here to earn for their families back home, yet they may
not even make enough to live, let alone send home.
Even though migrant
workers are a critical part of our economy (they make up 30% of the workforce
according to Human Rights Watch), little is done for their protection. If this
is the predicament of documented migrants, what more the illegals?
We may have our own
opinion about illegals not having rights but there has to be some form of
protection of the human being from abuse.
Time and time
again, those who champion migrant rights have called for our government to (at
the very least) ratify the Migrant Worker Convention and we are no closer to
signing it. Yet we sit on the United Nations Human Rights Council and allow
such abuse to happen on our soil?
We cherry pick as
we please. When we need migrant workers to do the work that we refuse to do –
the rubbish collection, waiting tables, cleaning, construction and security
jobs, that is when they are of use to us but we close our eyes to the abuse by
recruitment agencies.
We then blame them
for the high crime rate in the country. Not only do our laws allow for them to
be abused with little recourse for justice, we then blame them for societal
ills – ignoring that many of the crimes are carried out by Malaysians.
So at the beginning
of this month, the Home Ministry launched a crackdown on undocumented
immigrants. There are real fears that the crackdown will also affect refugees.
A fear that is warranted as Malaysia has not ratified the Refugee Convention
and vacillates on refugee status. Being identified as a transit country for
trafficking, and put on the Tier 2 of the US Department of State human
trafficking watch list, protection of the human being needs to be of upmost
concern.
In October,
Malaysia will stand before the world and present the universal periodic review
of our country's human rights track record. How will we fare?
Natalie hopes that Malaysians
and those in authority will value the people who are helping to build our
nation, even if they may not look like the Malaysians we know.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
The Power Of Creative Licence
By: Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (pg 13) September 5, 2013
A while back the New York Post landed itself in hot soup for publishing a disturbing photo on its front page with the words "DOOMED" followed by "Pushed on the subway track, this man is about to die".
That is exactly what it was, a photo taken seconds before a man was hit by a subway train after being thrown on the tracks at New York City's Times Square station.
It raised a similar ethical debate as Kevin Carter's haunting Pulitzer prize photo of a starving Sudanese child being stalked by a hooded vulture.
A multifaceted ethical debate looms when such photos are published. Do you capture an event, make money of it and become famous through someone else's pain when there is an opportunity to save a life (or at least to attempt to save a life). Or is non-intervention part of the job and do all photos taken have to be published?
It irks me when newspapers and television air images of death. It violates the privacy of the deceased and their loved ones, yet journalistic boundaries are pushed more and more in modern times with little regard for ethics.
The same applies for the arts – creative freedom and artistic licence for some mean that the truth can be stretched, history changed and one wonders do these "artists" know the extent of the damage caused?
While creative freedom is important, on the other hand there needs to be a sense of responsibility because there is so much power in the arts.
Lately on our shores there have been examples of creative minds producing government funded reinterpretations of historical events couched or hiding behind the stance of artistic licence. While on the other extreme, authorities go berserk hauling up artists for works produced over a decade ago.
This causes apprehension as the sacred space of creativity is defiled by the politics of the day. In instances like these, the best way to judge a piece of work is by the intent of the artist and of which it was created.
In a country where sensitivities are high and there are many restrictions, the arts has a special role as an avenue to address difficult issues in non-contentious and creative ways.
One positive example of the many Malaysian theatre works is that of the play PARAH which was written by playwright Alfian Sa'at, directed by Jo Kukathas and has an excellent cast.
The play is set around the book Interlok during the time it was introduced as a required text for secondary school students some two years ago. If you remember, there was a lot of uneasiness to put it mildly. Police reports were made, there was a backlash and even protests.
Though the book which was written in 1971 was not intended to cause division, in modern-day Malaysia it hit a lot of nerves and opened a lot of wounds.
Sensitivities were raw and it was next to impossible to talk about the book in an objective manner, both sides of the argument provoked such vitriol.
The issue died down only because the book was removed from the reading list, but that didn't mean that the feelings that run deep were healed or have healed which was made worse by the lack of discourse about the issues felt by the various communities.
This was an important space which PARAH filled. The play brought to the fore the feelings of the various ethnicities that were written about and made the audience question if one word had the power to define who we are and change our friendships.
That essentially was the pulse outside the theatre which no one was discussing openly but clearly the play addressed it.
PARAH which means wounded in Malay, cleverly reversed means hope (harap), and essentially, theatre works like these give us a sense of hope.
Hope that there are people who share similar values and want a better Malaysia, a more thinking Malaysia, a less polarised Malaysia.
It also took on the role of dealing with difficult topics in a neutral setting and provided a space to have the necessary discussion, and open our eyes to how the different races feel in this country – it shed light on the age old statement "you really don't know what it's like to be me".
As juvenile as that may sound, it is not something that only resonated with the teenagers in the room but with every audience member of every age, race and gender.
Many times we idealise Malaysia as a multiracial country where people live happily together. We see this especially so during festivals, national day and it even seems to be the epitome of how a good commercial is measured – sappy music, a tear jerking life crisis and in the end all is well because we live in apparent harmony.
But the reality is that our country is wounded not by wars, communists and colonisation but by the careless policies and rude politicians that have placed us in positions where we are forced to take sides, and this is where the arts has the power to heal, if the intent is meant for good.
Natalie has found that suppression breeds creativity, and hopefully soon there will be a well-researched, true account of our history including May 13 so that it is no more the bogeyman that is used to divide, scare and scar.
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