自由贸易攸关各族人民权益 We should question the FTA

此文已于2006年11月16日刊登于(This artible has been published in )《独立新闻在线》http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=2970

马美自由贸易协定第三轮谈判已经结束。在10月30日早上，一百多名社会人士在“反对自由贸易联盟”的号召下，前往谈判地点抗议、示威。然而，反对自由贸易人士激昂的呐喊并没有通过媒体传遍全国各地角落。

就华文报章而言，唯有《东方日报》以彩色版进行报道，但该报又将示威人士指为“激进份子”，让人不禁怀疑，我国的新闻把关人，对马美自由贸易的谈判、签定后的影响，究竟是不闻不问？不知不觉？还是不清不楚？

一般而言，自由贸易协定指两国或以上的国家、经济体间具有法律约束力的契约，签署国的目标之一是消除贸易壁垒，促进彼此的产品与服务自由流动。此文暂不讨论多边自由贸易，但看马美自由贸易，拥护或支持的人皆各有说辞。

有人欢喜有人愁

马美自由贸易估计会让政府取消一些保护措施，一名马来政治评论人在报章上指，反对者是一些“保守政治声音”。一些华裔同胞则抱着看好戏的心理，毫不讳避地直指“让美国的竞争来纠正那些只保护单一族群的政策！”

种族政治走到这个地步，的确让人无可奈何。一方因长期浸泡在各种各样的优惠、特权中，一旦保护政策被取消，就像终日由主人喂饱的猫那样，可能连捉老鼠的本能也失去；而另一方则希望籍自由贸易来逼使政府取消保护政策，那长期“

自力更生”的心底，积累满肚子长期受制度性压制及边缘化的怨气，争的就是与其他人平起平坐，公平竞争的机会。

原本，国内各行各业包括：电子业、纺织业、服务业、医药界、农民、金融业等，举凡出卖劳力赚取生活必需品的人民，都应该质疑马美自由贸易的谈判内容。然而，反对或支持马美自由贸易的人士皆从本族群利益考量利弊，若此协定哪朝成定局，其导致的后果，这一代以种族角度思考的人士都难辞其咎。

与美自贸恶梦连连

非洲各国、泰国、印尼人民都反对他们的政府与美国签署自由贸易协定。美国是经济强国，但不代表和它进行自由贸易就能飞黄腾达。笔者对一部影片记忆犹新：加勒比海某小国因美国入口的奶粉价格低于本国生产的鲜奶（美国政府给予美国农产品极高的津贴），导致牛奶供应商必须将数加仑的牛奶倒掉、养牛人忍痛杀掉奶牛… …

经济强国与发展中国家签署自由贸易协定，是强迫小国开放市场、让资本与技术相对薄弱的本土工、农、商直接面对跨国集团的竞争。如果中小型企业、承包商倒下，失业率将随之提高，贫富悬殊问题加剧。政府放松投资管制后，大资本家在贪污腐败当道的发展中国家继续扩张、累积资本。

自由贸易对民主最大的讽刺就是：在许多国家，民选代议士组成的国会在最后关头，都无法推翻协定内容，一些国家为了人民利益违背协定，反被控“防碍投资者利益”。在许多国家如：加拿大、墨西哥、南美洲各国、澳洲等早有前鉴，尝过苦头的人最直接的批评就是：自由贸易典当人民权益！

自由贸易考验民主

非政府组织及在野党组成的“反自由贸易联盟”，数度要求会见我国国际贸工部长拉菲达，表达本身对马美自由贸易协定的担忧。不料，却遭对方冷冷一封信：“我们知道你们要说什么，我们知道自己在做什么… …“回拒。

在国内，有很多关乎大众利益的文件被列为官方机密，包括政府与南北大道公司的合约。这一次，我国谈判代表自今年6月份起，皆对会谈内容三缄其口。要知道，无论自愿与否，在谈判过程中，美国政府早让我国代表签署保密协议。我们应该大声问道：“你们签署的合约关乎全国2千700万人口的命运，凭什么要我们相信你？”

谈判还没有结束，马美自由贸易对我国的影响对于全体国人而言，还没有切肤之痛。大家连国内的攫夺案、通货膨胀都应付不暇，要关注这种影响下一代的经济协定似乎显得心有余而力不足。但是，要知道，根据我国宪法，自由贸易协定可以绕过国会，直接在内阁通过。我们要问：拥有决定权的部长们，在没有咨询民意的情况，你们依据什么来决定国民的命运？

但笔者相信，人民可以要求最基本的透明度。贸工部不应该屈服于美国任何形式的协议，而应该在每一轮会谈后光明正大地举行汇报会、征询各界意见。美国代表尚且需向他们的工商界代表汇报，凭什么我国的政府能将会谈文件藏起来，不面对人民？

由经济列国如美国、日本、欧盟主导的自由贸易必须谨慎看待，因为当中涉及的问题包括：谁定义的自由、自由的条件、自由的范围等等，在搞不清楚自由贸易伙伴是敌是友的情况下签定自由贸易，我们必然会赔上追求这类自由的代价。

The third round of the Malaysia-US Free Trade Agreement talks is over. On 30 Oct 2007 morning, more than 100 activists gathered in front of the Imperial Hotel, where the talks were held, they went there to protest and demonstrate. However, their voice has not been heard by people in others part of the country.

One of our Chinese Press, only the Orientaldaily reported the news, and generously published them in colour, but they described the protesters as “extremists”. I cannot help thinking that our guardians of information that are so indifferent to FTA, do they care about the whole process? Do they know anything about it?

Generally speaking, Free Trade Agreement means contract between two or more than two nations or economies that is aimed to remove protective customs tariffs, and to encourage free flow of goods and services between the parties. In this article, multilateral free trade is not in the process of discussions, we will only have the choice of facing the implications of the controversial Malaysia-US free trade.

It is believed that FTA Malaysia-US will lead to the abolishment of some protective policies in a local market. One of the Malay intellectuals wrote, people who anti-FTA are “conservative politicians”. For Chinese-Malaysians, some of them are welcoming the US power to enter our local market so that those Malay preferential policies will be redressed.

It is very sad to see our racial politics moving into such direction. All kind of privileges, special rights have permeated into the life of one side. On the other side, they hope to see the abolishment of protective policies through the FTA, this is the resentment stems from the groups which have long systematically marginalized by the government, they still hope for equal opportunities after a long time of self-dependency.

Actually, people from all walk of life including electrical, textile, service, and medical industries, farmers, finance etc, ( long as these people are selling their labour in exchange for satisfaction of their basic needs) they all need to question the content of the FTA negotiations. However, various groups who support or oppose FTA are measuring the interest of their ethnic groups, therefore, if the agreement comes into effect, they have to pay the price for any consequences of the FTA negotiations.

People in Africa, Thailand, and Indonesia are opposing their governments in signing FTA with the US. US is an economically powerful state, but it does not mean that whoever established a free trade agreement can be as powerful as it is. I still remember a documentary about FTA between a Caribbean country and the US, a creamery supplier poured all his fresh milk, and the ranchers have to slaughter their milk cows. All these things happened due to the low price milk powder imported from the US, as the US gives a far higher subsidy to their farmers until they can produce milk powder in a lower cost.

When the economically developed countries seek to sign FTA with developing countries, it means forcing developing countries to liberalize their market. Due to a lack of capital and technologies, local businesses and private sectors will find it hard to compete with transnational corporations (TNCs). If these small manufacturing enterprises, contractors collapse, unemployment rate as well as the gap between the rich and the poor will increase. When the government loosens investment regulations, the capitalists will continue to expand and accumulate their capital again in the corrupt developing countries .

Free Trade also makes a mockery of democracy. In many countries, even the elected parliamentarians are unable to overthrow the decisions taken prior to signature of FTA. Some of the governments were charged by TNCs when they were trying to regulate some laws to protect the interest of their disadvantages groups. Any government measures that affect the expected future profits of the US companies have in previous FTAs been counted as constituting “expropriation” and thus the government is liable to pay compensation for the losses.

Many lessons can be learnt from countries like Canada, Australia, Mexico, FTA trades away people’s rights and benefits!

The anti-FTA Alliance consists of NGOs and opposition parties. When they wrote to Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and asked for a talk with Rafidah, the ministry rejected them with a letter telling that they know what they are doing.

In Malaysia, many documents which are affecting people are official secrets, including the highway concession contracts. This time, the FTA talks began in June 2006, but they disclosed nothing about the contents of the talks. It is important to know that in the process of negotiation, the Malaysian delegates and the US have to sign an agreement to keep the talks as confidential. We want to ask, what kind of contract are you going to sign? How do we trust you in deciding the fate of 2.7million people in this country?

The FTA talks will be continued. It seems like our nations are too busy with snatching thieves, inflation, it is unlikely to draw attention of the people. Crucially, according to our constitution, the cabinet can endorse the FTA without the consent of parliament. It is crucial for us to ask our ministers, without public participation and consultation, on what ground for the ministers to decide our future?

At least, we should ask for transparency. MITI should not be bound by any kind of the US agreement. They should report to the public and seeking further opinions after every round of talks. Even the US delegates have to report to their business representatives, how can we hide our documents?

We have to scrutinize every aspects of the free trade dominated by developed countries such as the US, Japan, EU. It is important to know: who defines the trade? What are the conditions? If not, we will have to pay the price of pursuing it.

(The fourth round of the Malaysia-US FTA talks will be held at 8-12 Jan 2007)

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Weekend in Fraser Hill

23 activists arrested, houses demolished

They keep the illegal mansion of Klang municipal councillor, Zakaria... ...

But they demolished the houses (so-called Squatters )of the people,

the only place where the poor can sleep in ... ...

KHIR TOYO OVERRULES PAK LAH, 23 ACTIVISTS ARRESTED, HOUSES DEMOLISHED

Report by : SUARAM


(Note- the local authorities have confiscated and deleted the photos taken.)


Ampang, 20 November 2006

After almost 8 hours of defending 62 houses in Kampung Berembang, finally the police and local authorities crushed the resistance resulting in 23 arrests including arrest of PSM and JERIT leaders, houses being demolished and burned down and one women in a very critical condition, fighting for her life in the hospital.


After only managing to demolish 2 houses on Friday, the MPAJ(Local authorities) with the developers and the police came again this morning to finish the job which they failed to complete last week. At the village, all three entrances to the village have been blocked by human shield and other items. There were also a large number of activists mainly from JERIT and PSM, along with several other villagers from other Urban Settlers community aligned to the Coalition of Housing and Urban Settlers present. The situation was tense and the people waited for the showdown.


After more than 3 hours of initial stand-off, the first ambush by MPAJ at around 10.30am saw a massive clash between the local authorities and the villagers. The fight broke out with every corner, fist fighting, punching and dragging. The local authorities with 3 huge demolition machines failed to penetrate the human shield but it resulted in the local authorities arresting and assaulting 8 people – 2 villagers and 6 activist. The assault was brutal but the people were equally strong and the first wave of attack by the authorities failed. There were injuries from both sides. Both parties retreated to original positions.


Then came the second round of stand still. The District Police Chief of Ampang, ACP Amer and his high ranking officers were also prevented from entering the area from another location. That resulted in another arrest by the police. Human Rights Commissioner, Dato Siva Subramanim arrived shortly.


Then in a series of negotiation between the District police Chief, Dato Siva, MPAJ officer- Ismail, the developer and PSM Secretary general S.Arutchelvan created a stand still but a tense situation.


The police Chief told that he prefers to call off the operation as he said the situation is very tense and serious and he wants to avoid a bloodshed. Siva Subramanima said that the demolition should be called off and SUHAKAM (Human Rights Commission) will conduct a meeting with the relevant bodies to resolve the issue.


But the Local authorities- MPAJ who were under the Instruction of the Developers was very adamant to bull doze. They told the police that they have enough people to carry out the operation. The police then told all parties to hold on, as there were attempt to reach certain Government authorities to call off the exercise.


Both parties stood their ground. The developers and the MPAJ said that the people did not have an Injunction while the people said that the case was to be heard in April next year and therefore the authorities have to wait and the land status must remain unchanged. Then the police Chief, MPAJ and SUHAKAM representative went to the Developers site office with the instruction that there should be no forced eviction until some agreement can be reached.


Just after 1 pm, the whole situation from gloom changed to happiness when 2 villagers shouted victory and carried with them some papers. They managed to get a letter calling for the demolition and forced eviction to be postponed. The letter was released by the Prime Minister's Department and signed by the Prime Minister's private secretary. The villagers Pak Lang told the people gathered, the Government has opened its eyes. We have a letter now and thanked everyone. The activists were very caution and told the people not to be fooled but wait for final confirmation that the forced eviction exercise will be called off. Pak Lang has already started singing praises for the Prime Minister.


A team villagers and PSM Sec Gen, S.Arutchelvan then took the letters to the Developers site office. They were shocked to find that the Developers has catered a lot of food to feed the government servants. Meanwhile the Human Rights Commission, Dato Siva said that the letter is good enough to stop the demolition of houses. He said this is the highest authority- The Prime Minister's Office. He later held a Press Conference at the side and left.


An hour later, things became sour again when Riot police started parking their heavy vehicles in two main entrance to the village. The news then came that the Selangor Chief Minister (MB) Khir Toyo has overruled the PM's letter and has called for the operation to carry on. Pak Lang was stunned and in tears. The villagers were stunned. The Villagers then made a human chain with the activist and waited for the ultimate assault, which was imminent.


Then a team of police under the order of the Deputy Police Chief came to arrest PSM Secretary General S.Arutchelvan, who was at that time the key negotiator. He was told to surrender but he remained defiant. Arul was then arrested, dragged and handcuffed by around ten policemen. He was then taken away to a separate police detention center.


The rest of the people continued to hold on. They managed to hold on for another half an hour, then the next series of arrest took place. Sivarajan, PSM's Treasurer, Chang Lih Kang- SUARAM were arrested, other JERIT leaders as well other activist and villagers were arrested. 13 more people were arrested, a fight broke out, more people got injured and one young lady collapsed and did not regain consciousness. She was taken to the Hospitals. The authorities moved from every angle, one house was razed and the rest went down one by one. The resistance collapsed under a heavy presence of riot police with authorities outnumbering the people to 3 to 1.


All arrested were taken to Ulu Kelang police station except for Arutchelvan who was kept at Ampang Police Headquaters. He was later taken to Ulu Kelang and after a massive protest by Human Rights Groups, all those arrested were released just before midnight the same day. They were released on police bail and told to report at the Ampang magistrate on 4 th. December. Around ten police reports at different parts of the country was also done by the JERIT network condemning the arrest and the forced eviction..

At the village, the houseless people erected tents. They were still stunned how the Chief Minister- Khir Toyo can overrule a letter from the Prime Minister's department. They are now more convinced that the Prime Minister has no control. The Human Rights Commission is equally stunned and are going to call for a Press Conference the following day.


The arrest of 23 people is perhaps the first time after many years when such a huge resistance was put up. The last major resistance in an Urban Settlers area was in 1998 in Kampung Sg. Nipah where 55 people were arrested. Today the resistance in Kampung Berembang has radicalized the community there. The people are putting up tents and are staying put in the same land. Under the ruins, they are going to attempt to build their homes again.


The resistance this time also saw how the various races can unite under a class solidarity to fight the oppressor. The villagers- all of them Muslim Malays have now realized a few important lesson. They now see that the issue is simply that the Developer(capitalist) has bought over the local authorities and the State Government and police are standing behind them. The Prime Minister letter did not stand. The only people who stood with the poor urban settlers were other settlers from various ethnic and comrades from the socialist party and the JERIT coalition as well as ther activist. They understand who are their allies and who are their enemy.


List of people arrested:

1. Adli Abdul Rahman

2. Ahmad Tamrin

3. Arutchelvan

4. Awalluddin Sharif

5. Azman Mohd

6. Chang Lih Kang

7. Ebrahim Haris

8. Faezae Ramzi (15 years old)

9. Fiqtriey bin Al Hakimi

10. Kumaravee

11. Lechumy Devi Doraisamy

12. Lee Huat Seng

13. Mohan

14. Mohd. Rajis

15. Parames Elumalai

16. Ramachanthiran Ananthan

17. Ramalingam Thirumalai

18. Sabariah Ayoub

19. Sevan

20. Sivarajan

21. Thevarajan Ramasamy

22. V. Wani

等老天降雨？不要推卸责任 Do something, don’t just pray for rainfall

Published in Merdekareview.com on 26 Oct 2006



十年前入学的孩子，记忆中已经累积一段天空蒙蒙胧胧的记忆。每逢西南季候风吹，蓝天突然被遮挡，空气中还偶而弥漫着刺鼻的焦味。印尼周边国家如马来西亚、新加坡、汶莱、泰国受烟霾困扰，一眨眼，竟已10年。

不久前，在东南亚各国强烈要求下，印尼总统苏西洛宣布该国将在近期内，寻求国会通过认签《东协跨国界烟霾污染协定》。如果印尼最终认签这项协定当然是好事，但这桩“好事”有多好呢？印尼认签了协定，我们的海滩在明年这个时候还可以一片“碧海蓝天”吗？

翻回过去一个月，我国与印尼领袖针对烟霾的回应。印尼领袖说：“除非风向转变，否则我们也无能为力。”我国的领袖也祈求天降雨去烟霾。两国政府甚至互相指责对方的种植公司及伐木活动是烟霾的罪魁祸首，然后我国政府公布：“印尼拿不出名单，证明没有大马公司涉及”。看来看去，两个东南亚的老大哥，都没有把话说完。

听起来，烟霾好像变成了自然灾害，谁也不必负责，下雨过后自然会有新鲜空气。我不禁打了个冷颤，两个都是贪污贪出名堂的国家，人民这辈子也甭想知道谁在烧芭了。

让我们一起搞清楚：烧林的是哪一群人？火耕种植原是传统农民的种植方式，火耕在全世界许多人口散居、腹地辽阔的地方，是一种让土地有机会休息、积累肥料的“永续性”种植方式。传统农民或群体一般上求自给自足，因此，火耕范围很小，他们依赖森林资源，不至于把几千万公顷森林烧光，还将烟霾“输送”到邻国。

这种传统的“永续性”生产方式，却在印尼70年代土地改革中被破坏。一些原本散居的传统农民被聚集起来，让路给一些大规模种植及生产的投资者。

大规模种植业者主要是油棕业者，还有咖啡、可可。印尼政府曾经说过，扑火工作艰难，主要是很多林火热点位于沼泽林。沼泽林是稀有的生态区，一般上是保护区，为什么会变成种植区不在话下。然而，可以想像财力雄厚、并拥有政治势力的大规模种植公司，为了盈利不惜破坏环境。

如果说伐木业是目前全世界最赚钱的行业之一，为什么种植公司不选择伐木然后卖掉赚钱？印尼多年来的伐木活动已经毁掉许多原始热带雨林，这些公司近年来“趁风势”所烧的森林主要是没有经济价值的次生林，或是伐木后的“残余林”。另外，由于印尼政府征收橡胶树桐的砍伐及出口税，未有政策奖掖应用橡胶树桐的公司，所以，很多老橡胶林也因此“葬身火海”。

资料显示，1997年的霾害中，印尼政府提控至少167家涉及非法烧林活动的公司，然而，审讯过程繁锁冗长，到了2000年只有一家公司罪名成立被处罚。发展中国家法制不健全、执法不严的问题，往往让这些大财团有机可乘，通过剥削自然环境积累资本。对财团来说，在发展中国家“钱”可以解决的问题都不是问题。

认识印尼在遏止烧林活动的能力后，那我们要问，认签了《东协跨国界烟霾污染协定》能改变多少？目前，我们听到的是马、新、泰、汶已经放话：早一点签署，我们可以早一点启动拨款机制。

的确，协定中列明东南亚各国在监控、评估、预防及回应的合作方向，比如：交换资讯、技术、专才。而印尼在认签这项协定后，需在国内制订有助于解决烟害的政策及修改法令。但印尼最终是否会揪出非法烧林的公司，这还需取决于他们国内的政治意志。做为一份“指导性”协定，就算烟霾继续或恶化，根据协定中第27条文，各国也只能“通过友好地咨询及协商解决。”

许多针对环境问题设计的跨国性或国际性协定，纵使在认签国修正了国内的法令后，也因国内本身的司法、执法、教育、经济、民众参与度等问题，成了无爪的老虎。

至此，笔者不想制造一种“都是印尼政府、种植业、伐木业的错！”的印象，因为印尼人民本身也深受烟霾困扰。经济活动是一种人与人之间的互动，当非法烧芭活动进行时，我们是否在入口、消费着源自于印尼烧芭活动的商品？如：家具木材、食物油、化妆品等等，间接成了烧芭活动的帮凶？

就算“没有大马公司涉及烧芭活动”是一句真话，我们也有权利知道自己是否正在掏腰包购买“烧芭财团”的产品，政府必须公布：国内什么集团与“烧芭财团”有商业关系，让这些典当环境赚钱的利益集团，承担更多社会责任，为环境遭破坏付出更多补偿！

必须做的事真的太多了，如果只祈求老天爷降雨，恐怕老天爷也不会同情不动脑筋的人。假使印尼认签了《东协跨国界烟霾污染协定》， 虽然值得掌声鼓励，但那只是小小的一步。

Do something, don’t just pray for rainfall

Young Malaysians who entered school ten years ago all remember a period of time when the sky was often shrouded by haze during southwestern monsoons. Every time a southeast wind blew the blue sky disappeared, and occasionally saturated the air with a stench that irritated the nose. Countries neighbouring Indonesia, like Singapore, Burnei and Thailand have been disrupted by low visibility and choking haze for ten years.

Not long ago, Indonesia was urged by ASEAN countries to promptly ratify the ASEAN Transboundary Haze Agreement. Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said earlier that Jakarta would ratify the treaty. It would be good news even though the Indonesian government is the last ASEAN country that finally ratified the treaty. However, will Indonesia's ratification make a difference? Are the mechanisms in the treaty effective enough to overcome the annual smog?

How did the Malaysian and Indonesian leaders respond to this issue recently? Both prayed to God for rainfall. They also condemned each other for allowing their logging and plantation companies to practice slash-and-burn as a cheap and illegal means of land-clearing. In the end, the Malaysian government claimed that "the Indonesian government was unable to provide us the list of company names; therefore, no Malaysian company is involved in burning the forest." Neither of them has provided us the whole story.

It seems like nobody is willing to admit responsibility for the haze pollution. It has become a type of natural disaster - I trembled at the very thought of it. We can never know who is burning the forest, causing health and environmental degradation.

Let us figure out, who is burning the forest. In traditional agriculture fire has been used as a tool to clear the lands. Slash-and-burn has been extensively used in many places by traditional farmers. Sustainability of fertile soil can be expected in such a relatively, small-scale operation. Traditional farmers often demand and ensure their self-reliance and self-sufficiency in such operations. They rely on the resources of the forest; it is unlikely of them to destroy the vast area of forest until the smoke and haze is “exported” to their neighbours hundreds of miles away.

Such a "sustainable" mean of land-use has changed since the land reform of Indonesia in 1970s. Traditional agriculture has given way to forest conversions for the expansion of agricultural lands, settlements and tree crop-based large-scale plantations.

Those large-scale plantation companies mainly grow oil palm, coffee and cocoa. The Indonesia government once mentioned that fire suppression is difficult and costly as most of the “hot spots” are located in peat-swamp areas. Peat-swamp areas are so rare that they are usually protected as ecological reserves. We should question how these reserves were converted into agricultural land. From here, we can see how those companies undermine the environment in order to make profits.

Logging is one of the most profitable industries, but why didn’t the plantation companies just cut down the timber and sell it off? In fact, tropical forests in Indonesia have been destroyed after many years of logging activities. Most of the burning areas are unproductive over-logged forests and jungle rubber. In addition, the Indonesian government imposes heavy export taxes on sawn rubber timber. There are no incentives to encourage these companies to process and utilize rubber woods; therefore, the rubber timber are always goes up in smoke.

Some research shows that, in 1997, at least 167 companies were prosecuted for illegal slash-and-burn activities. However, only one company was sentenced. The dysfunction of the legal system and its weak implementation in developing countries can be easily taken advantage of as opportunities for those financial groups to accumulate capital at the price of environmental degradation.

What will be done if the Indonesian government ratifies the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution? Recently, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei have urged Indonesia to promptly ratify the treaty, which would allow the group to work out and put a regional firefighting fund into operation.

There are various provisions in the agreement for each party to adhere to its obligations in terms of monitoring, assessment, prevention and response. If Indonesia ratifies the treaty, they will need to amend or formulate some policies to tackle the smog. Under Settlement of Disputes (Articles 27), the agreement states: “Any dispute between parties as to the interpretation or application of, or compliance with, this agreement or any protocol thereto, shall be settled amicably by consultation and negotiation.” As the agreement lacks an effective dispute settlement mechanism, the effectiveness of the measures to prevent and control activities that cause haze pollution still depends on the political will within the Indonesian government.

In fact, there are many international treaties which are designed to combat the environmental problems. However, after they were ratified by the relevant countries, domestic problems in legislation, implementation, education, economics and public participation, amongst others, has always undermined commitment to the agreement.

In the end, we should not only blame on the Indonesian government, plantation companies and logging companies. Indonesian people themselves are also suffering. Economics activities are interactions between human beings. When the forest is burning, are we not consuming the products made of the materials from the burning forests, and thus do we not become the accomplices of these illegal activities?

Even if we assume that “no Malaysian company is engaged in burning the forest”, we still have the right to know whether we are buying products from corporations which are involved in illegal burning. We should demand that these corporations fulfill their social obligations by paying compensation for degrading the environment and the health of their fellow Malaysians.

Even if the Indonesian government ratifies the treaty, it does not mean that the haze pollution problem will be solved next year. It will be just a small step.

#

FTA + Protest+ Media = ?

NOTHING about our protest against FTA is seen in the local newspapers.

The Oriental Daily described the protesters or Anti-free Trade Alliance as "EXTREMISTS"!

Should we send these editors abroad to see who are the real EXTREMISTS?

How far can our media go?

How far can the readers, the audience reach?

People never learn from the past.

That's why people always repeat the same mistakes.

Do not trade our rights away

The Third-round of the US-Malaysia FTA talks was held this morning. I went to join a protest organized by the Anti-Free Trade Alliance in front of the Sheraton Imperial Hotel.

I studied quite a number of cases regarding free trade agreements between the US and the developing countries like Mexico, Latin Americans, African countries,etc. These agreements have jeopardized jobs and deprived poor people of cheap, generic drugs.

I think at this moment, most of the Malaysians still unable to figure out the disadvantages and the impacts of the FTA. Despite the potential threats of the free trade agreement, I was told that the coalition has been trying to demand a talk or a dialog with the delegations of the Malaysian government, however,their request has been rejected again and again.

What Malaysian should now concern is :there is no CONSULTANCY and TRANSPARENCY in the process of decision-making, thus , there is no ACCOUNTABILITY in the agreement.

The delegations or negotiators should disclose the details of the talks. Why all this secrecy? What are they trying to hide from the public?

The US Congress has to approve FTAs negotiated by its Trade Representative before they can come into effect - and involve Parliament in the decision to sign the FTA. Would our Parliament ask for a white paper? A public hearing? A parliamentary debate? Or (set up) a parliamentary select committee to discuss the agreement?

Unfortunately, Parliament has been silent on the matter. There has no public participation with stakeholders. Can we hope for an open and fair discussion?

They should stop the talks now and talk to the people.

Do not trade our land, water, air, education, health, democracy away.
Do not trade our rights away.

Do not wait until it is too late.

Wild Life

My adventure in the UK has come to the end finally.
I came back to Malaysia a month ago.

One week after I arrived, I started my working life in our capital - Kuala Lumpur.

Currently, I am working for the Publicity Department in a political party.
I have not been updating my Blog since I came back.

Things will never be the same after you have left some people or some places for a long time.

Now I am living and working in a strange city, with a lot of strangers (who soon has become my friends). This is my new life.


There are full of things and people that can make oneself happy or unhappy, contented or dissatisfied, full of hopes, or the worst, making your dream scattered.

I never dare to have any high expectations on anything, however, it is still hard to deal with people or things that are disappointing.

I think, that's life.

That's life?

KC said to me:"no matter what you have chosen, the most important thing is, you think 'That's matter!' "

Should I continue to write on my blog?

伦敦拼图 9月13日－18日, Amazing London

这是我今年第二次到伦敦。上一次逗留，是今年初前往MANCHESTER时，在伦敦转车的短短数小时。当时已经匆匆地游览过了白金汉宫、海德公园、TOWER BRIDGE、西敏寺国会大厦几个非常著名的景点，这一次到伦敦，我决定集中脚力在“逛博物馆”！

感谢平，让我在他的新居住了五个晚上，让我再次有机会享用大男生准备的食物。在伦敦这几天，到过的主要地方依序为：国家艺术画廊、大英博物馆、 大自然博物馆、Victoria and Albert博物馆、英国剧作家莎士比亚剧场（仿造建筑）、思想家马克思的墓地、BBC新闻中心、百年历史的黑人市场、FOREST HILL HORNIMON 博物馆。

在伦敦这几天，一个人看地图走走逛逛、迷路、搭地铁、巴士的感触很复杂。这份心情笔记整理起来也挺不容易。决定不去做过多的描绘，只告诉大家自己身处其中的感觉。

在国家艺术画廊内最失望，因为梵谷、莫纳及毕加索的画作都被移走了！不过，还好看到许多古典主义画派的作品，我凭着很多年前在暨大选修的“西方美术史”的一点点印象，来鉴赏墙上的画作，也算没有白走一趟，只是有点恨当时没把老师的讲义拿在手上！

大英博物馆好大好大，建筑物像是由圆润的石柱撑着，我在里面走了六小时，最激动的时刻就是看见了埃及木乃伊，起初我以为它们被搬到上海参展了，后来询问了柜台，才在另一个展厅找到它们。然而，在“中国展览厅”那里有点寂寞，因为曾经听说敦煌莫高窟、北京圆明圆内很多宝物都被盗来了当时的“大英帝国”，但在那儿，我只从一面墙上，看到一幅相信是从莫高窟搬回来的大壁画，我找不到有关它的说明，所以无法确定，不过，有九成像。这个博物馆的另一个好处就是，参观者可以在里面拍照。我知道照相机的镁光灯对古文物不好，但既然馆方不介意，那我当然不客气了。

与平、Steven共进晚餐时，我说：“这次看见木乃伊和在中国看见千年古尸的感觉一样，我因好奇而想看，但看了后又觉得它们不属于这个世界，而觉得心里不舒服。”然后不知怎的，平与Steven 就争论起到底大英博物馆做的是“替没有能力的人们进行文物保护工作” 还是“展示盗窃回来的古文物帝国主义”？我并不积极地参与他们的辩论，对我来说，盗来的，就是盗来的。不过， 像古埃及、古希腊神殿或宫殿的那些理石人像、石雕，重甸甸的，他们当年有本事运回英国，也算他们有本事了！

大自然博物馆与V& A博物馆只隔一条街。大自然博物馆内刚好有一项恐龙展，印象中，读初中时，我的父母曾经带我去吉隆坡参观过了。这两所博物馆的展出内容不提，单单是它的建筑物，就已经极有历史、美术价值。大大的拱形门、拱形窗、层层叠叠… … 那种属于帝国的气势，我也只在伦敦感受到。

星期六一早，我参观了1992年才落成的莎士比亚剧场，对莎士比亚的作品存有的一点记忆，来自在中国求学时的初恋。那时，在暨大旁的小小电影院观赏过《哈姆雷特》，选修“外国文学史”时，也读了关于莎翁及其作品的事。以前看书时，还看到人们争论到底莎士比亚到底是不是真有其人？然而，据这个剧场的响导所言，莎士比亚真有其人，而且因戏剧成为伦敦的富人。他的剧场当年能容纳3千多人，在那个年代的英国，是皇室与国会的斗争时代，甚至非常有政治影响力。伟人的成就往往只限他那代人，这位戏剧大师和我接下来去“探访”的马克思一样，至今已经没有后代，然而，他们的作品、思想对现今人类社会依然发挥着影响力。

离开莎士比亚剧场之后，我无意间走到一个社区，那里有一条走道，筑起了一道长长的墙，记载了这个社区争取成为保护区的历史。我看到一句让人动容的话：“OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO PROMOTE HUMAN DIGNITY （我们的目标是推广人的尊严）”。

我与Steven在星期六下午，走了好长、好长的一段路，终于找到了HIGHGATE CEMETRY！没想到，墓园管理人竟向我们每人征收两镑入场券，好吧！看在伟人的份上！在中国求学的时候，我家的官员“不鼓励”马来西亚学生在中国选修关于马克思主义的科目，现在，如果他们知道在西方的学府，教授们能够名正言顺地向各国同学介绍马克思、社会主义，这些政治部人员肯定暴跳如雷！我想，天底下也只有害怕人民太聪明、而发现自己不断做错事的政府，才会去限制、阻止人民接受不同的思想。

我们没买一镑的墓园图，因此在墓园里找了好久，路上偶然发现一些华人的坟墓，Steven是英国出生的华人，他不断地问我一些以中文书写的墓碑上的中文字，待我解释了一轮后，他咋舌道：“好复杂！”马克思的坟墓在一个转角处，他与妻子、女儿、孙子同葬一穴，墓壁上一面刻着：“THE PHILOSOPHERS HAVE ONLY INTERPRETED THE WORLD IN VARIOUS WAY。THE POINT HOWEVER IS TO CHANGE IT （哲学家只是以不同的方式对这个世界进行诠释，然而，重点是要改变它。）”另三面是空白的。此刻，我带着复杂的心情向他致以万二敬意。墓前有两束鲜花，是由中国新疆生产建设兵团代表团献上的，我真的很想知道，这些从小接触马克思思想教育的中国人，生活在经济迅速发展的中国，站在马克思墓前，他们在想什么？

其实我也没想什么复杂的事。马克思墓的四周，也是许多民权运动者、革命人士的安息地。我想起吉隆坡的林连玉墓，华教人士深怕华裔子弟忘记他，在他的墓上刻着满满的介绍，我问Steven说：“马克思的坟墓怎么没有关于他的介绍？”他说：“不用写大家都知道的。”那，大马华人的林连玉呢？突然，我感到很悲哀。

这一个傍晚，我们走了很久，从OXFORD CIRCUS 走到STRAND，才找到平工作的BBC。走入这个许多新闻从业员梦寐以求的新闻殿堂，我不禁再次回想，新闻专业出身的我，究竟会在哪里落脚？

星期日的中午，我再次独自出发，这回，我选择了大象堡（Elephant and Castle）附近的一个市集。前往目的地的路上，很多小商店都是由黑人经营，原来，我来到了黑人区。市集很像马来西亚的Pasar Malam， 唯一不同的是，这里的摊主95％是黑人。与其中一位白人摊主聊天时，才知道这个市集已有100年以上的历史，高峰期时，整千人将马路挤得水泄不通，这里很多摊主已经第二代、第三代人。我觉得最有趣的是，光碟摊主们摆卖了各自国家生产的流行乐、电影，形成“一摊一国”的景象。打听之下，原来他们的租金一天24英镑。

这里的第二代、第三代黑人说的英语和英国人一模一样，够标准了吧？但我在巴士上、大街上还不是黑人一堆、白人一堆的多，我说啊，我们的政府，怎么能够认为华小、淡小的存在是国民无法团结的原因？

脚累了。行程也越来越松散了。一个人四处旅行曾经是我浪漫的个人主义梦想，然而，在英国这一年，我却无法如此洒脱。

我想，这回是我在英国第一次，不去想为什么，手指指着地图，想去哪里，就去哪里，独自在大街上闲逛。没人理会你身上有没有钱，没人理会你下一站到什么地方，这几天，这个样子，我已经很满足了。总算不太狼狈。

＃

小镇印象二：朴茨茅斯 (9月10日－13日)Impression of Portsmouth

我到朴茨茅斯之前，心里有一幅画面来自JANE AUSTEN 的 Mansfield Park中女主角FANNY的老家。临河而建的民房，勾勒出英国18世纪平民生活的景像。电影中，FANNY和她的父母、八个兄弟姐妹挤在小小的双层房子。

火车驶进PORTSMOUTH时，我的第一印象是：“好可爱啊！”

先说吃的，在朴茨茅斯这几天，明特地为我准备了许多食物，有回锅肉、糖醋排骨、排骨粟米汤、药材汤、鱼（这是我在英国一年来第一次看见有头有尾巴的整条鱼！）

隔天中午，我们俩参观了由亨利八世（Henry VIII）在1545年所修建的SOUTHSEA CASTLE，这座城堡有厚厚的城墙以抵御外敌，城墙内还有炮弹、历史走廊，当天晚上，我们徒步到老朴茨茅斯，那里的海景也是被一堵城墙遮挡住了。穿越城墙，两艘大客轮在我面前驶过，客轮的灯火让我看清它展现在漆黑海面的轮廓，我再次想像TITANIC远征大西洋的孤独身影，远古的悲剧，想来心里还是戚戚然。

OLD PORTSMOUTH 的尽头是海堤，对岸是新式渡轮港上的一座SPINNAKER TOWER，横看像一支火箭，侧看像一条鱼，夜晚发出蓝色的光芒，如此怪诞的建筑物在对照彼岸的古老城镇，到底规划师要表达什么东西？这让我感到非常郁闷。

第三天，我们步行走到了另一个英国文学家CHARLES DICKENS的出生地。虽然只记得中学时代读过他的David Copperfield, 却也不太记得故事内容，但我向来对名人的故居都很有兴趣，DICKENS 出生在三层楼加一层甲楼的排屋。房屋的大小和马来西亚的豪华三层排屋应该差不多。当我看到屋里橱柜、桌椅的家居摆设时，我惊讶地告诉明：“我到过英国人的家里，他们的家庭还是如此摆设，没想到他们几百年来生活的场景还是一样”，她说：“英国人是很念旧的，很少看到英国人家里有特别新颖款式的家具。”我回想几年前在中国，参观过的博物馆、故居的旧中国家居，在中国的城市地区几乎已经找不到那种古旧的风情了。

据说DICKENS死在屋里的长凳上，但较有争议的一点是：究竟如官方所说，他在家里进餐时中风的？还是坊间所传说，在红颜知己Nelly的家里中风后，由马车载送回家，然后死在那张长凳上？虽然有证据显示为后者，但女主角由始至终都没有承认（据说是为了保护DICKENS的名声），而此故居开放给公众以来，Nelly 都没有访问过这里。若真爱过，为其躲在暗处也是一种牺牲吧？

过后，我们往朴茨茅斯的另一端过去。是昨晚的彼岸。海堤区名为COMMON HARD，海上停泊着一艘造于1860年的战舰HMS Warrior，是当年最大、速度最快、设备最齐全的。与古战舰平行的便是SPINNAKER TOWER，高塔下是人来人往的渡轮港口兼商业中心。

走进了NIKE专卖店，我非常不明白，一双NIKE在英国最低价能以25英镑买到（ 以英国的最低工资5.05镑计算，一名在超市打工的年轻人做一天工就能拥有了），但在我成长的社会，却能成为年青人所趋之若鹜的高级流行商品。

一路上，明好几次对我说，英国很多老房子的外墙都被一些攀沿植物覆盖着，常令她觉得阴森恐怖起疙瘩，我却觉得让四季的不同色彩在墙上更替，是一件非常可爱、浪漫的事，再说，在森林面积迅速消失的今天，能被花草树丛包围着，不也是一种幸福吗？

＃

小镇印象一：南安普顿 (9月9日－10日) In Southampton

星期六早上，我乘搭廉价巴士（预先在网上购买的1镑巴士票）到Southampton找珊，明也同时在那里等我。

Southampton 中文称南安普顿，我错把17点45分当成4点45分，提供了错误讯息，结果害两位朋友在车站干等了一个小时，真的不好意思，不过，还好她们一见如故。

到珊家吃了一顿丰富的晚餐。结果大家都累得一早便呼呼大睡。隔天，在参观完小小的南安普顿大学之后，她们陪我到当地一家医院探望恰巧入院的前室友。一进入南安普顿医院，还以为自己进入了购物中心！医院里有WHSMITH书局，还有BURGER KING！也不知道我的朋友究竟感染了什么病毒，导致她的三节背脊骨出现裂缝，需要动手术。老同学每回见面，便不知道下一次见面会在什么时候。每次分手，总是依依不舍，希望她手术后会没事。

南安普顿给我的感觉像个新镇，不像Norwich 那么多经历几百年风雨的建筑物。听说附近的一个港口是TITANIC启航的地方。倒是海边还保留了中世经城堡的一点点遗迹，在HOUSE TOWER小小博物馆内，我们穿起了罗马公主、中世纪骑士及都铎女皇的服饰。看着彼此的装扮，大家都笑弯了腰！

我们错过了海事博物馆的开放时间，失望地沿着城堡的遗迹，看见了许多老老的建筑物，突然我在一面墙上发现“JANE AUSTEN”，这位英国文学家原来曾经在这里住过！在写论文期间，我受室友的影响，观赏了多部改编自古典小说的电影，迷上了JANE AUSTEN，她的Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park，Pride and Prejudice 都是经典。

走着，走着，我们来到在一座拥有千年历史的教堂。它的对面，是都铎式建筑物，黑白对比外墙是它的最大特色，每次看见这类建筑物，我总是不禁陷入遐想。

离开古城区，我们回到了现代化的市中心，商业中心的品牌好像到哪里都一样，又是“全球化”… …

准备启程 Ready to Set Off

医院最后一天上班的情形简直无法想像，原本四个人负责的厨房，调走食物经理后已经忙得不可开交，偏偏在我的最后一天，只安排了我和另一个新同事，深深地感觉到自己是如何地被“物尽其用”。

明天，我将到英国的南安普顿和朴茨茅斯两个小镇分别逗留的两天及三天。过后，我将在伦敦逗留了五天。这也是我在英国期间，第一次独身上路，当然是在朋友的收留下，离天NORWICH 超过一个星期。告别Norwich， 期待新知识、新体验！

I had a terrible last day working at the hospital, they only arranged two hosts for our kitchen! They used to have four assistants working in one kitchen. After restruturing, they took off the post of Chef Manager, therefore the rest of the kitchen hosts have become busier than before.

Forget about those unhappy things in the hospital. Tomorrow, I am going to visit my friends who live in Southampton, Portsmouth and London respectively. I shall leave my blog for at least two weeks. After saying goodbye to Norwich, I hoped for a fruitful trip, filled with friendship and new insights in the UK.

#

街头卖艺者 The sun-warmed buskers in Norwich

想拍他们很久了，过了整个星期的雨天，下午拿起相机到大街上四处闲荡，晒晒太阳，两个多小时内就遇上了七个街头卖艺的青年。

I have hoped to take their pictures long time ago. This beautiful sunny afternoon was a good chance. Within three hours, I ran into seven buskers, who were playing with their musical instruments.

#

写完了! I have finished my dissertation

论文的初稿在8月16日完成，比预料的时间表迟一天，修修改改一个星期后，终于可以拿去装订了。

真的不敢相信，我来英国就快一年了... ...
一年前，S叫我“有多远，走多远，再也不要回来这个鬼地方。”
一年后，我禁不住问，蓝天底下，真的有天堂吗？

即将要启程，回去那个“鬼地方”了。

Finally, I have completed my 11,000 words dissertation. I shall submit it after binding.

Time files, my "adventure" in the UK has come to the end.
Last Sept, before boarding, S told me, "go as far as you can, never come back again..."
At this moment, I am wondering : Can we really find a paradise in the world?

Time to set off. I shall be going back to that place like a "hell" soon.

#

Rising crime rate, degrading public security

We have created another “boleh”(capability) in Malaysia now.

Crime “boleh”! The crime rate of our country has been rising dramatically, unofficially in the past few years, according to the intuition and experience of the public.

In 1997, two weeks before I went to further my studies in China, my handbag has been snatched away near my house. I lost my newly bought Sony digital tape recorder.

In April 2004, before national election, my car window of front passenger seat has been smashed after I came back from an assignment, luckily, I did not put valuable things in the car. It costed me RM240++ to fix the window.

In July 2004, my mum’s handbag was snatched away by a robber who shown his knife while she was waiting for my father at a bus stop. She was injured because the robber pushed her to the floor after he got her handbag.

Most of my friends in Journalism have scary experience being robbed. My ex-colleague in NanyangSiangPau even lost her life……

Recently, my friend sent me an email telling me how worse the public security in Malaysia is. Another friend who just graduated from Hong Kong has been robbed on the second day after she arrived in Kuala Lumpur.

I will be back soon. I don’t want to be one of the victims, though I was; I don’t want to lose my laptop, my personal belongings and important documents.

I feel shame if I ask my foreign friends to come over to travel in Malaysia now, because I do not know how to protect them from all these things. Perhaps the Minister of Tourism will be very angry if he saw this article. We have lovely forests, beaches and delicious food, but I don’t want my friends who come from abroad to be the victim of robbery or rape.

Everybody is blaming on the inefficiency of the police force, but I am so disappointed as our government does not have a strong political will to reform our police force according to the recommendation of Police Royal Commission, including the formation of Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). At the same time I will plead for our police force: Please increase their salaries and welfare.

In theory, underpay should not be an excuse for them to be demoralized, however even factory workers are fighting for a basic salary as much as RM900, how can we expect those policemen to work hard with a basic salary which is only RM800 ?!! In reality, if they have no enough money to survive and raise their family, we can only continue to see how they arrest prostitutes who are harmless instead of cold-blooded armed-robbers.

More or less, we have to believe that those robbers will not become a robber or drug-addicted if they have a proper job or have been given a chance to stand up by themselves in the society. What’s wrong with our development policy? Some people just simply get too much, but some get nothing.

http://whiteflag99.spaces.live.com/
http://www.you-zi.net/AskForPeace/

小Dugong之死, the death of "Mermaid"

2006 年7月中旬，一只身长1.5公尺的小儒艮(有人叫它美人鱼)被发现死在柔佛州西南部的海域。小Dugong被当地一名渔夫发现时已经死亡，它生命里的最后时刻是在被遗弃的渔网中挣扎。在这片拥有全马来半岛最大面积海草床的蒲莱河流域，时常有Dugong的出没，然而，至今，它们的数量仍旧是一个谜。

Dugong之成为稀有动物的其中一个原因是：一只Dugong妈妈需要3年至5年的时间，才能生出小Dugong。而小Dugong出生在这片充满贪婪欲望的地球，似乎已经注定了它早逝的风华。

Sadly, on the 21 July 2006, a 1.5-m long dugong carcass was found at Pendas. The dugong was entangled in discarded nets and was already dead when discovered by a local fisherman. In fact during the last decade, there have been a number of reports of incidental captures of dugongs in the Pulai River Estuary. But until now, the number of dugongs living here remains a mystery.

论文 Dissertation

八月份，同学之间最流行的问候语：“你的论文写得怎样？”
毕业论文的字数是8000－12000字，这几个星期除了下午打工，早上、晚上我都在拼字数。
写论文的过程需要字字斟酌，虽然获益不浅，但每天重复地做着同样的事，其实很无聊。

一位同学突发其想说：为什么毕业只有一种模式？为什么我们不能以舞台剧来表达我们的想法？

以前接触儿童感觉统合培训时，我认识到一个人的说、听、读、写能力，是一个复杂的大脑感觉统合的过程，不是每个人的感觉统合都可以发展得很完善。

但我不太确定，具备了这些完善的能力又如何？为什么我会有不自由、被捆绑的感觉，教育如果没有将个人解放，它其实在为谁服务？

In August, the most popular way of greeting is "how's your dissertation?"
The word limit for dissertation is between 8000-12000 words, in the past few week, apart from working in the evening, I devoted all my time on my dissertation. The process is fruitful, but it is really boring when you put yourself in repeating the same thing all the time.

One of my coursemates suddenly asked me,"Why must we write a long dissertation to get the degree? Why can't we present our arguements or opinions by singing or dancing in the play?"

When I involved myself in Sensory Integration Training, I realized that being able to talk, to listen, to read and to write is a very complex process of sensory integration. Not every child can develop their ability thoroughly.

I am not entirely sure, so what if a person obtained all these abilities? Why do I still have the feeling of being held in bondage and unfree? If an individual has not been emancipated, who does education serve substantially ?
#

树莓. Raspberries

几个月前，第一次在英国吃到这种小小的、红红的、长毛的水果－－人间极品... ...， 连名字都像是属于仙女的－－树莓。

The first time I ate it, I cannot forget its sweet and juicy...the cute, little, hairy, red Raspberries.

改变需要力量!! Join together to change!

最近， 我开始厌倦自己的生气和情绪化的“暴力倾向”，因为歧视无所不在。今天在医院，就连躺在病榻上的一个英国老奶奶，都有气没力地当着我的面，对我的英国同事说，因为我是外国人，所以她想往我吐一口痰。幸好，我的英国同事事后以对自己同胞的批判极力安慰我，或许她年老意识不清醒，我不跟她计较，不过，这也让我错愕了好一阵。

我在想，或许，马来西亚唯一和其它国家不同的地方是：我们的种族与宗教歧视政策是清清楚楚f地写在宪法中，发展政策中。全世界各国足以发生冲突的表面理由，在小小的马来西亚都找得到。

不要再要求政府给我们公平与正义。“政府”是谁？没有人民，政府什么都不是。那么人民是谁？人民是由社会不同的个人组成。我们必须承认总是有一小撮人在黑暗中与魔共舞，夜夜丰收，他们也势必尽一切努力保住现状，否则功亏一篑。

受委屈的各族大马人民啊，不要在找理由为他们辩护了！不要再继续忍耐这些所做所为了，每个曾经生气过，过后说：“没办法，是这样的啦！”的个人都要为今天的僵局负起部分责任，这是一种助纣为虐的默许。

参与非政府组织的活动吧！是的，他们的活动或许不够草根性，说着你听得不太懂的语言，那么自己和志同道合的朋友组织一个团体好了，利用自己订下的时间呱噪一番。网络资料是自制传单的好材料，就算只派给你家周围的50户邻居。如果你与任何MAMAK档或翻版VCD商相熟，拜托他们做个人情，帮你派传单。

噢，大选还没有来临？但我想民主的意义并不局限在那五年一次的公式化、受操纵的投票结果。接下来，写信给你想教训的政府部门，告诉他们你不满什么，将他们的信箱塞满，不要仅仅依赖政党，政党固然有它的影响力，但也不是灵丹药。朋友们，停止悲情吧， 想点什么付诸行动吧！

Recently, I am sick of being angry and emotional anymore, discrimination is everywhere. Even in the hospital, the old British lady who is laying on the bed today told my colleague in front of me that she want to spit on me, just because I am a foreign worker. Fortunately, my colleague has consoled me with his own critics to his own nation.

Perhaps, the only difference between Malaysia and other countries is: our racial and religious discrimination policy is clearly written in our constitution, in development policies, everywhere.

We should not beg our government to give us fair and justice. Who is the "government"? Without the people, it means nothing. Who are the people? People are consist of different type of individuals, we must admit that a small groups of people must have benefited from unjust and injustice, so they will try everything to maintain status quo. Then majority of people who are suffering from these unjust and injustice should not endure furthermore, everybody has the responsibility for the stalemate nowadays, because they are giving acquiescence to the devil at the same time.

Join the NGOs... yes I know, most of the NGOs are not grass roots-oriented, organize your own initiative group with your friends if you like, make some noise, use the materials online, design and print your own flyers, even just distribute to your 50 neighbours, if you are familiar with any mamak stall or pirate VCDs stall, ask the owner to give you a space for your flyers.

And yes, election is not coming yet, but we should not only wait for the National Election. Next, fill government department's mailbox with letter of complaints. Do not merely rely on certain political parties, they can have their influence sometimes but not all the time... ...Let us stop mourning, let us think of something to do together.

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Trip to Colchester 22/7-23/7

It takes one hour to Colchester by train--I took my first train in the UK.It was a visit to my idol friend-ChinHuat, who is currently studying in University of Essex. It was a pleasant visit to him and his friends- all of them are knowledgeable and gracious.

On the day I arrived, we visited to the Victorian funfair held at St Botolph's Church and Priory. I saw people who dressed up themselves in Victorian customes, I felt like went back to 200 years ago. We also joined the anti-war protest organised by his friend. I think probably they organised the protest in rush, or maybe most of the supporters have joined the demonstration in London, not many people turned up.

On the way back to his house, we passed by a golden wheat field and a woodland everytime, the scenery was really amazing, it reminded me of the tree spirits in the movie "The Lord of the Ring".

I met a new friend, Tim, who launched a "Save Our Bus Station campaign" early this year, which opposed against the demolition of the bus station to give way to an Art gallery project. Due to some political reasons, he concluded that "the campaign has failed, because the government has approved the project. " From the way he spoke, I could see that he is very frustrated and disappointed.

He drove us to the countryside with picturesque sunset scenery around Dedham, Lawford, Manningtree, Mistley, River Stour...... It reminded me of the countryside in Devon.....I never had any special impression about the scenery in UK, until I went to the countryside with sheep pasture that time.

I also went to the induction session of Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis and Collection. We met two Chinese from China who work for an Australia-based HIV/AIDS research centre in China, I think their job is really meaningful. The courses are quite expensive, however, I think if I have enough money, I will enrol some of the courses in the future.

My friend is an active thinker, we have several discussions on current issues, ideology, etc. It was a brainstorming and fruitful experience for me. #

大家一起不缴税！行得通吗？Can we stop contributing tax?

人民的眼睛是雪亮的？还是盲目的？这两个问题曾让身边许多朋友争得面红耳赤。历史上，有许多源自“集体行动”的产生的改变都可以为双方佐证。

今天不是要在这里辩论，想转一转提问方式了。人民有没有眼睛？当然有啊！假设人民是有眼睛的，那无论眼睛是雪亮的、还是盲目的，最后肯定都是让这一对对眼睛背后的集体行动来改变我们的社会、生活方式。

人类社会在不断地改变，这是历史的必然性。没有社会是不变的，只是看人们要怎样的改变？什么时候要改变？要以什么方式改变？

过去几个月，发生了很多事，最近的有白小2000天、血腥528、槟城警方下令解散宪法讲座、印度神庙被拆（这让我想起华社在柔佛古庙山门被拆时同样的无 力）、还有在我家附近那座建不成、却无缘无故要用我们缴的税来赔偿发展商的大桥等等，我们看到朋友们的哀嚎、无语的痛哭、许多人平静的日子彷佛再次被撕碎 了。

人们难道不想改变吗？社会运动的理论让我眼花缭乱，头昏脑胀。可以肯定的是，对美好生活的追求往往都是人们选择改变的原因。至于怎样的“美好生活”，不同 的生活环境、不同的社群，因着不同的文化、宗教背景自有不同的诠释。偏偏人类社会对“美好生活”的定义感觉上越来越不由自主，媒体消费广告中对“上流社 会”的吹棒、对以金钱换取的物质享受进行的宣传美化，已经让一个人还在母亲的子宫里时，就开始接受“污染”。

我不由自主地想，如果繁荣、和平、昌盛是被媒体、掌权者描绘在一大片纸张上，最后纸张背后的贫穷、不平等、不正义、污染、劳累、受压迫的，会蜂涌将这纸张 挤破冲出来，重新拼凑另一张图？还是会有一群人，去把这张纸撕破？那变革的关键时刻－－就是那一刻，是怎样形成的？会在什么时候？

对于现状，不满的、气愤的人们是想改变的，当然，总有一些即得利益者是乐于维持现状的。我们要教那些即得利益者认识到，由你拥有的利益所衍生的忿怒，有一 天势必将你所拥有的，一瞬间化为乌有。也有人认为，大多数人都很忙，赚钱都没有时间了，没时间想那么多，大家都在等待别人帮他们改变现状。

然后我问，白小等了2000天，还不够吗？很多人急了，我斗胆请教华教界前辈后进们，如果说华教是一场运动，运动应该是一场斗争，然而守在自己的堡垒那么 多年，只守不攻，在作战策略上，是不是会造成内耗？好好的白小就在眼前，为什么没有人敢去橇开大锁、占领校园？这是在展现人民对政府的宽容还是善良？还是 对集体力量逐渐消逝的悲观及没有信心？

朋友们一直提醒我，我们的社会没有让运动更加激进的条件。条件要继续创造，人们的悲愤要继续被组织成为力量，以暴力反抗暴力只会让我们失去支持、同情心。 我无语。我心想，今天那些拆毁印度神庙、焚烧神像的人应该感谢他们的回教堂还安然无恙，因为他们所积累的民怨，还没有爆发到具毁灭性的时刻。

当我看见领取政府奖学金的学生在英国求学的日子消遥自在、买车代步，当面对国内课题，他说“你必须尊重我选择这个不正义的政府的自由...我相信大专 法令及内安法令是用来对付恐怖份子的...” 我突然发现，我根本不懂得处理心里那种想报复的情绪。我怀疑，自己也变成恐怖份子了，因为，我告诉我的朋友 们，我可以接受人们在走投无路（当一个国家的司法、立法、行政机关都无法保护人们的时候）的情况下，诉诸暴力！反抗暴力的暴力不是应该马上被谴责，而应该 被解释，被理解。

除了选举，平时的我们，应该还可以有所行动，因为教人们相信选举简直就好像教小朋友相信圣诞老人会来派礼物那样。

我在想，当我们知道我们的钱被用来赔偿美景大桥承包商、被国能公司向独立发电厂购买多余无用的电量、被用来建价值5亿的发霉医院、空置的国小… …，华小、淡小、其它宗教场所只能对制度化拨地、拨款望门兴叹时，对于惩罚这个滥用人民钱财的政府，我们不能做什么吗？

换一个温和一点、不流血、无暴力的方式，大家一起不缴税！不缴税运动，行得通吗？

被欺负了，又不愿意移民，大家难道不想做些什么吗？… …

Are people blind? The question always arouses distinct opinions. There are a lot of changes in the history that can be cited as evidence for both sides.

I am not going to debate that topic today. Let me instead put to you this question: do people have eyes? Yes, of course they do. No matter whether their eyes are blind or not, there are always cases where people change society or their lifestyles through collective actions.

Human society changes constantly - this is inevitable. There is no society which never changes. It depends on what kinds of change people want. When do people want to change? What kind of methods do people choose?

Many things happened in the past few months: from School Damansara 2000 days, bloody 28 May, Police in Penang ordering the dismissal of the Constitution Symposium, Hindu temples being demolished (this reminds me of the time our government tore down the gate of Chinese Johor Ancient Temple fifteen years ago - Chinese communities were so helpless). In addtion, near the place I live, the government suddenly stopped the Scenic Bridge project. As a result, a huge amount of money has to be compensated to the contractor. Why? The reasons are still puzzling. Our friends were shocked; they mourned and cried. Their peaceful life has been torn into pieces.

Do the people want a change?

Theories of social movements continue to daze and bewilder me. The only thing I can be sure of is that the reason for people to seek changes always comes from their desire to be better-off and improve their well-being. However, in defining better-off and well-being, there are distinct interpretations among different groups with different cultural and religious backgrounds. Unluckily, nowadays, due to the advertisement propaganda about upper-class society and material-based affluence, people seem to be involuntary defining better-off and well-being narrowly. One could has been polluted by all sorts of commercial propagandas when s/he is still an embryo.

I can’t help but think, if our prosperity and peace are drawn by the media and authorities on a piece of paper, will those behind the paper living in the poverty, injustice, pollution, over-worked, exploited, one day thrust out and tear down the paper into pieces and reorganise everything? Or will there be a group of people who will go and tear down this paper? What is the drive for change? How? And when?

People who are dissatisfied with the status quo will think of change. Certainly, there are always some interest groups who profit from the status quo would rather things remain as they are. we must let them know that the anger which derived from their profits will one day deprive them of all that they have. On the other hand, some argue that people are too busy trying to maintain their livelihoods, that they have no time to think about these things, and that they are waiting for somebody else to change their status quo.

Then I asked: School Damansara (SJKC) has been waiting for 2000 days. Haven’t they had enough? More and more people are becoming impatient. Please forgive me to ask here: If we are promoting mother-tougue education as a civil rights movement, it should be a struggle. However, after so many years, is it enough just to defend ourselves instead of fighting back? In terms of strategy, isn’t it a waste of internal strength? School Damansara is just in front of us; why does nobody dare to open the gate and occupy the school? Are you trying to show that you are being benevolent or kind? Or are you losing your confidence due to the declining collective will?

I have always been reminded that we lack the conditions to be more radical. We still need to create such conditions; we need to turn anger of mass into organised strengths. If we use violence to resist, we will lose support and symphathy. Today, I am thinking, those insensitive people who bulldozed Hindu Temples are blessed. They should thank God because their mosques are still in good shape, because the frustrations they created have not yet caused destructive consequences.

When I saw those students who had earned JPA scholarships and are currently studying in the UK (who can even afford to buy a car here), I was told by some of them not to discuss sensitive national issues with them. When they said, ”you must respect my choice even if I vote for this unjust government… I am not entitled to comment on AUKU or ISA, I think they are preventive acts against terrorism....", I suddenly realize that I've no way of managing my feelings of vengeance. I feel that I am also a terrorist now. I even told my friends that when people have no other choice (in terms of when state apparatuses are not protecting people anymore), violence in resistance should not be condemned; it should be explained and comprehended in a rational way.

I believe that we are obliged to take more action apart from waiting for the unfair and unbalanced election. Asking people to oppose using their votes will be unlikely to bring changes in a short time. Not even kids believe in Santa Claus nowadays.

I also think, when we knew that our tax money has been used to build a moldy hospital which costs 500 million ringgit in Johor Bahru , and some vacant National Malay schools in housing estates which are actually need National Chinese/Tamil schools, it will also be used to compensate contractor of Scenic Bridge, ……, on the contrary, people have to pay more for electricity due to the silly contract between Tenaga Nasional and independent electricity generators; those who are supporting National Chinese and Tamil schools, and other religious groups can only be deprived of their constitutional rights and being discouraged constantly from failure in getting institutionalized school/religious building reserve areas or equal allocation of financial resources, why can’t we do something?

Let us choose a moderate, non-violent way to resist. Should we stop contributing tax? Am I too naïve to think this?

People are being bullied and oppressed now; if we are relectunt to emigrate and want to stay behind in this lovely country, shoudn’t we do something together to make a change?

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