今天乘搭巴士时，司机突然将巴士停在路旁，他说脚抽筋要伸展一下大腿 。 随着，便问起包括我在内的三名乘客：“你们觉得英国的天气如何？还习惯这种季风吗？”英国人就是喜欢谈天气。
一位看起来像华裔的少女以极浓厚的英国英语搭腔: “我在这里长大，习惯了这种天气。”
巴士司机继说：“噢，我到过很多有季候风的地方，香港、新加坡、马来西亚... ...”听到他说马来西亚，我答说：“是吗？我来自大马，你在那里呆过多久？”
“我以前在那里打共产党，你知道共产党吗？你们的国家独立后，我们还在那里呆到1968年。”
“你们那时不应该再回去。”
“我们是‘协助’（他用手指在空中划了开关影号）马来西亚对付共产党，呵呵... ... 我们在柔佛海峡中央的一个岛屿驻军...”
× × × × ×
我想起去年的圣诞节，我到一户英国人家里做客，那里也有一位英国空军，同样地，他也告诉我，他曾经是专门修理战机的军人，他修的飞机打过很多共产党员... 还获颁过勋章等等。
“其实，我现在回想起来， 日军投降后，我们不该再回去... ... ”
× × × × ×
当这两位前英国军人告诉我他们占领过马来西亚、与抗日反殖民的马共打过杖... ... 其实，我都无言以对，啼笑皆非。
这种情节，令人感觉很怪。像不像凶手搭着受害人的亲友的肩膀说：“嘿！是我拿刀在他身上捅了五刀！”
原来，殖民的历史在那一代人的脑海里还是记忆犹新。我国离开那段历史还没超过50年呢！但恐怕“殖民”还没有成为历史，只是那种占领土地、掠夺资源的形式已经改变。
The bus driver stopped his bus by the road this afternoon suddenly. He told us that his leg is tired and need to rest for a few minutes.
There were only 3 passengers on the bus. Then he began to talk, “How did you find the weather here? Now is monsoon.” British like to talk about weather.
A Chinese-looked young lady replied him, “I grown up here, already get used to it. ”
The bus driver continued. “oh, I have been to many places that have monsoon, HongKong, Singapore, Malaysia…” I said, “really? I am from Malaysia, how long have you spent there? ”“I fought with communists there, do you know communist? After independence, we stayed there until 1968 … ”
“Oh? Perhaps you should not go back at that time. ”
“Well, we were ‘helping’ Malaysia that time… We based in an island between Johore Straits...My favourite fruit is rambutan! ”
× × × × ×
This reminds me of a conversation during last Christmas. I went to visit a British family. A former army who served in air force was invited. He was in charge of the maintenance of aircrafts. He had never fought with communists, but those aircrafts he repaired did. He was based in Singapore.
“Actually, now I feel we should not have gone back after Japan surrendered…”
× × × × ×
When these two gentlemen told me about their experience in fighting with communists, which have fought back Japanese during second World War , and anti-colonialism bravely with their lives, I was unable to find suitable words or sentence to reply, I can only remain speechless.
I feel odd. Just like what is always seen in the movie, the murderer appears friendly in front of the family of the victim, and said : “Yeah, I killed him with five stabs.”
The memory of colony remained fresh for those who experienced it. It was just ended half century ago for a country like Malaysia. However, it seems like at the same time, another mode of “colonialism” is invisible and appalling.
#
2006/06/27
2006/06/14
反对自由贸易协定 No-Free Trade Agreement with the US
惨了！大马与美国正在进行自由贸易协定谈判，发展中国家与发达国家签署进行自由贸易，往往是发展中国家吃大亏。课堂上讲师播放的电影讲述某加勒比海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，......小国将任大国宰割，人民的日子将越来越难过，当政府无法再保护人民的时候，人民必将要学习反抗了！我担心，当大多数人的日子越来越难过的时候，那一群精英兼利益集团会不会再次妖言惑众，把罪名套在向来自力更生的大马华人身上？政棍们！ 悬崖勒马吧！
Bad news! Malaysia and the United States began their first round of talks on a bilateral FTA. From the experience of other FTA between developed and developing countries, Malaysian's livelihood will be badly affected by Free Trade Agreement eventually. When all the barriers to trade were taken away - in fact, all the protection to people livelihood was traded away by the government, people must stand up to fight back! There are too many "trade tragedies" in many poor and developing countries, people are suffering because of FTA. In some countries, fresh milk were thrown away because the imported milk powder subsidized by the US government is cheaper than local produced milk. I am worried about when people's livelihood was ruined, will those elites/interest groups going to blame on Chinese ethnic groups that always live independently in the country again? Whose faults?
http://www.ftamalaysia.org/
http://www.malaysiakini.com
http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=1912
http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=1917
http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=1925
http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=1916
2006/06/08
A Sad open letter to the PM
Dear Prime Minister Abdullah,
When you first came into power after the 2004 general election, you promised us that you would be prime minister for all Malaysians.
In fact, I still have the letter you sent out to voters before the elections that promised you would fulfill your duties with sincerity, integrity, efficiency and fairness.
It was a letter that moved people, including staunch Opposition supporters.
There was hope that a new leadership which was more conciliatory, more willing to listen to differing views and more just was in store for the country.
And people invested in that hope by voting the Barisan Nasional back into power with a clear majority.
But recent events, including your administration's reactions to these events, have been deeply troubling.
The most recent has been the disruption of a peaceful and legitimate public forum in Penang organised by a group of non-governmental organisations that wanted to help people reclaim their rights under the Federal Constitution.
It was unfortunate, but really no longer inconceivable, that those who opposed such a civil discussion should frame their opposition in ways that incite hostility, threaten violence and make false accusations in the name of Islam, a religion that in fact promotes peace and justice. What is actually more troubling is that as prime minister, you have also publicly announced that these issues of Constitutional rights are "sensitive" and the organisers of such events must be careful not to tread on "dangerous ground", lest the government has to use the Sedition Act against them.
Why would you lend legitimacy to the argument that Malaysians should steer clear of discussing issues which affect us all as citizens, whether Muslim or non-Muslim?
By continuously telling Malaysians these issues are "sensitive" and "dangerous", isn't your administration really creating a self-fulfilling prophecy? Aren't you in fact supporting the argument that these issues should not be discussed?
Additionally, Malaysians have been reminded by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz that it's not for no reason that the word "amok" comes from the Malay community. Non-Muslims - and that easily translates to non-Malays in this country - are told we cannot speak out about the way Islam is used to formulate laws and public policies in this country even though they affect all of us.
We are told that not just the Sedition Act can be used, so can the Internal Security Act which allows for detention without trial.
In fact, I found it deeply paradoxical that Nazri could repeat the threat of the ISA at an international meeting of experts on Islam and human rights last month.
How can an unjust law be Islamic? We know it cannot, and yet, it would seem your administration is wielding it as a way to silence citizens in a democracy.
The way I see it, naming something "sensitive" and "dangerous" is just a disingenuous way of saying, "This is not open for dialogue and discussion. We might tolerate your views but only to a certain extent."
What that extent is, is left to be seen. We hope your election promises will be kept for all Malaysians, but really, many of us are more fearful than reassured.
From a non-Muslim perspective, the events leading up to the need for public discussions such as the Article 11 forum in Penang, have been disconcerting and troubling.
The painful injustice suffered by S. Shamala who found that her estranged husband could unilaterally convert their children to Islam, and the widow of M. Moorthy who discovered she could not bury her husband according to Hindu rights, are real and frightening.
But those instances of injustice are not being framed as "sensitive" by non-Muslims. They are not being used to threaten violence or incite hostility in order to silence discussion of the issues at hand.
Additionally, when you upheld the decision for the tudung to be used in police parades, did you consider how it would make non-Muslims feel? How can it still be a surprise then that most non-Malays will not join the police force?
Really, I don't need to be a Muslim or a Malay to have a stake in this country. But even that might be delegitimised because in more ways than one, I'm a minority.
And I'm constantly reminded that my views and concerns must give way to the privileges and rights of the dominant race, and a specific interpretation of the faith they profess.
But really what I want to ask you is this: Why do I have to constantly feel afraid in my own country? Why am I continuously told I have less rights to discuss important issues affecting my community?
You promised to be prime minister for all Malaysians. We hope you will remember that promise.
When you first came into power after the 2004 general election, you promised us that you would be prime minister for all Malaysians.
In fact, I still have the letter you sent out to voters before the elections that promised you would fulfill your duties with sincerity, integrity, efficiency and fairness.
It was a letter that moved people, including staunch Opposition supporters.
There was hope that a new leadership which was more conciliatory, more willing to listen to differing views and more just was in store for the country.
And people invested in that hope by voting the Barisan Nasional back into power with a clear majority.
But recent events, including your administration's reactions to these events, have been deeply troubling.
The most recent has been the disruption of a peaceful and legitimate public forum in Penang organised by a group of non-governmental organisations that wanted to help people reclaim their rights under the Federal Constitution.
It was unfortunate, but really no longer inconceivable, that those who opposed such a civil discussion should frame their opposition in ways that incite hostility, threaten violence and make false accusations in the name of Islam, a religion that in fact promotes peace and justice. What is actually more troubling is that as prime minister, you have also publicly announced that these issues of Constitutional rights are "sensitive" and the organisers of such events must be careful not to tread on "dangerous ground", lest the government has to use the Sedition Act against them.
Why would you lend legitimacy to the argument that Malaysians should steer clear of discussing issues which affect us all as citizens, whether Muslim or non-Muslim?
By continuously telling Malaysians these issues are "sensitive" and "dangerous", isn't your administration really creating a self-fulfilling prophecy? Aren't you in fact supporting the argument that these issues should not be discussed?
Additionally, Malaysians have been reminded by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz that it's not for no reason that the word "amok" comes from the Malay community. Non-Muslims - and that easily translates to non-Malays in this country - are told we cannot speak out about the way Islam is used to formulate laws and public policies in this country even though they affect all of us.
We are told that not just the Sedition Act can be used, so can the Internal Security Act which allows for detention without trial.
In fact, I found it deeply paradoxical that Nazri could repeat the threat of the ISA at an international meeting of experts on Islam and human rights last month.
How can an unjust law be Islamic? We know it cannot, and yet, it would seem your administration is wielding it as a way to silence citizens in a democracy.
The way I see it, naming something "sensitive" and "dangerous" is just a disingenuous way of saying, "This is not open for dialogue and discussion. We might tolerate your views but only to a certain extent."
What that extent is, is left to be seen. We hope your election promises will be kept for all Malaysians, but really, many of us are more fearful than reassured.
From a non-Muslim perspective, the events leading up to the need for public discussions such as the Article 11 forum in Penang, have been disconcerting and troubling.
The painful injustice suffered by S. Shamala who found that her estranged husband could unilaterally convert their children to Islam, and the widow of M. Moorthy who discovered she could not bury her husband according to Hindu rights, are real and frightening.
But those instances of injustice are not being framed as "sensitive" by non-Muslims. They are not being used to threaten violence or incite hostility in order to silence discussion of the issues at hand.
Additionally, when you upheld the decision for the tudung to be used in police parades, did you consider how it would make non-Muslims feel? How can it still be a surprise then that most non-Malays will not join the police force?
Really, I don't need to be a Muslim or a Malay to have a stake in this country. But even that might be delegitimised because in more ways than one, I'm a minority.
And I'm constantly reminded that my views and concerns must give way to the privileges and rights of the dominant race, and a specific interpretation of the faith they profess.
But really what I want to ask you is this: Why do I have to constantly feel afraid in my own country? Why am I continuously told I have less rights to discuss important issues affecting my community?
You promised to be prime minister for all Malaysians. We hope you will remember that promise.
A Malaysian citizen.
(Jacqueline Ann Surin believes that you cannot be neutral on a moving train. She is an assistant news editor at theSun.)
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