I felt homey at a Reformasi function

Last night's function organised as a Tribute to Reformasi at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall saw a motley crowd of informal Malaysians gathering for an informal event, with attendees dressed most informally. As a journalist, I felt much at home at the Chinese Assembly Hall, not because I am of Chinese descent. I felt very Malaysian indeed because there were a majority of Malaysian Malays, with a good number of Malaysian Indians and other ethic origins well representative of the NegaraKu I love. Understandably in a Tribute organised for the people involved closely with a former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a majority were from the multi-racial Opposition party spearheading reform and to replace the incumbent-getting-irrelevant Barisan Nasional government. Saudara Anwar (yes, so informal to the extent I hardly hear anyone addressing him as Datuk Seri...) was still as sprightly and spirited as almost ten years ago, leading with "Reformasi" in three loud cries in his short, motivating address. Of course, followed in good time by the fervent supporters' echoes. My estimate there was a crowd of 500-600 Malaysians who came to give credit where credit is due.

I must say the Younger listeners must be awed by the father's apple of the eye when "puteri" Nurul spoke -- with some cute Mandarin spiced rehearsals for the future! -- all too briefly. "Wo Men Xi Yi Jia Ren", I did say i an aside too my companions -- I hope this wish comes near to reality with the coming decade or two (one impatient one says the wait is too "long!":)

I applaud the Organisers for their Salute To the Reformers (too few among us,I must lament), their families and colleagues who wanted to see a reform of what they preceived as a highly corrupt government, failing i its promises of accountability, responsibility and transparency.

I was extremely proud to listen to a young man, still a student, testifying fondly of his father's small role in the Reformasi process, having been victim to the Internal Security Act and paying a high, and yet worth in the family's eyes, for his principles and convictions, spending six years at Kamunting. Yes, a few droplets did follow the law of gravity well observed by Sir Isaac Newton. I had to write this reference because of an Email I just read, but you're not privi to know. But the freeluncher did not see the watery speck in my eyes, also johnleemk of the I-I-I-connection. If some ER do not see through these few lines, the fault is entirely mine. See the aweof Helen if you need to understand the DDC. "Helen Jie2, my H2O -- don't compare with the AP queenie's flood, K!"


Another testimony worthy of note came from a fellow journalist (the late) MGG Pillai's son, Sreejit, who recalled that his father had always believed in the POWER OF THE WORD. Yes, worth rreppeating ~~ The pen is mightier than the sword. Many Malaysians have exceeede the scribe's expectations, for in Sreejit's recollectionm his Pa had told hime he would have been delighted if he could, via his writings, cause some change (or understanding) in just one reader's mind of the issues that he wrote about. Indeed, many Young Malaysians must thank this Towering Malaysian, a pioneer in online journalism and Blogging - for touching their lives, Yes?

Anwar did speak a few words, but I shall not detail lest I be accused of being a partisan Blogger which I try not to. But frankly, I always believe when it comes to NegaraKu, one can't help but be involved in partisan politics up to a certain level IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A DISCERNIBLE DIFFERENCE.However minuscule the droplet of difference.

Yesterdie, I promised an offering on "No Holes Bared". Now YOU go obediently to 2020freelunch.blogspot.com and hopefoolly, you get a dish of No Holds Barred. She may even spring a SIRprise lie on thee, blinkered ones who did not accept our INVITE to free bytes, lust night. Your loss, not ours, thine not divine.

PS: Just for the record, I am happy to report it was illuminating in catching up with one buddhist "The Monk" Stanley KohI kept addressing this "LOST" for a decade! friend as Stanley Ho (my 20million must be on my mind!). I must also mention with gladness so she won't blog madness about Desi! one Elizabeth Wong, a sometimes colleague once upon a dime but always activistic as the vista allowed, or aloud; johnleemk's Senior, Dr Lee JIn, an ENVIRONMENTALIST expert!; and in my eyes, two seasoned and truly-committed MALAYSIAN REFORMISTS, Dr Syed Husin Ali, and his brother Syed Hamid. As promised, I bought freelunch (finally!) A* kopiSuaraKeadlian and half-tehtarik-edKOPI to johnleemk, cheapskate that Desi is, and hear I am.

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As an aside, but relevant to the currrent political landscape in great flux, I
serve thee late lunch, mamybe stale, from an archived years-old write:


Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in his 22 years reign as helmsman of Malaysia, very much as a one-man show, has also seen the country through many good, and bad, and ugly, times. The most tumultuous event would, in my humble opinion, be the "sacking of Anwar Ibrahim" as the deputy premier and as deputy president of UMNO, which was followed by a series of "strange events" in the courts, and in the streets of Kuala Lumpur. For me as a journalist, these events amounted to what I'd term as "rude awakenings"; but there was not much room for putting down in words one's feelings of bewilderment and outrage at these events. Most just watched with a sense of resignation at the unfolding drama; many termed it as "sandiwara" (Malay opera), but these "shows" at least stirred many Malaysians from their life-goes-on-as-usual life-style. For once, many became more politically conscious, if not active, and they asked questions, if not in public, at least at the teh-tarik stall or higher class coffee-house, or at their favourite water-hole. People began to wonder what's happening, and where are we, as a nation, headed? Featured here is one poem composed during these interesting times, relating to the then unfolding, mainly political, events:

It Gets Curiouser and Curiouser

When I was young I was told

Spinning a story you must be bold

But it still must have a beginning

And an ending, and somethin' in between

But lately my motherland

Gave birth to very strange events

The cycle was like a record

Being played out from the end

Remember Michael Jackson's video clip

When uprooted trees regained their standing stature

Dried up safari land became green pastures

And elephant carcasses stood majestically alive again

It gets curiouser and curiouser

As was observed in Alice in Wonderland

And events in Malaysia the past decade

Closely mirror Lewis Carroll's rich imaginings

The story purportedly started in September 1998

As many Anwarists would want you to believe

That Reformasi was galvanized

When the deputy PM was excised from the head

But my friends, be reminded

It was way back on a May Day in '88

When the court sat on a holy day

A panel of junior judges sacked their chief

Salleh Abas Lord President was dismissed in a jiffy

But then DPM Anwar Ibrahim held his tongue

A decade later with one fell swoop

Anwar became a lauded victim in the vicious loop

Reformasi Anwar started, his loyalists proclaim

They forgot Salleh and his Brave Ones

Who stood their ground for justice

They indeed were the unheralded Originals

Reformation is not only taking to the streets

It's changing of the mindset

What became of the Judiciary following Salleh?

It was downhill all the way

It led the country's leading judicious mind

The late Tun Suffian Hashim to lament in 2000:

"I wouldn't like to be tried by today's judges,

Especially if I am innocent.*

*Quoted from a speech on March 10, 2000 that the former Lord President delivered at a Bar commemoration for the late Justice Tan Sri Wan Sulaiman.


ADDED ON @3.45PM AS FODDER FOR THOUGHT, the food ran off with freelunch!:

It was a long night and day (started at 6.00pm Fridie and ending at 12.245AM Saturdady). There is a Young Mind full of Reformasi Thinking -- I wish there is aMORE of such Young& Articulate Malaysians around. So from infernalramblings.uni.cc. see if you can help speed up that paradign shift.


The Death of Malaysia
Home >> Articles >> Malaysian Socio-Politics >> The Death of Malaysia

Malaysia is at a crossroads, and it the generation of all Malaysians presently living who will decide which route we take. Will we choose the path to infinite ignominy, or the highway to permanent prosperity? We must stand up for change, because if we wait for our children to do so, it will be far too late. Now is the time for political change.
Written by johnleemk on 10:21:01 am Jan 22, 2007. Discuss the Death of Malaysia at the forums.

A message I have been continually attempting to communicate through this site, ever since its inception, is that it's time for a paradigm shift in Malaysian politics. I am not just talking about changing from a race-based view to a non-racial conception of leadership, nor am I spouting mere rhetoric about greater unity in the opposition. What I am talking about is simple: kicking Barisan Nasional out of power. Nothing less. "

DESI: Engage him, John not soLittle, at his site. I am only an overworked, underpaid messenger boy messing up some infernal minds, my own too, and yours too if you don't guard it with your life.

But I revive from my grave of another rambling for sharing if you have the time. I offer no dime either, as I was never the Finance Minister.The poem was composed some years back, when we were younger and gayer . with passing time, some of us have moved forward, a large section has just moved on, not knowing it's forward or backward; but a "dangerous" section has been moving the country towards the Abyss. No wonder johnleemk titled his article "The Death of Malaysia".