| Face Off, the book (Part I) |
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Sept 19, 2000 RUMINATIONS I deliberately titled this piece thus as after reading Sabri Zain's journal of our country's traumatic times, I believe it could easily be the script for a movie too, not just a book. Dare we dream that a Malaysian Peter Weir could emerge to give us a visual feast of FACE OFF: A Malaysian Reformasi Diary (1998-99)? As I read over the weekend the 200-odd pages slowly, digesting it for a "review", I can't help but recall a film I have seen "The Year of Living Dangerously", in which the protagonist is also a newsman. Sabri's chronicles benefit from
his journalism background as most of his paintings and narratives
were objective enough, though the choice of words, emotive and
descriptive ones, clearly reflects the bent of his From the outset, I must make
clear this is not the usual book review, as I take the liberty
of randomly highlighting segments that to me are telling gems,
and Ruminations breaks a tradition by bringing the First, I quote from Rehman Rashid's foreword which he began with a familiar refrain: "Try to remember the kind of September" which I believe stirs a lot of nostalgia among us, of better times past? To the romantic at heart ... if anything one expects presaged by the refrain a romantic setting of poetry and song, wine or the intoxicating journalist's brew - teh-tarik - or women in red (I prefer the word "lasses" and in blue too, but some colleagues object) lazing by a sidewalk café in Paris in the springtime, Sabri's diary is not "it". "It" is romance of the political kind and of a higher plane ... The kind that has a bearing and great import on dear Malaysia's future for a long time yet and it is precious for all of us, Malaysians, to be involved. It is not of normal plane because this year-long sojourn does not instill just momentary pleasure, it aims to touch the inner heartstrings of Malaysians. I hope these feeling Malaysians are a majority of the 22 million here. Also, Sabri's diary will stand
up as an important historical document, with wit thrown in to
dilute the reader's swelling anger perhaps, which future generations
of Malaysians will treasure ... and not waste For those who missed the "action"
where it happened, centred mainly around Dataran Merdeka (Independence
Square) and its vicinity starting in September two years ago,
Sabri brings the readers to the arena where the episodes of Malaysian
history were played out. The writer's baptism that led him to
cross Anwar's path - that Abim kid, his term of endearment -
was that moment in 1974 where it started with a For whom the bell tolls Key figures revolved around Anwar
and his family and, of course, the puppet master or script writer
or political conductor himself, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad,
in person, or via his proxies, and the Most importantly, the less heralded
players, nameless yet exalted, faceless and unobtrusive yet endearing
and enduring, are the ordinary Malaysians whom Sabri observed
and recorded their "involvement". These In "Shopping For Justice" (Oct 10, 1998), Sabri notes: * "Despite the attacks on
demonstrators in the weeks before, despite the warnings almost
every day this week that the authorities would crack down on
any form of demonstration, despite the fear, despite the Sabri was more than a little astute when he made some observations in "We Don't Tell Lies ... Up To a Point"( Nov 9, 1998), viz: * "The only memorable news about Anwar in the weeks leading up to his sacking were denials by him and Mahathir that there was a rift between them and Anwar was being called on to resign. Mahathir was even quoted as willing to "kiss him on the street" to prove the point - a very risky proposition, considering the nature of the sexual accusations that were to emerge later." * "The news of the country losing its Deputy Prime Minister was the third or fourth segment in the TV3 news that evening - after the top news of a change in the elementary school curriculum and some insignificant official opening by some insignificant minister in some insignificant place I can't even remember." In "Waiting For Justice" (Nov 13,1998), the introduction quoted Tun Salleh Abas, former Lord President (from the book with K Das, May Day For Justice): And justice cannot be done hastily. And justice cannot be done in the dark ..." Sabri's diary records the dark moments in Malaysia's justice delivery system ... today it may be Anwar, but tomorrow, the question on many minds was:"For whom will the bell next toll?" However, the consolation is that Anwar was never alone in facing his travails. At the Kuala Lumpur High Court: * "My little group started
discussing the reasons they were here. Some of them were here
for the first time, others were relative "veterans".
'I've been here almost every day since the trial began,' said
the Malay * "The (elderly Malay) lady
admitted she was very confused by everything that was happening.
'I don't know if he is guilty or innocent. But even if he is
guilty, I don't understand why they are treating him like In "Changing Times" (Feb 2, 1999), the uplifting observation is that the times in Malaysia, are a-changing ... for the better I believe, as denoted by the revelation that all the panelists in a political forum organised by the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Civil Rights Committee were all Malays, namely PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali, PAS Youth chief Mahfuz Omar and PRM's Rustam Sani (now Barisan Alternatif Information Chief). As recorded in the diary, Rustam noted: * "One of the changes was that it was now a global world. 'With the Internet, people know there are much better alternatives to what you are fed in the local press! And Internet writers like Sabri Zain now have far more credibility than almost all the chief editors in our local newspapers!'" Make no mistake, the compliment
to the author was not self-trumpeted, but from a respected academician-writer
himself, Rustam, whose father was the great Independence fighter
Ahmad Boestamam, and whose freedom fight will assuredly continue
with many of his family members after Salute to heroes And Malaysians must always treasure another veteran freedom fighter - Syed Husin, who was quoted as saying: * "Race has always been - and still is - used by the rich and powerful to divide and rule. The government's recent scare-mongering campaign among the Chinese community is a classic example of this divide and rule tactic. To protect itself from the wrath of the people, the government is now trying to turn Reformasi in Malaysia into a racial issue. Malays will riot, they say. Malays will burn Chinese shops, they say. Malays will rape Chinese women, they say. And their loudest message of all - remember Indonesia." The above entry was dated Feb 2, 1999 and today, one and half years later, Syed Husin's reminder still rings true to warn us Malaysians to remain vigilant: Witness the Umno Youth's recent demonstration in front of SCAH housing Malaysian Chinese Organisations' Election Appeals Committee (Suqiu) office to demand an apology for its 17-point appeal allegedly questioning Malay special rights (Genuine appeals must gain govt's hearing: PRM, Sept 18). In the chapter on "Heroes" (Feb 13, 1999), Sabri salutes the ordinary man in the street who shines, as Malaysia undergoes growing pains in a phase when the "worst of times frequently brings out the best in people". At a demonstration at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman on Sept 20, the day of Anwar's arrest, was recalled: * "... an ordinary security guard became a hero to dozens of people - simply by doing his job. The security guard of a firm located on Jalan TAR allowed drenched, injured demonstrators into the building, locking the grilled gate after them - much to the annoyance of their baton-waving, red-helmeted pursuers. The FRU troopers shouted curses at the security guard, kicking the grill with their boots and demanding to be let in. The security guard - though visibly shaken and frightened - stood firm. This was private property." "A junior supervisor refused to allow FRU personnel into a fast-food restaurant where demonstrators had sought refuge. They battered the glass door of the restaurant with their batons until it cracked - but the supervisor ensured his "customers" finished their hastily-ordered meals unmolested." There is another episode of a
Malaysian Samaritan - a retired headmaster - who stopped along
Jalan Parliamen to help a young man lying on the road, and found
himself "in the middle of hundreds of riot police * "An FRU officer in full-riot gear approached him and asked if a car accident had happened! "Can't you see?! This boy's been badly beaten by your own officers!" The policeman then warned the pensioner to leave the injured man alone and let the police "deal" with him. "He's a Malay," the officer said. "You're an Indian - don't get mixed up in this." The pensioner refused. "Are you stopping a Malaysian from helping another fellow Malaysian in need?" May there be more such God-fearing Malaysian standing tall out there - just carrying out their duties and acting human as human beings should ... We have hopes for this young nation yet. /\__/\ Sabri Zain REFORMASI DIARY at http://reformdiary.cjb.net |
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