| NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| SPEAK UP! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| EXTRA! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| GALLERIES |
|
|
|
|
| FEATURES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| TIME OUT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| EVENTS & PROMOS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ADVERTISING |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wed, 10 Feb 2010
|
 |
|
|
 TIME OUT :: Books |
|
Marking a political milestone
Columnist Karim Raslan reflects on the state of Malaysian society before and after the historic 2008 election
Bissme S.
|
|
|
Karim Raslan | IN Karim Raslan’s third compilation of his essays culled from his column, Ceritalah, in a local daily, the lawyer-turned-consultant tracks the exciting period of Malaysian politics from 2003 to 2008 under the premiership of then Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (now Tun).
Ceritalah 3: Malaysia – A Dream Deferred starts with the handing over of the premiership from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Abdullah, who then went on to lead Barisan Nasional (BN) to a landslide victory in the 2004 general election.
It then covers the historical 2008 election where for the first time in Malaysian history, the Opposition managed to deny BN its two-thirds majority and gained control of five states (now four since BN has wrested back Perak).
Karim can’t hide his disappointment and frustration at the present turn of events. He was happy with the 2008 election results as he believes a strong Opposition would be better for Malaysian society as a whole.
He has hopes that the new balance of power would force the existing government to be more responsive to the rakyat’s needs. “I am much less hopeful now,” he admits.
He finds the Pakatan Rakyat (PR), especially its leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, not playing their role effectively. He feels that PR spends too much time trying to bring down the federal government instead of putting its efforts into running the states it controls.
The 44-year-old adds: “We need to change. We need to be open and have a transparent political system. We need to be a much better-governed country. Whichever party can deliver this, I will support it.”
As he puts it, “in the end, it is Malaysian society that benefits the most”.
The biggest change he would love to see taking place in Malaysia is to have a more open and sincere attitude towards managing race relations.
“We can’t be talking about special rights and be expecting people to feel there is equality at the same time,” he says. “In order for this country with its different racial composition to grow, we have to go beyond that.”
He also sees the need to abolish appointments of representatives to district and municipal councils. “People should elect them. If you have a good district head, there is a chance life could improve tremendously.”
Elected representatives, he adds, would be aware that if they did not do their job, they would be voted out.
“This way, they will make an effort to be constantly in touch with the ‘rakyat” to find out what are their problems.”
He admits the government has limited patience and little interest in writers. “I think that is a reflection of Mahathir’s era,” he says. “Mahathir has little time for pen pushers.”
Yet, he believes writers have an important role in recording and commenting on issues and giving a different perspective while telling fellow Malaysians about Malaysia.
“People do not necessarily change because of what one writes,” he says. “But it makes people pause for one minute to reflect on someone’s else experience.”
So far, Karim’s comments in his column have not gotten him into hot water with the authorities or readers.
“I do not think anyone takes notice of me, actually,” he laments. “There were people who were irritated with what I wrote. That was about all. In some ways, this is so disappointing. I write because I want to see change.”
Karim admits that a blogger has more freedom of expression and faces less censorship. But he has no desire to walk that road.
“I am fully wired as an individual. For me, news is about the newsprint. I am an enduring romantic and there is nothing that beats being able to pick up the morning paper and flick through its pages as I drink my coffee.
“I respect the blogging community for its courage and extraordinary energy, but it is not really my world.”
In the last decade or so, Karim has been spending a lot of time in Indonesia because of his consultancy work.
He finds the society there to be a “revolutionary” one.
“Things have changed a great deal there,” he says. “There have been periodic dramatic moments there. I think Indonesia is moving forward.
“Unfortunately, we are lacking behind drastically here.”
Karim will next be compiling a book on the Indonesian political scene. He has recently started his Ceritalah column in the Jakarta Globe.
Expect him to ruffle some feathers over there.
|
Updated: 11:58AM Wed, 24 Jun 2009
|
|
Printable Version
|
Email to a Friend
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
1.gif)
08052009NEW.gif)
.jpg)