Last But Not Least -Montserrat!

I know I said I won't blog until next July plus I told a friend I won't talk to him until next July, I know I said lotsa stuff, I know, dammit! But I can't stop myself from writing about this tiny Island which I think need some spotlight amidst giant soccers in the likes of Brazil, Germany and etc. Presenting to you, the small unnoticeable worst soccer team in the world - M-O-N-T-S-E-R-R-A-T !

What prompted me into writing about this small country was this National Geographic documentary about "The Other Final" in 2002, where Montserrat secured their last placing in the FIFA List after a 4-0 defeat to mighty Bhuttans. I watched it last night becauseI could not bring myself to watch the England-Equador match as I could not afford to get myself sicker than I am. (read: parties,kenduri,jamuan...you get the point!)

A country devastated by so many Act of God/s such as volcanic eruption, hurricanes and earthquake, it is a wonder how that country can come up with a soccer team as everybody fled for their lives during these disasters. Don't even start wondering about where or when they have their soccer practices, which multinational label endorse their jerseys, boots and the works. Anyone who had seen the match would agree with me that it was one hell of a funny match (The keeper, at one point of time, could not contain his emotion when he let an easy goal slipped that he laid on the field, as if he does not want to stand up and continue with the game-you, drama king!) But.... (drum roll please), a country that abandon all kinds of regrets, frustrations plus mockery just to make sure his country makes a mark on the FIFA List even if its at the foot of the list, deserves a standing ovation and "tabik spring" worldwide.

A display of friendship and sportmanship it was when a replica of the World Cup was shared by both teams in front of the loud cheering spectators who consist of veteran monks, farmers and hot Bhuttan teenagers.

We could laugh as loud as we want and invent merciless jokes about Montserrat until the next World Cup, but at least they could say 'We are at the bottom coz we are in a deep shit not because we play like shit!"

Go, Montserrat, go!

BEFORE MY HIATUS...

I took leave until 30th June. My boss tried to look as calm as possible. How can he muster such courage and poise? His "star" officer, the brightest and creative of them all, is asking for leave for a week. Hehehehe. I am very good at exaggerating!

"Reasons?" Short and to the point. The answer unfortunately deserved a 12 credit hours of thesis work for an advanced degree. I listed down the reasons in my head while trying to look professional and pathetic at the same time. You know? The looks we always give to gain some understanding (and cheap sympathy) before we took long leaves abruptly from our work.

No.1- I need a holiday from everyone and everything. Well, maybe I give some special exceptions to my mom and cats in Ipoh, and grandma in Kuala Kangsar. I need free lodging when I stop in Perak during my road trip! And yummy kerabu perut and pajeri nenas will definitely await me on the table when I am in my grandma`s house. There goes all the cardio efforts!

No.2- I need to do some soul searching. I kinda lost my original soul on the day I said " you know, I think I can live in this country if PAS rules". Just kidding. I need to catch up with a lot of things that I overlook. A lot of tuning and major overhauls. I will definitely bring Albert Camus `s The Stranger, Orwell`s 1984 and Harvey Peckar`s American Splendour Anthology. The 2 former novels are always in my handbag/gym bag/knapsack- reread and reread until it resemble a pembungkus belacan. Minus the smell. Somebody said The Stranger is a soothing book, how very surreal because I felt the same way too. Camus has a way of connecting with the soul searchers of the world, I guess! ;)

No.3-When life sucks, I need a time off. Its either this or those sleeping pills. Chewah! No lah. I have a whole new chapter of human rights empowerment and education to start in July so might as well I unwind myself now before I find myself diagnosed with a severe case of depression.

So, to the not-that-many loyal readers of this humble blog, I will not be writing anything until July. Did I hear somebody say "Yay!"? I will definitely write something about my hiatus if I could ever stand the experience! hehehe.

So so long for now. Till then. Au revoir.

NAK KONGSI RAYA? TEPUK DADA, TANYA IMAN!

Implementasi budaya “Jangan Tanya, Ikut Sahaja” edisi terbaru boleh anda ditemui dalam Persidangan Ulama 2006. Pengerusi Jawatankuasanya, Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria memaklumkan pihak media bahawa ulama yang menyertai persidangan itu mahu agar budaya “kongsi raya” dan rumah terbuka dikaji semula agar ia tidak mengugat kepercayaan masyarakat Muslim di negara ini. Baca dengan lebih lanjut di sini, ok geng?

Apa yang berlaku semasa sambutan “kongsi raya” sehingga mampu mengugat keimanan umat Islam negara ini? Senario biasa yang aku lihat, dengar atau baca adalah sambutan “kongsi raya” ini satu gimik media dan peniaga bagi meraih keuntungan apabila dua perayaan bertembung. “Kongsi raya” ini juga boleh menjadi satu strategi politikal bagi meraih keyakinan rakyat bahawa parti-parti politik di negara ini berstau hati sungguhpun berbeza agama. Kita lihat Datuk S dengan Dato’ Seri A bersalam-salaman sambil menikmati semperit atau muruku semeja. Persoalan aku, apabila memerhati senario kongsi raya ini adalah bagaimana aku hilang ke-islaman ku hanya kerana aku seronok “berkongsi” sambutan hari kebesaran masing-masing dengannya?

Aku seorang Muslim, tetapi tidak memiliki sijil Ulama’ namun minta maaf, aku agak emprikal. Berikan bukti beserta argumen yang jelas bagaimana “kongsi raya” mampu meruntuhkan keimanan seseorang? Mungkin ini semua bakal terjawab apabila kajian tersebut diselesaikan. Tetapi aku tertanya-tanya; apa yang akan dikaji, siapakah yang akan terlibat dan bagaimanakah para ulama’ ini akan memastikan kajian tersebut tidak menyampaikan pandangan sehala yang tidak memboikot konteks sosial. Aku tidak mahu sekadar intepretasi dalil naqli mahupun penjatuhan hukuman tanpa alasan penghakiman. Aku mahu penjelasan yang boleh difahami ( kalaupun tidak diterima) oleh masyarakat.

Jika dibandingkan dengan “kongsi raya” banyak lagi perkara lain yang boleh meruntuhkan keimanan umat Islam di Malaysia. Mari aku senaraikan- menerima rasuah, memburuk-burukkan orang, menindas ahli masyarakat yang lemah, menahan serta menyeksa tertuduh tanpa perbicaraan yang adil. Bukankah perkara-perkara ini lebih menakutkan? Atau mungkin runtuh atau tidaknya iman itu satu isu yang boleh dikompromi sekiranya melibatkan kekuasaan ataupun status ekonomi?

Isu toleransi, kompromi serta kewujudan bersama secara aman (peaceful co-existence) adalah isu-isu yang masih belum dapat dibicara dengan terbuka secara masak di Malaysia. Aku nampak takut pada bayang-bayang sendiri sebagai asas tawarnya hati ahli agama dan masyarakat untuk membincangkan hal-hal ini. Adakah adab sopan masyarakat kita mengongkong minda kita dari berani membincangkan isu kaum, agama dan identiti kita secara terbuka? Atau memang kita sudah selesa dengan muhibah plastik kelolaan Pemerintah?

Siapa kata berdialog boleh melemahkan iman serta keyakinan kita? Siapa kata toleransi bermaksud melonggarkan pegangan kita agar kita mampu menyerap pegangan lain? Siapa?

Kerana kita ini banyak membiarkan “orang lain” membuat keputusan untuk diri kita, maka kita sendiri tidak tahu siapa yang berkata sedemikian? Sedih, bukan?

S-U-P-E-R SATURDAY !!!

Who would have thought the normal dull Saturdays that are always between tiring Fridays and treasured Sundays could turn out to be super Saturday. An experimental dance performance by a group of non-chereographer hopefuls, a showcase of the plantation industrial worker`s plight for justice and to sum up the day, a treat at Atrium by our young human rights lawyer, Edmond Bon who is going to Oxford soon (that lucky bastard!). Five Art Centre `s dance proteges - Hari Azizan, Gabrielle Low, Adrian Kisai, Mark Teh and Vernon Muang (to name a few) braved the drizzling afternoon to perform mind boggling dance steps that are sure to put your conscience, thinking and definitely patience to test. For more details of the dance performance and workshops, visit this blog.

My fave dance pieces will be Gabrielle`s depiction of the culture of greed and consumption inherent in the capitalist society. A dancer was seen feeding the other dancers continuously with increasing pace in order to fulfill the demands of the "consumers". The dancer himself (Mark actually) feed himself with imaginary scraps from the sidewalk, depicting inequality and injustice that the labor force has to endure. Another favourite would be this piece called "The More We Get Together", exploring the current controversy of showing your affection in public. Further examining the blurry boundary of morality and state interference in our personal matters.



The last piece, of which the title could be mistaken as some contemporary tongue twister, saw Mark Teh exploring notions of freedom of expression, censorship, media propaganda, obsession with celebrities (perhaps? What with the cry of Erra Fazira repeatatively by one of the dancer) with a dramatic finish where all the dancers gathered together at one corner and chanting something like "If they hate it, they can still live" . The dancers chanted this while waving the national flag before each one of them put the flag in their mouth. I intepret the end as symbolizing blind patriotism, where we sucumb ourself to the grand plan designed by the powers that be of herding us together under the single control of the State. Thats how I see it lah! They could be swallowing the flags out of sheer frustration as the viewers could' nt get the whole dance piece at all!

Deconstructing the accepted idea of "dance" indeed they had but the on-lookers and bystanders are still confused with the whole performance. Its kind of obvious from the laughing track they produced at the wrong time. I guess, democratisation of artistic process still requires more time and interest from the society.

BTW, the Parti Sosialis Malaysia `s showcase on industrial plantation workers was a great hit among the CM innoncent by-standers and shop owners too. Although the exhibition which was decorated with radical icons with "red" as the theme color, alot of people decided to walk a bit closer and actually read what`s posted on the display board. Wow! Not to mention, SBs dressed casually like any other CM frequents took turns checking out the exhibition. The organizer, when casually interviewed by me, claimed that perhaps this will be the first and the last time such event is allowed in CM. Well, what can I say except - Viva le revolution, CM!

Event at Atrium was even cool as I get to reunite with some familiar faces in the activism circle. As cool as it went, I rushed home to witness Ghana buried Republic of Czech with a 2-0 result. Ghana played like ballerina in boots and Czech has alot of head hitting on the wall to do, as they failed to repeat their great performance.

What an interesting dayit was after all!

NON-CHOREOGRAPHERS ALERT!

Something to look forward to this Saturday, for me, I guess.(THIS and that drink & lounging session organize by Edmond in the evening).

A bunch of young stage performers, writers and artists giving choreography a chance under the tutelage of Marion D'Cruz. Expect lively movements that attempt to deconstruct the accepted idea of "dancing" and a courageous step towards democratisation of the creative space.

Five Arts Centre is well known for their credited efforts in bringing art closer to the society especially to the young people.
If they could accept a non-performer as part of the #3, I would love to be part of it.

But maybe I SHOULD watch the performance first. Deconstructing accepted ideas can sometimes be DIFFICULT (for the limbs, I mean)! ;). Plus I love to see Mark Teh (Director of "Baling Membaling") dance!.

HENDAK JADI LIBERAL ATAU TIDAK?


~gambar dipinjam dari www.joebrower.com~

Kelmarin, aku harus “berkelana” ke Melaka kerana diundang bersama rakan sejawat untuk satu program kesedaran hak kanak-kanak bersama guru-guru sekolah. Sepertimana program sebelum ini, aku sudah dapat mengandai apakah bentuk soalan yang akan terkeluar daripada mulut dari para pendidik harapan negara ini. Aku bersama rakan sejawat ku sudah membuat sedikit ”homework” sebelum pergi ke program ini. Perkataan hikmat bagi program ini adalah ”PROVOKASI”. Kami hendak mengacah dogma-dogma yang sudah menebal di dalam diri para pendidik ini dengan tujuan agar mereka tidak pasrah dengan kerangka pendidikan negara yang usang. Biasanya, strategi ini tidaklah berjaya. Paling tidak, kami penceramah akan dihambur dengan bermacam reaksi bersifat emosional mahupun membela diri. Kebetulan, kumpulan guru yang aku hadapi semalam 60% bertudung litup, berjanggut dan berkopiah. Seram seh.

Apabila sampai kepada topik merotan kanak-kanak. Pakcik-pakcik dan makcik-makcik pendidik negara ini memang pantas mengaju soalan. Antara maklumbalas menarik yang aku terima adalah ;

”Kami bukan rotan selalu, kami rotan sekali sekala dan ada cara merotannya, bukan pakai langgar je,”

”Merotan ni, Al-Quran sendiri cakap boleh,”

Bila ditanyakan kembali apakah matlamat sebenar merotan kanak-kanak ini? Jawapan ”top” adalah,

”Untuk displin-kan bebudak ni. Bebudak sekarang ni bukan boleh bagi muka. Samseng, gengsterlah..kami jeling sedikit sudah nak repot kepada mak bapak”,

Bila aku kata hampir 80% dari kes merotan adalah kerana mahu melahirkan kemarahan serta satu platform untuk membuang rasa geram dan tidak puas hati, makin banyak soalan dan komen yang aku terima. Aku hanya tersenyum. Tidak mengapa. Memang ini yang aku hendak. Mereka ini mulai merefleksi tindakan mereka sebagai pendidik. Tidak ada resolusi pun sebenarnya semalam tetapi sekurang-kurangnya mereka mula bercakap. Di sekolah, mereka sendiri terikat dengan bermacam formaliti birokrasi yang menghalang mereka dari menyuarakan pendapat. Aku minta mereka bercakap segalanya di sini. Segalanya. Semasa makan tengah hari, seorang daripada guru itu memberi komen kepada ku, ” Kiranya hendak tahu pasal hak asasi ni kena liberal lah, macam Puan”

Tersengih aku mendengar komen guru itu. Kerana soal liberal tidak liberal nya seorang manusia ini dibangkitkan oleh Union Guy sekembalinya dia dari Cambodia dua hari lalu.

”Awak tahu, masa di Cambodia, sayap kanan anak muda di sana (parti mana aku tidak pasti atau mungkin tidak ingin aku dedahkan) sangat berdisplin. Arak tidak sentuh, main perempuan pun tidak. 100% hidup untuk mengubah kondisi politik negara,”

”Ye lah. Tengoklah kondisi Cambodia, Masa Pol Pot, if you survive that, there is a lot to do to rebuild the country,”

“Tapi you tau, salah seorang peserta kata apa? Dia kata ”What, they don’t even drink alcohol? That’s illiberal and unprogressive, don’t you think?”

Sekali lagi, liberal menjadi label mudah yang diberi kepada seorang manusia. Aku pernah berkomunikasi dengan Farish A. Noor suatu masa dahulu. Kata beliau, di Malaysia, beliau dicap manusia liberal yang tidak menghormati Islam tetapi di Eropah, beliau pernah digelar ekstremis kerana tulisannya yang kritikal di dalam majalah IMPACT. (Hasil tulisan beliau untuk "Brand New Malaysian" boleh dibaca di sini). Liberal lagi. Apa kebendanya liberal ni? Pentingkah untuk kita dikenali sebagai manusia liberal, cool atau hip?

Dengan tudung dan baju kurung ku semalam, aku masih dicap liberal oleh golongan pendidik di Melaka. Pejuang demokrasi Cambodia yang mengetengahkan idea radikal untuk membawa perubahan kepada negara dianggap tidak liberal kerana tidak menyentuh arak dan mengamalkan seks bebas.

Sengaja aku membuat carian internet dan menjumpai takrifan liberal;

1. 
   
1. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
2. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
3. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
4. Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.
2. 
   
1. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor.
2. Generous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes.
3. Not strict or literal; loose or approximate: a liberal translation.
4. Of, relating to, or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum: a liberal education.
5. 
   
1. Archaic Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
2. Obsolete Morally unrestrained; licentious.

NOUN:

1. A person with liberal ideas or opinions.
2. Liberal A member of a Liberal political party.

Dalam dunia yang aku rasa “menilai isi dari luaran” adalah doktrin paling membuang masa, konotasi liberal ini terletak pada perspesi orang semata-mata. Kalau pun aku mengaku diriku liberal, tetapi cara aku menjalani hidup ku masih ortodoks, gaya pemikiran ku masih seksis, atau bersifat ala-kemuzium-an, tidak ada maknanya label “liberal’ ini. Kadang-kadang memakai label "liberal" ini menyusahkan kerja-kerja sosial kita. Di Indonesia, satu cabang Islam yang dianggap progresif atau maju digelar ISLIB. Bila ada gerakan pembaharuan Islam lain yang tiada kena mengena dengan rangkaian organisasi ISLIB ini, maka, terus diasosiasikan dengan ISLIB. Asosiasi ini hanya mengundang prejudis serta stigma kepada gerakan pembaharuan Islam yang lain kerana masyarakat Indonesia majoritinya kurang senang dengan ISLIB. Susah juga kan hendak jadi liberal ni?

Orang panggil aku liberal ni pun aku dah rasa cam tidak percaya! Betul ke aku liberal?

AKU, BLAIR & HOLOCAUST


~Nama mereka yang terkorban diabdikan di dinding ini manakala abu mangsa holacaust di letakkan di dalam sebuah bekas di tengah bilik ini~

Sebuah artikel di Guardian mengenai semangat pro-Israel Britain mengingatkan aku kepada kenangan aku bersama seorang rakan dari Jordan yang melawat Le Centre Commêmoratif de l'Holocauste di Montreal, Kanada beberapa tahun yang lalu. Kami sebenarnya "dipaksa" melawat Muzium tersebut bagi mendekatkan diri kami kepada sejarah dunia yang menyumbang kepada gerakan hak asasi manusia pasca-Perang Dunia Kedua. Aku suka menziarahi muzium. Ke mana sahaja tempat atau negara yang aku lawati, selain makanan, panggung wayang, persembahan muzik dan pasar tani penduduk tempatan, aku akan mencari muzium. Kadang-kadang berjam-jam aku duduk di dalam muzium tersebut, mengamati setiap gambar dan barang yang di pamerkan. Dalam masa yang terhad itu, aku akan cuba menghayati dan menghadam sejarah lampau negara tersebut terutamanya dari aspek seni dan kebudayaan. Cuma, kali ini, lawatan akan menjadi sedikit berbeza kerana Le Centre Commêmoratif de l'Holocauste memfokus kepada kejadian "holocaust" semata-mata. Rakan Jordan aku itu amat beria-ria untuk melawat muzium tersebut. Tidak hairanlah kerana beliau bekerja di kawasan kritikal Tebing Barat, justeru amat sensitif mengenai konflik Palestin-Israel. Tidak silap aku, pernah juga terlibat sedikit sebanyak dengan Parti Wafd di sana. Kain petak merah putih yang sering dipakai pejuang pembebasan Palestin melilit kemas tengkuknya. "Ah, sudah!" Aku berkata pada diriku. "Dia ni nak berperang ke dengan israel kat muzium tu nanti?" Dia menenangkan aku dengan berkata dia ingin bercakap dengan komuniti Yahudi secara damai, bukannya dalam keadaan kalut sepertimana di Asia Tengah.

Kami disambut dengan ramah sekali oleh koordinator muzium. Namun, sebelum masuk ke dalam, bendera putih Israel dengan "Star of David" berwarna biru itu menyambut kami dahulu di sebelah kiri dan kana pintu masuk ke muzium. "There is a difference between Zionists and Jews, yes?" Dia bertanya aku soalan yang dia telahpun tahu jawapannya. Aku sekadar mengangguk. Dia mencebik. Aku menyambung dengan berkata "Its just a flag," Ternyatalah aku perlu mengambil kursus wajib 101 "Anda & Sensitiviti Politik" Beliau mendengus dan melangkah masuk dengan langkah yang aku rasa paling skeptikal pernah aku lihat.

Kain Bunting dengan tema "To learn, to feel and to remember" terpampang di bahagian dalam muzium. Aku pula yang tersenyum penuh skeptikal. Apa pula yang telah dipelajari oleh masyarakat Yahudi daripada kekejaman Hitler yang mereka hadapi dahulu? Pokoknya, apa yang aku lihat keganasan sering membenihkan terorisme. Sama ada terorisme individu mahupun oleh negara. Itukah yang dipelajari oleh mereka?

Sebelum melawat, kami dibenarkan untuk berdialog dengan beberapa "holocaust survivor" yang kini tinggal di Montreal. Montreal rupa-rupanya adalah tempat ketiga di dunia dengan populasi Yahudi terbesar selepas New York dan Israel. Tiga daripada "holocaust survivors" itu menyorokkan diri di Poland bagi mengelak dari dibawa ke Auswitz. Mereka menyorok di kandang kuda buat beberapa bulan sungguhpun kandang tersebut dibanjiri air pada suatu masa. Cerita mereka memang menyayat hati namun dialog yang menyusul lebih penting. Dialog tersebut akan aku ingati sampai bila-bila. Semasa dialog tersebut, aku hanyalah pemerhati pasif dari sebuah negara dunia ketiga yang tidak pernah menjejakkan kaki ke Palestin. Rakanku dari Jordan mempunyai fikiran yang berbeza mengenai hal ini.

"Are you politically inclined to the building of an Israeli state?"
"We are neutral, we do not want to blur the line between our educational purpose and political motivation",
"Care to explain the flags at the entrance,?"
(Senyap)
Semua orang memandang rakan Jordanku yang sedang berdiri itu. Wajahnya merah. Hatiku berdebar-debar.
"It means nothing,"

"What do you learn from the holocaust?" Aku menyampuk pula. Rakan Jordanku mengulangi soalan ku kepada koordinator dan survivors tadi.
"We learn that violence is not the solution to our problems and that message of peace must be spread,"
" Why then, are you inflicting the same pain on another group of people when you yourself has experience the ultimate pain? Has supression and violence itself create a justification or catalyst for you to inflict pain on others?,"
(senyap lagi) Aku sudah mula merasa bahang perdebatan ini menguasai bilik berhawa dingin itu.
" The violence in Palestine has nothing to do with us. We object to the occupation in fact we rallied in protest of the occupation right here in Montreal,"
"And you wave their flag!"

Rakan Jordanku itu mempersoalkan keikhlasan komuniti Yahudi seluruh dunia memperjuangkan keamanan sedangkan kerajaan Israel sedang membantai rakyat Palestin demi merampas wilayah serta membuka kawasan penempatan baru. Aku tidak terkata apa-apa. Pengalaman beliau mungkin telah menjadikan beliau cekal dan keras hati. Siapalah aku, seorang aktivis hak asasi (kononnya) yang tidak pernah kenal peluru senapang mahupun melihat pertumpahan darah, mahu mempertikaikan pengalaman peritnya berjuang di Palestin?
"You have Blair and Bush. We have only ourselves!".
Setelah dipujuk berulangkali oleh aku, barulah beliau menurut permintaan ku dan kami melawat muzium itu bersendirian.

Kami berdiri di hadapan gambar hitam putih Hitler sedang bersalam dengan Pope Pius XII dalam satu Konkordat pada tahun 1933. Di sebelah gambar tersebut, satu lagi gambar yang menarik diletakkan. Gambar kawasan "ghetto" "contoh" yang ditunjukkan oleh Hitler kepada wartawan antarabangsa yang mahu membuat liputan mengenai rejim Nazi terpampang penuh hipokrisi. Aku ingat kata-kata rakan ku itu,
"I never like Hitler although some claim he helped us alot by cleansing the Jews community. Its not about that, Gee. Its about whether you are a hypocrite or not. I feel this place is a fake, that`s all." Aku juga terfikir perkara yang sama. Argumen aku adalah tragedi holacaust banyak menfokus kepada nasib "Yahudi" berbanding kumpulan lain yang menjadi mangsa Hilter seperti kaum Roma atau lebih dikenali dengan gypsi serta mereka yang homoseksual yang turut menjadi mangsa Hitler. Kadang-kadang aku berfikir apakah holocaust tragedi Yahudi semata-mata atau satu contoh penindasan ke atas umat manusia yang dibenci Hitler?

Aku separuh bersetuju dengan budak Jordan tu. Blair dan Bush juga adalah insan-insan "fake". Konflik Asia Tengah tidak akan selesai selagi hipokrasi membelenggu masalah tersebut! "Semua" nya kerana bendera "Star of David" itu!

P/S- Komik grafik Joe Sacco- Palestine sentiasa menjadi pilihan aku dalam bengkel pendidikan hak asasi yang aku jalankan. Kelakar, Jujur dengan grafik yang indah, Palestine adalah satu komik "penting" dalam gerakan hak asasi manusia pada pendapat aku. Juga MAUS oleh Art Spiegelman, 'Animal Farm' versi Yahudi. :)

ITS A DIFFERENT KIND OF MATCH!-Police :2, Human Rights:0.

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. ~Issac Asimov

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead

Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence. ~Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

So, there was a lot of noise at our Human Rights Commission yesterday. Some seasoned NGOs demonstrated peacefully at the Commission, demanded for a Public Inquiry to be held over the Bloody Sunday incident on May 28. A press conference cum Q & A with the Chairman, Tan Sri Abu Talib materialized in a very brief 5 minutes. Pushing aside any possibilities for an immediate Public Inquiry as to give way to the police to conduct their own internal investigation over the incident, I could almost imagine colorful banners and shouts of hurray coming from the other end of the road, with colorful neon lights flashing the gigantic alphabets of BUKIT AMAN. That`s not me being happy with the whole furore. That's me being damn sarcastic. The score now says POLICE- 2, HUMAN RIGHTS-O.

Like England vs. Paraguay, one of the goal was a 5 minute SUHAKAM`s own goal resulting in a walk out by the seasoned activists. Police is so far ahead of Human Rights as the proposal to set up a Commission as a police watchdog also faces a very bleak future. Meanwhile, our Commission`s tendencies of passing the ball from the mid-fielder to defence 80% of the time is not resulting in any outstanding set pieces that create goal opportunities. In between being defensive and indecisive, the ball more often than not, is controlled by the local perpetrators of human rights. Can they live up to the expectation of their fans rooting for a more concrete performance? Is it worth the pepper sprayed eyes, sweaty bodies and smelly lock ups?

Pardon the soccer-esque effect this particular posting is carrying. I am still pleasantly suffering from the WC2006 fever while at the same time, reflecting on how our local authorities are taking actions over human rights issues. I may be repeating England again-and-again as a case in point of how risk-free-prim-and-proper game style is not only dull but fruitless, but that `s how I am seeing the SUHAKAM-People-Police situation is.

As our HR Commission wait (oh, the suspense!) for the police to complete their internal investigation, justice are being delayed for the two injured victims. I am not even going to argue the reason why they choose to demonstrate and take the risk of being beaten, because you see, you shouldn`t get beaten in the first place. Worst that can happen is you will be shooed away with sprinkles of cooling waters at times laced with pepper or chemical stuff plus some big-sized and fierce looking FRUs warning you to make a move. In return for their kindness in guarding the systemic chaos that peaceful assembly seemed to be like during dispersing time, you offer these nice FRUs carnations or roses (if its in the budget). That's all. But sad to say, things are just getting worse, ironically right after Pak Lah called for the police force to be people-friendly. Alleging that the situation is uncontrollable and provocative, these demonstrators need to be "disciplined" via force. It is fascinating to see how four FRUs armed with batons could not contain the "vicious attacks" of one unarmed civillian, hence, see the need to manhandle him? Testimonials could contain false allegations but can pictures lie? Check the gallery link below and tell me if those pictures are super impose results.

I, as a police-fearing civillian with a weak heart, say- "Go ahead with the Public Inquiry as soon as possible, please?" The human rights NGOs I believe had furnished SUHAKAM with enough evidence that constitute a strong reason for an inquiry to be conducted. Can you simply trust the police to proceed with the investigation impartially? Can you trust the perpetrators to investigate into their own human rights abuses? Due to public pressure and eagerness to "clorox" their super stained image, I guess the need to produce a non-guilty verdict from their side is very crucial at this point of time. Hint! Hint! It is timely for SUHAKAM to be the unpopular watchdog detested by the police force rather than losing whatever public confidence left. It is not about not trusting the police force at all, it is about dispensing your responsibility with fairness, integrity and impartiality.

The referree will not award human rights additional time in this match. We need to do a lot of catch up or else we won't qualify into the next round where I would like to call - "Justice prevails".

For really scary pictures (if u think so), check out this gallery.

WORLD CUP FEVER!

~ After Thierry Henry, Lionel Menssi is another guy I`d love to watch on the field~

Its Day 3 World Cup. Everyone I know is getting the fever. It will be just damn insensitive of me to ignore this very exciting time of the year so, I allow myself to indulge as well.Hehehe... I am not an avid fan of soccer, never followed EPL, Liga Perdana or whatsoever. The only time I retrieve information regarding soccer is when Union Guy talks about Everton. Everton!!! The name itself could put me to sleep whats more their game. But World Cup is different. Its not about rich professional clubs. Teams like Togo, Iran, Trinidad-Tobago makes you forget about how small their countries are or whether they are in the middle of some pressing local conflict as they face the soccer giants gallantly. Which sport in the world could worry election candidates as much as the World Cup? Who would have thought there is more to Brazil than just its poetic style game? The last final - Brazil vs. Germany is like a clash of the North-South "polar opposites". This is the one time where any country, ric or poor, powerless or powerful on the global political stage , could beat each other based not on how many WMDs you own but how well you played on the field.

In 2002, my World Cup experience was a hazy experience with me transiting at Kl Sentral after commuting from Shah Alam to catch the LRT to Kerinchi. In between the rides, I tried my best to squeeze a game or two. Opting not to miss the live telecasts, I chose to watch the matches in Sentral, sitting cross-legged in front of the flat screen on Level 1, with other people who are back from work or transiting in Sentral. At first, the guards threw us his best annoyed looks but after some foreign tourists with large hats and bermudas joined us, they actually left us alone until the match ended. There are times when there was no one around to join me, so the guards (who at long last, gave in to this cross-legged "minah" on the floor) or the teenagers that looked after the stalls took their break in front of the flat screen with me. After 2-3 days, we became regular viewers in front of the flat screen and bonded well. I could asked these peeps to eye my favourite sitting space while I go downstairs and buy something from MacD. (That explains the extra kgs I gained during World Cup..hmmm)

This time around, I don't have to catch the matches in Sentral but directly from the couch at home. More comfy but lack the effects you experience watching the matches with a bunch of friendly strangers. This year, for the opening game- German -vs-Costa Rica, I watched it with my brother in Shah Alam and the second day alone at home. Union Guy has to attend a meeting in Cambodia and in the absence of that particular England die hard fan, I didn't enjoy England-Paraguay match that much since I couldn't insult Union Guy`s fave team without him around. Thank god he`s coming back tommorrow. Yay! Anyway, I fell asleep during first half but that paid off during Argentina-Ivory Coast match. God! I miss 2002! Its either back in Sentral like the old days or Lotus, Jln. Binjai. Anywhere with a bunch of friendly strangers and some close buddies.In short, my World Cup experience for the first 3 days were not that great since I don't count my friend, K `s attempt at inviting me to bet on matches as anything near exciting.

"Just RM10. C'mon, lets bet on Iran-Mexico, I`d say 2-1."
"Tak nak. I just wanna enjoy the match lar, K"
"Ur a chicken. u`re afraid that u`ll lose the bet",
"Yupe. That and the fact that I don't gamble',
"You `re such a bore, gee,"
"yeah, I know, good night K, enjoy the game,"

Favorite match for now will be Argentina -vs- Ivory Coast.
Visit the official site plus this interesting blog which also list other blogs based on competing countries.

MUSINGS ON MISYAR...

A very well known Profesor from University Malaya provoked our local Muslim community again with his proposal that the Muslims consider misyar marriage as an option. Misyar, an alien concept even to yours truly apparently is extensively practised in Egypt and middle east. The arrangement of this type of marriage is as follows-

1.Couple does not stay together.
2.Hubby is not financially responsible for supporting his wife
3. Intended to be temporary.

This proposal was made in the light of the growing number of andartus and single mothers in the country plus perhaps the recent price hike of two of our most important sources to survive- oil and electricity. Perhaps, just perhaps, this was made in good faith, to reduce the burden that most single but not available men/women who wanted to get married due to family, social or maybe sexual pressure. Just, maybe.

Historical records showed that this practice, a creation of a Salafi scholar, Ibn Baaz was practised during the times that people travel from one place to another. When they stayed longer in a certain area, they would get married to a local woman. After some time, he might travel again and leave his wife. The marriage would expire and he might continue the same practice in another place. Damn lucky.

Misyar is a temporary arrangement for both people who agreed to the marriage to legalise sex. That`s all. The difference with Muta'ah is only that Muta'ah will specify the time that the marriage will dissolve whereas misyar will not specify such information. A shi'ite friend claim that Muta'ah is more humane because it allows both men and women to give informed consent on how long the marriage should be and both can prepare physically and mentally before they officially split. It makes sense but Muta'ah is a creature of the Shi'ite school of thought which in Malaysia and other Sunni`s countries are not approved. Sunnis believed that the practise of Muta'ah was abrograted during the Prophet time whereas the Shi'ites believed that Muta'ah was banned by Caliph Umar and hence, deemed the ban as not authoritative. Interestingly, the Sunnis came out with their version of "temporary marriage" but with unspecified mention of the when the marriage will dissolve. Frankly to me, temporary means temporary. Be it misyar or muta'ah. The more you know of all this flexible rules of engagement with the less fairer sex, the more you are sceptical about the idea of sanctity of marriage, don't you?

I mean, circumstances or local culture i.e al-urf always influence the interpretation of Islam but within a very much patriachal context. Hence, explaining that such temporary arrangement is to accommodate men sexually seemed to be...absurd. I smiled wider at the very thought that men `s obsession with women is becoming more incredulous by the day. Its post-mod (we can argue on this, really), and here we are ladies, sexual reliever and fertile ground for men`s seeds.

What further irks me is that added opinion on this matter conclude another disturbing assumption- that such arrangement would also help unmarried women to settle down since the traditional way (I am not very sure which is now considered traditional) is likely to complicate matters. What is wrong if a woman choose to stay single or unmarried? Some woman choose to be alone and be alone they should. Some choose to date and see how things goes, and date they should. Some just couldn't care less about SEX because they have other priorities other than that. Does that make them lesser in front of Allah? I mean, our teaching clearly explain that every one is evaluated by God through his/her "iman". Not his or her marital status. A lot of people will say getting married is already half of Iman. But this to me is meaningless if in order to secure that promised greatness, you have to endure a lot of things that you don't actually look forward to.

I damn well have problem with how some scholars propose suggestions which they substantiate as valid and true to Islam teaching, when their suggestions are in fact not in touch with reality. Like what Farid Esack said, "We failed to make Islam socially relevant". Economic burden is real, but wouldn't it be better for the scholars to re-examine whether de-commercialization of marriage could possibly help couples to get married cheaply and could afford to sustain their married live later on? I mean, shopping for bunga telur can be an expensive affair nowadays!. Shouldn't they talk more about protection of woman under marriage then repeating on wife`s do`s and don't all the time during the kursus perkahwinan? If the problem of getting a partner who is "sekufu" or couple of inequal economic or academic status seems to trigger the suggestion for misyar in the first place, then should'nt the proposal be on how to eliminate stigmas about house husbands for instance or how husband and wife should work out this discrepancy together because wedlock, apart from legitimizing sex, I guess it is also about commiting one`s self to the bond, mentally, spritually and financially not just sexually.

Perhaps religious scholars should welcome the ever increasing number of professional women who some of them put "world peace" or "democracy" as the focal point of their life rather than "having twins or a bungalow fully furnished with IKEA furnitures" as a gift from God? Couldn't woman choose to be martyrs in their own definite ways, be it in social service, real estate, academic or medicine rather than succumbing to the popular generalization that women must be married to relive its sexual needs and to be under the protection of a men called husband. Before anyone says I am defying the biological attributes of a human being who needs companion and sex (in that order, okay?) let me just say no one says this particular matter is easy. Its all about choices that one made. But please, don't shove into our adult heads, that THIS is what we really need or rather what we have to have.

Licensing of prositution, I heard/read some said. And I have no qualms with that statement. Minus the need for qadi, witnesses and intention to marry- a men pay a mahar in exchange for an opportunity to bed a women who he will be calling a wife as long as he feels like it. When the time comes, the man will divorce the woman. I find it amusing that despite the noise the religious people is making about how the rate of divorce among Muslim couples is soaring high, divorce within a misyar arrangement is seen as perfectly normal. Sometimes, I feel Muta'ah arrangement is much more better because both partners could have a say on how to dissolve the marriage and hence give full informed consent.

so, single women who is very much happy now with your single life and doing what you are doing to gain God`s blessings, I don't see why you have to panic. It`s the men that should be panicking because their assumed surplus of sexual reliever are just damn empowered not to bother!

Further interesting reads are here, a bit here, here and here too.

Budaya Pop 6.6.6

Hari ini jangan cuba berlagak berani dan masuk ke dalam kandang singa. Takut-takut nanti bala 6.6.06 menimpa anda. Ya, hari ini adalah 6.6.06. Nombor 6 sebaris ini sering sahaja dikaitkan dengan kejahatan, syaitan dan unsur-unsur mistik di dalam ajaran Kristianiti. Selain filem kultus "remake" -The Omen yang ditayangkan serentak di seluruh dunia pada hari ini, kita juga ada papan roulette yang sekiranya semua nombornya dicampur menghasilkan nombor 666, ataupun filem seram Gred-B "Route 666", kisah lebuhraya berhantu di Amerika lakonan Lou Diamond Phillips. Walaupun 666 itu dianggap nombor sial, ia adalah nombor yang dianggap bertuah di China (Nombor 4 yang sialnya kerana sebutannya sama dengan perkataan "mati"). Oh, Slayer juga mahu mengaut keuntungan dari populariti 666 ini.

Kepada peminat genre metal pula, pastilah hari ini hari anda untuk berpesta memandangkan besarnya pengaruh 666 di dalam lagu-lagu metal.Geng-geng metal di KL, berhati-hati dengan aktiviti anda. Kambing hitam itu kalau boleh, sorokkan dari pandangan pihak berkuasa. ;)

Senang cerita, nombor ini dianggap anti-kristianiti kerana diulang beberapa kali di dalam Book of Revelation dan The New Testament sebagai "number of the beast".

"Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom: let anyone with the understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred and sixty-six."

(Sila periksa tangan kanan anda mahupun dahi anda sekarang dan saya serius menyuruh anda berbuat demikian.)

Apa yang kita kurang faham adalah 666 lahir berkurun abad yang lalu daripada ajaran paganisme Babylon. Orang Babylon, yang ketika itu menyembah matahari, bulan dan planet lain di dalam sistem solar mempunyai 37 tuhan dan salah satu dari 37 tuhan ini adalah tuhan yang plaing berkuasa iaitu tuhan matahari. Kerana mempercayai kuasa luar biasa nombor, maka orang Babylon pun mewakili tuhan mereka dengan nombor 1-36 mengikut strata kuasa. Sekiranya dicampurkan nombor 1-36 itu, sepertimana papan roulette tadi, ia menghasilkan 666. Kerana serangan Medes dan Persian, orang alim Babylon telah melarikan diri ke Mesir dan membawa ajaran mereka bersama. Apabila Roman menyerang empayar Atalid, mereka ini berpindah ke Rom pula. Tidak perlu aku menceritakan dengan lebih panjang. Apa yang nyata, apabila Kristian bertapak kukuh di Rom, maka berlakulah proses asimilasi yaitu gereja-gereja di Rom menyerap amalan setempat sebagai satu cara untuk melebarluaskan pengaruhnya dan ini termasuklah ajaran paganisme. Isu 666 itu tampil di dalam "Book of Revelation" dan "New Testamant" sebagai satu cara untuk gereja-gereja menghapuskan pengaruh tuhan pagan yang masih kental di kalangan masyarakat. Tidak hairanlah, 666 menjadi simbol kuasa jahat. Jahat pada intepretasi gereja lah. Tidaklah jahat sangat. Banyak versi asal-usul 666 ini jadi kalau rajin, bacalah di sini, sini dan sini. Mungkin serba sedikit tentang asimilasi paganisme di dalam agama Kristian boleh dibaca daripada teks ini.

Aku pula memang suka nombor 6. Aku lahir pada 6 Mac. Pada hari Selasa. Jersi bola baling aku bernombor 6. Jadi, kalau diikutkan, hari ini adalah hari bertuah aku, bukan sebaliknya. :)

BOLEHKAH ORG. ASIA ADA HAK ASASI?

Minggu lepas, aku dihujani persoalan mengenai hak asasi secara bertubi-tubi di dalam suatu sesi dialog bersama pelajar Sosiologi Universiti Islam Antarabangsa. Semenjak aku tamat pengajian di UM, belum pernah aku menghadiri suatu diskusi ilmu yang rancak sebegini. Baru aku terangkan satu perkara, dua tiga tangan pantas diangkat dengan soalan-soalan "maut" yang amat aku alu-alukan. Aku cuba menjawab sebaik mungkin bukan demi menjawab soalan yang diajukan. Aku berharap jawapan aku itu dapat membuahkan perspektif lain seterusnya membuka pula perbincangan lain di dalam kampus. Kata orang kejumudan mahasiswa sekarang sudah mencapai satu klimaks yang menakutkan.

Dalam banyak soalan yang diajukan, satu soalan menambat jiwa aku. Seorang gadis comel bertudung hitam bertanya kepada aku soalan berikut;

"In the light of our country`s diversity, how do you deal with rights issues that are considered sensitive in our society. Lets say a transexual approach you and seek your help, would you help him/her?"
Dari belakang pula, seorang lagi gadis menyampuk, "Yeah, I mean how do you view human rights in the light of Asian values?"

Soalan dua orang generasi harapan bangsa ini menambat hati aku kerana ia mewakili persoalan asas yang membebankan pemikiran ahli falsafah mahpun aktivis hak asasi sejak dahulu lagi. Soalan pertama itu aku jawab dengan tegas bahawa aku pasti akan membantu diiringi dengan pandangan bahawa jangan dipandang siapa yang memohon pertolongan tetapi apakah bentuk pertolongan yang dipohon. Jika seorang ahli politik datang memohon aku membersihkan namanya dari rasuah agar kedudukannya tidak tergugat, nilai dirinya lebih rendah daripada seorang transeksual yang memohon agar aku mengerti masalah dirinya. Manusia menilai kredibiliti manusia lain berlandaskan perkara tempelen seperti penampilan, kekayaan mahupun pengaruh. Perkara atau individu yang aneh dan luar biasa pantas dianggap negatif mahupun buruk. Ini semua adalah benih ethnocentrism, sebenarnya.

Soalan kedua, aku katakan hujah nilai Asia itu adalah hujah Lee Kuan Yew dan Dr.M. Nilai Asia ini merupakan satu set nilai yang dipopularkan oleh pemimpin di rantau Asia Tenggara pada tahun 90-an bagi menolak nilai hak asasi yang dikatakan kebaratan. Krisis ekonomi pada tahun 1997 dan kejatuhan rejim Soeharto mencabar konsep nilai Asia yang dialung-laungkan oleh Dr.M dan Lee Kuan Yew itu. Kebangkitan rakyat, satu fenomena yang sukar dilihat di rantau Asia Tenggara menafikan teori diktator-diktator ini bahawa konsep hak asasi individu bukanlah cara rakyat Asia Tenggara kerana masyarakat rantau ini sarat dengan budaya serta kepercayaan masyarakat kolektif. (Lee Kuan Yew sering menyebut mengenai Confucius sebagai contoh tokoh yang mengutamakan negara sebelum diri sendiri). Persoalan yang perlu kita fikirkan, tidak kiralah ahli akademik, guru sekolah, remaja hedonis mahupun tukang kebun adalah apakah pula nilai Asia itu? Adakah nilai Asia pula menyatakan bahawa orang Asia tidak boleh mempunyai hak asasi? Ataupun, benarlah pandangan Amartya Sen,

"The championing of Asian values is often associated with the need to resist Western hegemony. The linkage of the two issues, which has increasingly occurred in recent years, uses the political force of anticolonialism to buttress the assault on civil and political rights in post-colonial Asia. This linkage, though quite artificial, can be rhetorically quite effective. Thus Lee Kuan Yew has emphasized the special nature of Asian values, and has made powerful use of the general case for resisting Western hegemony to bolster the argument for Asian particularism".

Untuk pandangan yang mungkin sedikit berbeza, rujuk artikel ini.

Dari sudut yang lain pula, kesejagatan hak asasi bukanlah satu isu yang boleh dilunaskan esok. Teori Relativisme Budaya umpamanya adalah satu lagi bahagian penting dalam perdebatan hak asasi-vs-nilai Asia ini. Teori ini lahir sebagai satu bentuk maklumbalas kepada etnocentrism Barat iaitu menolak tuntutan kebudayaan Barat ke atas konsep kesejagatan, dalam konteks ini, kesejagatan hak asasi manusia. Justeru, teori ini turut menjadi satu alat bukan sahaja untuk memahami perbezaan kebudayaan bahkan mengkritik kebudayaan lain. Isu hak minoriti seperti hak Orang Asli, transeksual mahupun minoriti seksual kadang kala menjadi korban teori ini kerana ia digunakan untuk mengusir pengiktirafan terhadap golongan yang mungkin berbeza daripada masyarakat setempat berbanding menggunakan teori ini sebagai satu kaedah untuk memahami golongan yang berbeza ini.

Berbalik kepada soalan dua gadis generasi harapan bangsa sebentar tadi, aku menjawab bahawa melihat hak asasi manusia dalam konteks nilai Asia mahupun nilai Barat hanya akan memecah belahkan dunia yang sudahpun kusut dengan prejudis dan ketamakkan kuasa besar. Tiada kewarganegaraan, sempadan negara, blok benua mahupun strata kuasa yang perlu mengiktiraf kebebasan rakyat Asia. Aku menolak kenyataan Nilai Asia dendangan diktator terulung Asia sebagai bermotifkan kepentingan politik serta sebagai usaha menjustifikasi penindasan hak asasi yang dilakukan di negara masing-masing. Senang cerita, sepertimana dialog Susan Lancaster dalam "Mekanik" kepada Azmil Mustafa mengenai warna kulit bukan penentu rakyat Malaysia, maka aku juga berkata Orang Eropah ke, Orang Afrika ke, Orang Asia ke, semuanya ada hak asasi!

Menonton Teater Seorang Existentialis

Sabtu kali ini adalah Sabtu yang paling menenangkan. Aku menghabiskan masa berbaring sambil berfikir apa yang hendak ku sental sebagai makan tengah hari kelak. Menjelang 12.00 tengah hari, satu menu pun tidak dapat ku bayangkan dan pagi Sabtu yang tenang menjadi semakin menyesakkan. Sehinggalah, S, teman kepada temanku, menghantar pesanan ringkas tentang persembahan teater "Man Without Shadows" karya Jean-Paul Sartre, seorang existentialis terkenal, malam nanti di Panggung DBKL. Memandangkan aku meminati penulis existentialis lain seperti Kafka, Kundera atau Camus, menonton teks Jean-Paul Sartre dipersembahkan oleh The Poetic Cape sempena Festival Seni Peranchis mungkin akan menjadi satu pengalaman yang menarik.

Aku diperkenalkan kepada dunia existentialisme secara tidak sengaja dan agak lewat bahkan, aku menjadi bahan ketawa rakan ku ketika itu. Aku, A dan I ketika itu sedang berjalan di dalam sebuah bangunan di UPM. Semasa itu, aku berada di dalam Tahun Pertama Pengajian di UM dan sedang melawat A, seorang psikologis di UPM. A dan I berhenti di hadapan bilik seorang pensyarah yang melekatkan sebuah poskad hitam yang tertulis, "Nietzsche Is Dead-God" di pintu biliknya. A dan I ketawa membaca poskad itu sambil bertukar cerita mengenai pensyarah muda dan kacak yang "cool" kerana meletakkan poskad itu di hadapan biliknya. Aku seorang sahaja yang terkedu.
"Sapa Nietzsche?" Aku bertanya. A dan I memandangku dengan pelik.
"You, of all person tak kenal Nietzsche?"
"Hey, I was born in 1979 okay? There are like millions of people born before me, how would I know who is this guy that God denounce", Lancar aku menjawab walaupun hakikatnya, aku sedang memasang perisai pertahanan jika A dan I mahu mempermainkan kejahilan aku tentang mamat Nietzsche ini. Selepas diberitahu, aku hanya tersengih lebar.
"Kelakar mamat ni," Komenku ringkas. Sejak itu, aku cuba lebih banyak membaca tentang tokoh existentialis lain. Manusia yang berani mencabar ketuhanan mungkin dilihat kufur dari pandangan (institusi) agama. Bagi aku pula, manusia begini mengimbangkan pandanganku tentang hidup bahkan memperkayakan perspektif aku tentang pe'el manusia.Jadi hanya satu sahaja perkataan yang dapat ku utarakan untuk menggambarkan Sartre,Kierkegaard mahupun Nietzsche. Fascinating.

(Satu lagi pesanan tidak rasmi, jangan ingat ahli falsafah Existentialism ini orang tidak ada agama atau agnostik semata, Kierkegaard adalah seorang Kristian yang komited, Nietzsche tidak percaya kepada Tuhan dan yang lebih melucukan, Miguel De Unamuno, ahli falsafah Sepanyol pula adalah Katolik atau atheist atau agnostik bergantung pada bilakah masa atau hari anda bertanya pegangan beliau. Moral penerangan ini adalah; JANGAN MENGHUKUM. TAHU & FAHAM DAHULU!)

Agar tidak diketawakan oleh rakan sepertimana kes aku tadi, sedikit penerangan tentang exsitentialisme boleh diperolehi di sini, sini dan sini. Setakat ini, selepas aku membaca mengenai exsitentialisme, aku masih lagi percaya kepada Tuhan. Amaran ini untuk mereka yang mengehadkan ruang lingkup pengetahuan mereka kepada karya-karya Hassan Al-banna semata-mata kerana khuatir disesatkan!

Berbalik kepada persembahan teater tadi. "Man Without Shadows" mengisahkan keresahan lima orang pejuang gerakan "Resistance" yang telah ditahan sewaktu Nazi berkuasa di peranchis semasa Perang Dunia Kedua. Seorang ahli meteorlogi, seorang remaja lelaki, seorang veteran berbangsa Greek, seorang wanita cekal dan ketua "Resistance" sendiri menjadi tonggak karya ini. Masing-masing menanti saat untuk diseksa oleh rejim fasis dan cuba mengandai apakah penyeksaan itu nanti bakal menyakitkan, mambawa maut ataupun seperti kata lelaki Greek itu, "berlaku dengan pantas sehingga engkau tidak sedar.." Man Without Shadows mengajak penonton menyelami bukannya apakah metod paling kejam yang akan digunakan bagi memaksa pejuang "resistance" tersebut membuka mulut dan membocorkan rahsia pergerakan ketua mereka, tetapi lebih kepada mahu penonton menyelami apakah reaksi manusia di ambang penyeksaan? Apakah nilai nyawa manusia sebenarnya? Adakah manusia bertanggungjawab ke atas nyawa seorang manusia lain atau hanya ke atas apa yang dilakukan oleh dirinya sendiri? Yang paling "crucial", mungkin teater ini seolah menjerit kepada penonton "Heroes and Cowards are not born, but made".

Persoalan-persoalan existentialis ini menguasai dialog serta monolog para pelakon. Tanda soal besar mengenai "existence over essence" aku lihat tertulis di setiap babak teater. Mungkin lebih menarik jika satu diskusi mengenai isi kandungan teater diadakan setelah selesai menonton, namun itu hanyalah impian kosong aku sahajalah.

Aku tidaklah selalu menonton teater apatah lagi menghayati teks karya-karya teater oleh tokoh-tokoh terkemuka. Tetapi pada aku, teks "Man Without Shadows" mungkin boleh menjadi lebih radikal jika diterjemahkan kepada Bahasa Malaysia. Limitasi penguasaan rasa serta pengucapan dialog oleh pelakon kadangkala menyebabkan aku hilang tumpuan kepada apa yang sedang dipersembahkan. Kesudian Kerajaan meluluskan teks ini untuk dipertontonkan adalah satu ironi yang kelakar. Mungkin memang sikap Pemerintah di Malaysia, kalau cerita kerajaan yang fasis atau rejim yang jahat itu berlaku di negara "Antah Berantah" atau "di dunia sebelah sana", tidak mengapa untuk disebarkan kepada rakyat, tetapi bangkai gajah sendiri (baca: keganasan polis atau tahana tanpa bicara) harus di simen sedalam-dalamnya! Mungkin selepas ini, penggiat teater tempatan mahu menukil kisah tahanan ISA pula? Kerana bukankah kata-kata itu seumpama pistol yang berpeluru? Selepas mengangkat karya tersebut ke gelanggang teater, jangan pula mendabik dada meminta anugerah, Sartre sendiri menolak Hadiah Nobel yang dihulurkan kepada beliau!

In Memory of 11 Jahanam ~Series # 1~

THE CASSETTE PLAYER

I bumped into my 2 darling juniors at Mid-Valley as I`m on my way to shed some unwanted fats at the gym. They saw me, gave some girly shrieks and we hugged each other.

“Kak Gee!”

They were damn ecstatic. Am I that popular during school days? Popular? No. More like notorious actually.

“Wah, in baju kurung and all. With make-up some more…bla..bla” (I had to refrain myself from reproducing the whole comment because it involved some personal references to my butt and eyes.)

“Kat mana sekrg.?” F, the more demure one, asked while holding her paper bags worth half of her monthly salary. I told them where I am working now. Their small mouths become small perfect Os.

“Wow…akak ni memang lah ditakdirkan,” F continued with a glint in her eyes.

“Takdir apa, F?”

“Yelah, dari sekolah sampai kerja, mesti rebellious gitu,” A, a PTD now, who happened to be one of the prefects that I conned during my school days bypassed F`s slow retort.

“Remember the time when you hide in the locker, jumped at the prefect who happens to open your locker and she confiscates your cassette player for that? “ Damn. A prefect will always be prefect.

“No, A” I corrected her. “I was hiding in my secret spot under the double decker when the Polar Bear (a name we coined for our dear discipline teacher) discovered my cassette player and took it”.

“But it was funny, Kak G. I mean, we enjoyed hearing stories about you and the 11 Jahanam after you are gone, its like just imagine the kinda stories you are saving up for your children..hehehe” I just smiled. 11 Jahanam? Boy, I miss those days.

1995…

“Gee, pinjam cassette player jap,” N came to me and showed me her newly bought Ace of Base cassette.

“Tak bole lar. Lagu-lagu camni dilarang kerana akan mencemarkan cassette player aku,”

“ Ala..jap je, aku cam malas nak gi prep ni, ko pegi tak?” N asked me when I passed the old battered Sharp cassette player that I hid in my locker.

“Malas lar, takde homework, baik aku lepak kat dorm baca buku cerita,” I showed her Phillip K. Dick`s VALIS on my bed.

‘Sci-fi nut”, she muttered before returning to her dorm with my cassette player.

I am just about to throw myself on the bed and finished VALIS when my loyal comrade and unofficial informer came into my dorm and pulled me up.

“Woi, cepat siap, Polar Bear is checking today,” L insisted that we cancel our escape routine for that day.

“Today, he `s in a mean mood. I mean he already caught like 5 boys at ASPURA and he`s heading towards our block,”

Problem was I already made up my mind to stay on. No Polar Bear or Honey Bear can stop me from my meaningless indulgence. Life is too short. After VALIS, I have Orwell`s 1984 to savour. L shook her head and moved out of my dorm.

“hey, 11 Jahanam yang ada kat dorm only u and N tau, so good luck, if there`s anything, page me,” Yelah tu. Macamlah L owned a pager. Gile disillusioned!

The thing was I didn’t tell L about my new hide out that I prepared just in case there is a spot check like today. I meant to test out the hide out today. I mean if my hide out fooled Polar Bear, that means I can patent the idea and sell it to the boys. After I get to do social service last week for jumping on a prefect that opened the locker of which I hid in, I would have to restrain myself from using the locker as my hide out for a while until the prefects forget whats the function of those lockers to school law breakers like us.

I walked to the end of the dorm. There is an old double decker with lots of boxes belonging to the dorm dwellers stacked under it. However, since it is positioned a bit far from the wall, it created a space between the wall and the bed. When the boxes are arranged strategically, the boxes will cover the upper part of the bed. Meanwhile, the other boxes are position as a wall that hid me well in the hide out. So, Bingo! From the outside, the double bed appeared to look like a messy old bed that stored boxes.

I grinned to myself. Picked up VALIS, some coffee toffees and put it in the hide out. I waited in my dorm with ego swelling the size of the savings in Bank of Swiss. I sat quietly as I listened intently for the sounds of Polar Bear renowned heavy footsteps. But all I hear was Ace the Base, crooning All That She Wants from N`s dorm. Within 10 minutes, I heard the sound of the dreaded footsteps. Polar Bear was on the way. I danced to the sound of Ace of Base, did a little jig while walking towards my Polar-proof hide out. With a heavy TOTO lining the floor, the hide out is pretty comfortable. I waited in bated breath. Popped a coffee toffee in my mouth and sucked the toffee slowly. Cherishing the moment when Polar Bear failed to find me anywhere in the block. I chuckled devilishly. Until…

Oh shit! Damn! I shouted and my head banged the box above my head. I can still hear the sound of Ace of Base that my cassette player carried. MY Cassette player! That’s it! If Polar Bear found it, I will not be able to listen to my punk rock collection until I get my SPM result. That’s like 1000 of years! How will I survive my dull academia years without my cassette player? I have to save it no matter what.

I literally jumped out from my hide out, peeped from behind my dorm’s door, searching for the gigantic feature of The Polar Bear. Okay, so he is in the dorm next to mine. I can still sneaked into N`s dorm, get the player and crawled back to my dorm using the balcony opposite my dorm. That was the plan. Went into N`s dorm and saw N wearing her prep uniform in haste. So, 1 Jahanam freaked out, tinggal lagi seorang.

“My player?” I asked her. She threw me a panic look.
“Cepat lah woii, Polar Bear kat A3”.

I quickly grabbed my treasured player and ducked myself behind the balcony. Thank god, I joined Kadet Bersatu. I reassured myself. Those military training that I loathe might be handy after all. When I finally reached the end of the balcony, Polar Bear was just done with checking my dorm. This will actually be a beautiful day, after all. I smiled to myself. As Polar Bear entered N`s dorm, I heard N explaining in her innocent small voice about her having period pain and stuff. I sped into my dorm and was just about to get into my hide out area when suddenly, the ultimate chaos ensued-

“So if you are in sight
and the day is right
She's the hunter you're the fox
The gentle voice that talks to you
won't talk forever
It is a night for passion
But the morning means goodbye”

I am out of words for swearing as I heard Polar Bear saying “Eh, saya baru check A2, bila masa pulak ada pelajar puteri dalam tu?” Damn the fingers on my left hand as they were responsible for accidentally turning on the player. Panicking and foreseeing another week painting the school fence, I simply left the player on the floor and lunged into my hide out. Polar Bear entered my dorm a few seconds later. He seemed to smell the air for traces of disobedient students. I covered my mouth with my hand since my heavy labor of breath could give him hints of my presence in the dorm. He walked calmly, scanning every angle carefully for perhaps sign of students hiding. Suddenly he looked down and saw the player. I swore I saw him smiling like a drunken Cheshire cat. He inspected the player, expecting to find any clue of the owner I guess. Well, I did write GKurt with liquid paper at the back side of the player. No one called me G at school except for 11 Jahanam. I might be safe from the wrath of the Polar Bear after all.

Well, I did escaped detention that day. Sadly though, Polar Bear took away my baby that day. The cassette player. My centre of sanity. My loyal partner during those last minute studies. Despite the proven success of my hide out, I mourned the whole week as I was informed that the cassette player will remain to be the school`s property until SPM ended. I had countless nightmares of the Polar Bear thumping his obese feet to the tune of Ace of Base blasting from my cassette player. N came to my dorm that night for our midnight feast of nasi lemak daun pisang, Pringles and Ice Cream Soda.

“Hey, sorry lar pasal cassette player tu..”

“Takpe lar, next month aku balik Ipoh, cari satu lagi ke, gile duduk dalam penjara ni takde muzik!”

“Ermmm….kasi pinjam lagi bole?” Apparently, N didn’t learn from her lesson.

“Boleh blar!”.

DISNEY INC. LANDING IN JOHORE!

~from the cover of Fantagraphic holiday catalogue~

Finally, Disney Inc. found Johore soil to be just as fertile as France and Japan. Our govt. has held talks with Disney reps. on building a South East Asia`s first Dsineyland theme park in Johore. Singapore would be eating their hearts by now.

Malaysiakini featured an interesting letter on this issue. The writer defended Disneyland as a harmless family-oriented entertainment that has no intention whatsoever to displace the local culture, in fact Disney will normally adopts local context for its famed Magical Land. Oh my. I can't wait to see Mickey Mouse in songkok and samping or Snow White wearing a nice kebaya. So much for local context!

I have some problems with Disney Inc. And it has a lot to do with cultural displacement. Disney is famous for its brand of accessible fairy tales (if not politically correct) such as Cinderella or Aladdin. Despite the glowing acceptance of these animations, Disney provoke uproars from many sectors for its misrepresentation of culture be it American or foreign. I guess we can still remember the furore over how Pocahontas was shot for its lack of sensitivity in potraying native Americans and Europeans. Opting for commercially lovable romance over cultural sensitivity, Pocahontas, claimed to be the first animation based on historical fact, was totally a sell-out romantic movie.

Apparently, Disney Inc. is just like any other normal MNC doing their business. Profit before Social Responsibility. One crucial difference is that , (similarly like other media mogulsa ctually), Disney Inc. trades American brand of culture made accessible to children and families. Popular with its trademark innocence (read: innocence for sale!) , parents around the world agreed that Disney movies are good for their kids and full of moral lessons despite blatant distortion of history or cultural background as pictured in Pocahontas. This is quite scarry as Disney movies and products are allowed to penetrate every social aspect of the household and society at large with open hands by the society. With Disney producing their versions of fairy tales, local fables and folk stories are very much dull and uninventive as compared to the wild colors and catchy songs one find in those Disney animations. Like what my mentor said once, "Disney monopolize the face of imagination. Children simply quotes Cinderella or Snow White when asked about their fave fairy tales. Si Tenggang or Batu Belah Bertangkup is not that trendy lah!"

My problem with Disney Inc. is not only its intentional attempt at displacing or replacing culture, its lack of respect for human rights is another thing. As of today, Disney Inc. had been pulling off their work from any factories in the 3rd world countries that tried to denounce abuse of workers rights. Haiti in , China even California witnessed how Disney factories workers lost their jobs as Disney pulled their work and ignoring the worker`s plight for worker`s rights. In fact, in China, the death of 2 workers in a factory associated with Disney exposed the abuse of long working hours and meagre salary suffered by the workers. You can say, hey all MNCs are like that. Well, I would say that does not in any way prove Disney Inc. is a better MNC. It makes things worse coz Disney self-promote itself as a company that promotes family entertainment when all around the world, children labors are working in their sweatshops, sewing Mickey stuffed toys. Family oriented? I don't think so.

Its time I guess to demystify Disney Inc. as a family oriented fun loving entertainment producer. Just as the animated black jazz singers in Zoot suits under the label of Warner Bros look crooked compared to Mikey`s Steamboat Willie, welcoming Disney simply out of trying to boost tourism is not enough. Just like the animated black jazz singers swinging, its our own local context which will be compromised with the existence of the Disney empire. We would try to close our eyes and chanted that cultural exchange at global level is inevitable. I don't actually call this cultural exchange. I call this cultural dominance at the expense of all the funfairs in Malaysia, pasar malam, Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup, Si Tenggang and Hikayat Malim Demam. For sure, with enough dough, coz I am sure the trip to our very own Disneyland will still be a bit costly, but hands down, Mickey in samping will motivate peeps enough to splurge for those countless trips. So, my advice, since chances of this park to materialize is high, parents of Disney groupies should start saving not only for that new refrigerator but also for those numerous trips to our very own Disneyland.

And to think as a kid I dreamed of shaking hands with Prince Charming! Well...

P/S- My depression is gone I guess. Thanks to those who gave their word of advice day and night! ;)