Walk, Just Keep Walking.

Michelle Gunaselan, October 5, 2007

Michelle, BM, Columns |

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I refer to Tricia Yeoh’s post Truth/Caution (and the Long Walk To Justice), please read it for background. We seem to be thinking along the same lines this week :)

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In a boat at sea, one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, “I am only boring under my own seat.” “Yes,” said his companions, “but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you.
- Talmud

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Last week, was a memorable week for me, and emotionally draining to say the least. The VK Lingam video, the public outrage (short-lived, but outrage nonetheless, given typical Malaysian apathy) about an innocent’s death, and who can forget the wire pictures of monks that lay slain - because of their need to fight for a democratic nation?

Somewhere in the week, I too, like Tricia watched V for Vendetta again. It is a movie that has helped me through many a hard time. I remember the soaring of my heart when V clearly outlines the message of our time.

That people should not be afraid of its Government, but that Governments should be afraid of its people.

I also remember bringing my conservative Catholic, right wing mother to the movies when it showed, and having her say after the movie, very quietly with conviction, “I wish we had a V in Malaysia.”

For a person like her, a borderline racist (stemming from institutionalized abuse of the pathetic system we blame on our Constitution) - this was a shocker. I remember pondering then, that if there were ever a revolt, would she stand up?

Would she walk along with the people who were like me? Her unabashedly leftist, and liberal daughter? Who believes in human rights, in free speech, in a world free for all? Yes, even for the KKK and them crazy fundamentalists. Or would she continue to wish for a V, and never do anything at all?

And that’s the thing isn’t it? The marches by two very different groups - lawyers and monks - people you would never in a million years imagine marching and taking to the streets, ARE DOING IT. I think it’s become a show of how bad the times are, that they have been removed from their offices, from the places where they bill by the hour, from their daily routines of praying and meditating to go out and do what we have forgotten how to do.

The amount of injustice that has happened, the racism, the inequality, the unfairness and the loss of values of brotherhood and decency in this country is appalling. You know it, I know it, and we all know it.

When the Lina Joy verdict was delivered, I asked some of my moderate Malay Muslim friends how they felt about it, and they were shocked and appalled at how their religion was being hijacked by some and used for political play, and yet, like my mother - their voices of reason stayed silent.

And it’s not just them - it’s all of us too. What are we so afraid of? Ultimately, if saying nothing is supposed to keep our loved ones and us safe, we are so mistaken; silence will only destroy everything we’ve worked for thus far.

When will we, as a collective, start taking to the streets? And I’m not talking about just us KL-centric, hip, bohemian, young idealists. I’m talking Malaysians for Malaysia.

Tonight, I’m going to take my mum for a walk.

You should come too.

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*There will be a candlelight vigil for Burma tonight. It is an initiative of civil society organizations, including Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Civil Rights Committee of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH-CRC), Youth For Change (Y4C) and Amnesty International (AI) Malaysia. Information is as follows:

Date: Friday, 5 October 2007
Time: 8 p.m.
Venue: KLCC (entrance nearest to Menara Maxis, opposite Avenue K)

Please come to show your solidarity. Please bring candles, candle-holders and banners.

For further information, please contact SUARAM (MoonHui) at 03-77843525 or Amnesty International (K.Shan) at 03-79552680.

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