Truths that matter

Lat’s \’Light & Easy\’ in the NST (Jan 11, 2010) captures truth as it really sits on the ground. Lat pictures an exhibition hall for the 1Malaysia concept with a large frame painting of 1Malaysia; with the only one significant but important difference: it is a very large mirror and reflects the observers as the observed.

They are in fact depicting his 1Malaysia. How correct, true and very perceptive.

Lat, to me has always been and continues to be, a towering multi-cultural Malay Malaysian but who is and has always been focused on truth, or, at least as he sees it.

Why do I say this? Multi-cultural Malaysia has many dimensions and multiple identities; which makes Malaysia Truly Asia.

First and foremost we are always Malaysian first. Lat is. Although he is Malay from Perak  ethnically, his cultural depiction of Malaysia always includes the other ethnicities of at least Peninsula Malaya.

Likewise in this 1Malaysia ‘painting,’ he depicts his favourite Indian, his Sikh, his Chinese teacher lady, the many expressions of Malays and others of the peninsula, young and older, and of course the tudung lady and the sari lady.

His 12 people capture much of the real way of life of his 1Malaysia. But, my question to Lat  is: why only the peninsula characters?  

Maybe, and to give the benefit of doubt, towards his grounded, historic and experienced based research and analysis vide his art forms; he consciously limits his 1Malaysia to 12 Malaysians because this is the whole truth of our today’s mainstream version of truths that matter.

Lat is M \\alaysian too. While his Malaysian are all wealthy and can afford to appreciate art in the galleries of such exhibition halls, my real question is are we not really and truly guilty of also neglecting the other marginalised Malaysians of Sabah, Sarawak, and from the penisula, the orang Asal whom we call orang Asli , even in our very mental models of framing 1Malaysia?  

I cannot frankly remember seeing a wheel-chair bound Malaysian ever depicted. Where are the bottom 30 percent of those who struggle to make their life matter daily?

Neither am I picking upon Lat here; as he is still my favourite political or cultural art columnist.

My comments are directed also towards you and me, and every Malaysian, as we read and appreciate this column. Much like the way Lat’s \’Light & Easy\’ captures Malaysia Truly Asia; can we look into the mirror and see a true blue 1Malaysian in ourselves?

Is Najib walking his talk?

Do we even know what our PM Najib Abdul Razak means by 1Malaysia?

Does Najib know what he really means by it, especially when he says; he cannot stop the Malays from protesting a high court decision. Is he walking his talk?

Since I have been an avid reader of the NST all these years; tolerating all their ups and downs, let me also refer to another column in the same newspaper. M Husairy Othman called his piece \’Time to walk the talk\’.

My commentary is that this opinion does not deal with truth at its core; as though truths do matter. To Lat truths matter and to me truth does matters but to Husairy Othman truth may not matter.

Much like the other Umno-owned newspapers, truth of their opinions and views only matter in the often skewed perspective of the columnist or writer but real objective truth of a matter does not really matter; to them.

Therefore, unlike Lat’s call to all Malaysians to walk the talk, Husairy’s call is only the two menteris besar of Perak.

But, my question is why only two of them? Is it only because we have 1Malaysia but 2MBs?  

But, whose fault is it? Who create the coup by the back door? Who involved the sultan into the political fray and made the whole country and nation-state involved because the particular sultan happened to be the former Lord President of Malaysia?

If truth matters, why is Husairy only discussing the political dimensions of the truth and being limited to the proposition and the opposition? If he calls on the MBs to walk their talk, is he also walking his talk with professional journalistic writing?

Why is he not calling upon the Lord President to walk his talk, although now he is the Perak sultan? Who brought in and involved the sultan, the head of Perak into the political equation?

Did not the 1MB appeal to dissolve the state assembly? But, who then installed the 2MB?  Why did we do it without cognizance of the due processes of the law?

Why do we turn to the law only when it is convenient; with rule by law? Why do we not believe in the rule of law because that is what it means to me; 1Malaysia equals 1Rule, 1Law!

That is truly why I appreciate this depiction of Lat & Easy; because he captures real life as it really is; not just espousing his favourite lines or lies any which way but because his art depicts and captures his walk and his talk too.

He is professional. I have not yet met Lat personally though.

Therefore today we have 1Malaysia but two national identities. Some are Malay first, but most, like Lat, are Malaysian first.

Some others like the Indian-Muslims in Penang that ex PM, Dr Mahathir Mohamad spoke about are Indian first but they also want to be Malaysians at the same time. They want to have both identities; to have the cake and eat it as well.

They want Malaysian and Indian citizenships, but Malay identities. They have wives in each station. They want privileges in each station. They may run businesses in both locations. They claim loyalties to both role assumptions.

Mahathir, rightly, said they cannot do this. He said they are either Malays or Indians, even if they are Muslims. But, most media reported him asking them to choose whether they are either Malays or Muslims.

If he did say that, it would be mischievous of him, because his own grandfather was Indian and Muslim but not Malay.

We are all Malaysians first

This column is therefore in praise of Malays, who like Lat are Malaysians first in their depictions; in framing and representation of their world views.

Most Malaysians do not understand that we are all Malaysians first. And, here I may include even the Malay Rulers; for without that identity they cannot even leave the country.

They can only remain true blue Malay Rulers if their rulership is recognized outside of their states and the penisular; including Sabah and Sarawak although within Malaysia.

Technically, Sarawak can reject the permit to enter their state.

They can and have the legal right to reject anyone from the peninsula from entering Sarawak.

Finally, last Sunday, for the first time since my campus days, I heard opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim speak at a forum with Christian leaders.

To the best of my three senses, I think he spoke about truths that matter. He spoke to support the truth of the matter on the ‘Allah’ issue.

He spoke to uphold the constitution and the principle of the rule of law in Malaysia; even if the judicial system is currently still less than satisfactory.

He spoke to support the brave and courageous Justice Lau Bee Lan who addressed the truth of the matter.

Anwar also asked the Christian leaders to speak up for truth and to always stand for eternal and perennial truths that matter.

He spoke of his truth about his personal transformation while in jail and under solitary confinement. He spoke of many truths that matter.

There can be no 1Malaysia if truth does not matter.

Najib today has a very serious paradigm problem.

Umno is stuck and muddied under the why, what and how of an older era of power, control and authority.

But the world is today within the paradigm of \’The Inconvenient Truth\’, as Al Gore called it. My believe is that truths do matter to every Malaysian.

There can be no 1Malaysia if we cannot see a 1Malaysian in the mirror. Mirror, mirror on the wall…may we see a 1Malaysian!

May God bless Malaysia.