Tali Tenang – Bangsar LRT Station

 

We’re on theStar: 250 tied by strings of solidarity and on NST: Networking for a group cause, thanks!

Meanwhile, here are some unofficial pictures from Chris Tock.

 

*Read English version of text below.

*This event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=255241961044&ref=mf

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Ingat tak ‘KL Freeze in Unison’? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psOfYLtKk34

Kami nak berjumpa lagi!

Banyak telah berlaku kebelakangan ini yang menimbulkan pelbagai reaksi di kalangan orang ramai.

Namun kami bangga Rakyat masih dapat terus bertenang.

Jom raikan kematangan kita sebagai sebuah masyarakat yang berjaya maintain cool! Jom jadi inspirasi kepada mereka yang tak berapa cool :]

Mari kita buat sesuatu yang simbolik. Bawa seutas tali dan bersama kita akan mengikat utasan tali masing-masing untuk dijadikan satu tali panjang yang cun gila.

Tali panjaaang yang cun gila itu pula akan kita bawa bersiar selama lebih kurang 15 minit untuk ditunjukkan kepada masyarakat Malaysia yang lain.

Mari bersama kita, semua dijemput serta! Sediakan:

1.      Seutas tali sepanjang tangan kanan anda [Tak kira warna atau jenis]

2.      [Pakai baju putih]

3.      [Kalau ada bendera Malaysia, bawa sekali]

Penting sekali, jangan lupa beritahu member-member semua! Jangan lupa datang!

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Remember ‘KL Freeze in Unison’? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psOfYLtKk34

We want to reunite with you!

So much has happened in the last few weeks that has cause our country to be buzzing with agreements and disagreements.

But we’re proud that despite all that’s happened, we the Rakyat, have managed to keep our cool.

Let’s celebrate the fact that we have grown up to be a level-headed cool lot! Let’s inspire those not-so-cool to be cool :]

Let’s do something symbolic. Come with a piece of rope/string and we will tie them together to make one long, beautiful, cool rope that represents each and every one of us.

We will then take our fantastic work of art on a short, 15-minute tour for our fellow Malaysians to see.

Come and join us! Anyone and everyone! All you have to do is:

1.       Bring a piece of rope/string the length of your right arm [Any colour or texture]

2.       Wear a white t-shirt

3.       If you have a Malaysian flag, bring it along

Most importantly, share this news with your friends and you, of course, must come too!

Video: Merdeka Train Party

Evidently, it took us a while to do the video. Many thanks to Vini Balan for having the patience to edit the video and deal with me for the countless of editions asked. Also thanks to food media company Fried Chillies again for providing technical support to allow us to use their equipment. -Zain HD

New RA t-shirt

Concept by Zain HD. Artwork by Germ.

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This new design, is  going to be in support of young female athletes in the gymnastics arena*. Keeping in mind that, often, they represent the country at a very young age. We are in discussion with a few suitable organisations now to decide which is most apt for this project.

*This direction is not definite, but it will be around that realm.

Realistically, it will be ready in a few months. If you are interested, email Shop [at] RandomAlphabets [dot] com and tell us your size. That’s all. No money deposit. No additional info. When the t-shirts are ready, we’ll notify you. The price, will most probably be different as well, not RM47.

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PS. Our Green/Eco Knights and Pink/PRIDE Foundation t-shirts are almost sold out. Only Pink Baby T’s left. For Green, even less. Though there’s both Baby T and Unisex ones left.

The conference statement

When I was away, the Conference of Rulers (of Malaysia) issued a statement. Naturally, that toyed a bit with constitutional law and rights. Some wondered whether or not they had a right to do so. Or whether they should have even done so. At the same time, that statement was about reminding people what were

The Conference of Rulers at Istana Negara on April 14, 1960. The King has been elected by the Conference of Rulers since independence.

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When I was away, the Conference of Rulers (of Malaysia) issued a statement.

Naturally, that toyed a bit with constitutional law and rights. Some wondered whether or not they had a right to do so. Or whether they should have even done so. At the same time, that statement was about reminding people what were their rights, and what should (not) be happening.

At breakfast today I read a fairly good piece in The Star. It included comments from notables figures such as Malik Imtiaz Sarwar & (the witty) Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam. Click here to read it.

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Review of breaking and lagi lah

For the past week, RA has been talking about a few plays. 2 of which had its last show on Sunday afternoon. I caught Break-ing on Thursday with theatre analyst Niki. On Sunday, to Lagi Lah with Jennie, Nawar and Linda.

Yes. All these people have only names and you’ll find no pictures of them, or me, here. Only an idiot would make himself look bad in his own column.

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Three plays by three directors

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I’ve to admit I didn’t quite get Silence, Please, by Jo Kukathas. The storyline that is. I got the gist of it. Certain parts what the story evolved around, showed the maturity (I suppose that’s the word) of the writer. The sub-messages as well was brilliant. As a matter of taste, it was a little slow for me and it did make me feel lost watching this as I had to keep on trying to piece it together in my head.

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Directed by Loh Kok Man, Repot?[Mind+Mine] was a play that had 95% of the script in Mandarin (or was it Cantonese). With subtitles of course. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. There was defintely an almost equillibrium between the element of humour and message/theme. One of the things it seeked to determine and pose to the audience was, what is the national language, first language and mother tongue of a person. A conundrum namely with non-Malays who live in Malaysia.

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The last one, WIP did good but prolonged pauses turned me off a little. On top of the idea of promoting the freedom of thought, it also made close reference to the ISA which I’ve been researching about of late. This one was directed by Nam Ron and I was waiting for that X element from him in this one because of his previous work. Just as when I was beginning to feel disappointed, that element came in towards the end of the play. And it came well.

*Part 2 of the ISA series that I’m writing for RA will be out this coming Monday.

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I’ve always insisted on not saying things like, ‘for Malaysian standards, this was good.’ But that is indeed the case sometimes. That description is apt no matter how politically correct you wish to appear. Worse still if you grew up hearing and watching West End musicals and then you start watching local productions that is at most, considered to be post infant or perhaps pre adolescence.

What this one did was that, it would take a song from a famous musical or movie, alter the lyrics and theme to suit the Malaysian context. It did not help that my ears could not catch on as fast as Jennie’s in spotting the origins of half of the parodies they were doing.

But to break it down simply, at least 60% of the songs performed was brilliant. Definitely.

Some were off simply I believe because of two things. Some songs needed more,

• movement and/or people on stage. This was especially so with the somewhat barren stage they had. To compensate with more props and decor would be an alternative, but an expensive one indeed as the context (although all Malaysian), was a revolving one.
• singing by more people. Not just the one or three that they had on stage. But perhaps the whole cast if need be, for the sake of ‘delivering’ the song. Some just needed that grand effect with stronger melody.

That said, the parody of Tomorrow (from Annie The Musical) regarding how a Dato’ Hu must wait till ‘tomorrow’ for his cheque, perfomed solo by Mia Palencia was simply super.

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ISA part 1

In the case of Theresa Lim Chin Chin v IGP, the court said NEHI. Janji subversion, you can kena! That said, in the case of IGP v Tan Sri Khalid Harun, a preventive detention order was used against the banker. The court said again, NEHI. That’s misuse of power by the government!

I am meant to post about something else. However, with the recent heat in Malaysia about the Detention Without Trial or the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA), I’ll play it cool.

This topic is extensive so I’ll have it in a series of posts.

Lecture notes by Constitutional Law Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi

The ISA is a law created under another law. Without the latter, ISA would not exist. Therefore, we’ll start from the top.

The supreme law in Malaysia, is the Federal Constitution (FC). It is the highest source of law, in the first tier and the only one in that tier. No other law in Malaysia is of equal weight to it. All other laws will cease to exist if it contradicts the FC.

The ISA was created under Article 149 of the FC. Legislation against subversion, action prejudicial to public order, etc. 149, is what validates the existence of ISA (putting aside of course views and principles of justice and fairness).

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Article 149

Definition - subversion: (among others,) prejudicing the maintenance of any supply or service to the public order or national security.

Purpose - empowers Parliament to create laws to combat subversion.

Extent - will be valid, even if they violate certain fundmantal liberties/rights that is also under the FC. However, as in the case of Minister for Home Affairs v (Joshua) Jamaluddin Othman, it cannot be used if it violates the exercise of freedom of religion by an individual.

Duration - Previously, 1 year. Now, indefinitely.

Exercise - The government. The King, has no say in this kong.

Procedure - When approving the creation of a law such as ISA for example, only a simple majority in Parliament is required to vote for it. 51%, and not two thirds majority. Neither the King, nor the Conference of Rulers (the Club of Sultans of various states), need to be consulted.

Laws under 149 (such as ISA) can be passed preventively. Meaning, there need not be a problem now in order to make the government want to create a law (to combat subversion). In short, precautionary. If in the future, they suspect someone like you might run around town being yourself (stupid), they may create a law even before you were born, to prevent from such a thing happening.

Some argued that since 149 was created to specifically combat communism. Now that it is no longer a threat, it should be abolished or not be used on any other matter but communism. Plus, scholars argue that we don’t need ISA to combat Lindsay Lohan. However, in the case of Theresa Lim Chin Chin v IGP, the court said

NEHI. In you go. Janji subversion, you can kena!

That said, in the case of IGP v Tan Sri Khalid Harun, a preventive detention order was used against the banker. The court said again,

NEHI. Release him. That’s misuse of power by the government!

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*The writer is a law graduate who writes for RA almost every Monday. Constitutional Law was his number one favourite subject. Seriously. He failed the paper (Part 2) twice. Seriously.

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Elephant analysis

Few weeks ago I read an article by Martin Khor. I took an excerpt of it & wrote something which was ready to be published here.

Because all the slots on RA were ‘booked’ by other writers, I uploaded part of that post on FB Notes. To my surprise, it generated unexpected attention & comments. Or perhaps that’s just how Notes work & I’m ‘uncharacteristically’ oblivious.I’ll share the original content of that original post here some other time. Meanwhile I’ll publish here what I did on Notes.

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The Note, titled Quasi critics and analysts, read,

“People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid.”
-Soren Kierkegaard

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Being in the generation that went to school in the post-cold war era being told that democracy is great, and communism is shite (without ever being told what either of them actually works or stand for), I’ve come to note that due to peer pressure most have a tendency to want to appear to be politically correct, conscious and active.

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Thus making them, collectively achieving a pseudo critical analytical consensus derived from a council that merely groped the elephant in the dark. Separately declaring the trunk, tusk, tail and torso as the negative, blindly thinking it all as one and the same thing.

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The first comment came from MM. “And what prompted this, Zain?“

The ‘note’ above is actually an excerpt from a (soon to be published) post I wrote for RandomAlphabets.com, regarding Martin Khor’s article.

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It’s meant primarily for those with a few pebbles and an empty tin can that have exhausted my ears, and my (so far) patient listening skills.

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I suppose it would be splendid to hear more constructive criticism towards anything and everything.

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On the democracy/communism note, I do feel like a significant amount of my peers point, relentlessly, at pointless things. It would be more respectable, to themselves and their thoughts, if they could seek to understand, rather than have their enthusiasm transmitted aimlessly.

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Young hearts, run free.
In mind, not stupidity.

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Iklim classic

Simile is a form of literary language. It can and is interpreted in many ways.

I was listening to Suci Dalam Debu the other day. It started of by going, engkau bagai air yang jernih, di dalam bekas yang berdebu. There’s a chance that one day, this simile would be interpreted as,

a transparent beautiful girl with horrible dusty makeup.

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