Category: Politics & government

Categories
Personal Politics & government

[1573] Of down at the bottom of the trough

At long last, the day arrives. I am approaching the poll with deep apprehension after a surge of confidence I never thought would be possible. After all that had been said and done, something convinced earlier me that change was in the air. To come to think of it however, that was the same feeling many other shared in 1999, in 1990 or anytime when support for Barisan Nasional was low.

A friend back in Ann Arbor used to chide me for having violent mood swing. He and several others would wonder what happened to me within a short period of time until eventually, they figured out that it was just one of my idiosyncrasies; he used to joke that I suffered from PMS.

I could be so full of confidence, a maniac with unbelievable amount of enthusiasm in one day and a melancholic hermit feeling suicidal in the next. I am on that raft in the middle of the sea with no shore in sight now, finding myself at the bottom of a trough. It was only days ago I had a confidence that was so irrational that I could not explain it fully. After some doses of reality, gravity is pulling me back down to the earth.

I fear that the election tomorrow may bring me farther down while I thought I was already at the bottom. I fear that I might sulk for the whole day, trying to gather pieces of myself with little hope for tomorrow. The sun will rise again tomorrow and everyday after tomorrow but I fear I might not be there to brave the sunrises.

An acquaintance once gave me an advice: whatever happens, keep the passion. I would love to take heed but I am already badly disillusioned. I cannot be sure if I could take another blow. The system has been manipulated through and through with gross disregard for institutional integrity that it made hope, even the tiniest of all, not a vocabulary one would have in mind.

I am unsure why but this election, at least at this particular moment, is draining me emotionally. The odd thing is that I am neither directly involved in it apart from being a voter nor invested too heavily in a campaign. Yet, I felt that so many is at stake.

I will wake up in the morning with a hope so grand that it is doomed to be pierced. I will do what I must and brave myself for the eventuality. I am unsure if I could weather bitterness as bad as the one I had suffered in November 2004 but yet, the sun will surely rise again. I think I could take comfort that the sun will rise yet again, everyday.

Oh, it is almost humorous to think that just days ago I was imagining of a new federal government, that one that would refrain from transgressing liberty. If I had not known better, I could have sworn that I was on weed. Yet, I pray, even if to nothing, for the best of all possible worlds.

Hey Dr. Pangloss, how are you?

Categories
Politics & government

[1572] Of goodbye Paul

Thanks for the excitement! It has been great!

Categories
Activism Photography Politics & government

[1570] Of anak muda Tony at Budu’s

I accidentally became Nik Nazmi’s “official photographer” after I decided to tag along with his campaign team on Sunday evening. We went to an Indian-majority area and the reception was absolutely raving. I was taken aback at how wide the community opened their arms to Nik Nazmi. And I lost count at how many residents he shook hand with.

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams.

The photo above portrays a serene atmosphere. Do not be tricked by it however because behind me was a freaking festival complete with fireworks and a quartet of pakhawaj or tabla or whatever troupe!

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams.

Afterward, Nik Nazmi was joined by Tony Pua, Loh Gwo Burne as well as three other speakers at a public speaking session.

Some rights reserved. By Hafiz Noor Shams

Why anak muda? Ask the pretty lady that introduced Tony to the crowd.

Categories
Activism Politics & government

[1569] Of Elizabeth Wong for Bukit Lanjan

Need I say more?

Fair use.

Apart from blogging, Eli is actively involved in human rights NGOs. I will just quote her about page:

ELIZABETH WONG (黄洁冰) has been involved in human rights since her student days in Sydney and subsequently during her work in Nepal. She was the secretary-general of the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) (全国人权协会)from 2000-2006 (now sitting as a member of the Ex-Com), a member of the Suaram (大马人民之声) secretariat and was a human rights fellow of Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs (2002-03). She is also a political consultant and has been involved in the setup of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus for Democracy and Solidarity Campaign for Human Rights in Aceh. [About. Elizabeth Wong. Accessed March 2 2008]

Categories
Liberty Politics & government

[1568] Of refusing to dance with Sophie

A refrain from voting effectively disenfranchises refraining voters from decision-making processes. When options sit along a political spectrum and the refrain causes candidate standing farthest from specific voters is elected into office, it is highly likely that issue raised by that specific voters will be ignored in favor of issues raised by the supporters of the candidate. As I have explained earlier, this makes voting imperative, especially when the participation rate is high and when the voting outcome affects the voters. Thus, Hobson has been taken out of the equation. While the importance of voting has been established, I have yet to answer the question of how does one vote under the current Malaysian circumstances. Sophie still stares at us.

To do so, we have to establish our goal, be it libertarian or some other thinkings. With two points identified, we then will be able to determine which path to follow.

To answer my dilemma — which many share, I am sure — we cannot solve it by working from the stage of reality to the stage of ideal. To convincingly answer it, we have to take our goals and work it backward.

The libertarian goal is the maximization of liberty and that is my goal. The typical caveat applies but this is not an entry about the definition of libertarianism and so, we shall leave it there and confidently move on.

Prior to the dissolution of the Parliament in February, we had an influential government with a shockingly strong mandate. Subsequent events in the past several years have proven that the mandate had enabled tyranny of the majority; the inferiority of majoritarian democracy to liberal democracy was proven albeit painfully. I have repeatedly emphasized the superior of a liberal democracy to “democracy, Malaysian-style” and so, I will say no more of majoritarian and liberal democracy.

I repeat, an extremely strong Malaysian government resulted in the minimization of liberty. So strong it was that liberties supposedly guaranteed by the Constitution have been grossly violated from time to time. Worse, the Constitution and policies could be amended according to Prime Minister’s mood of the day. A case in point: the extension of the retirement age of the EC chairman.

Given the status quo and the ultimate goal of libertarianism — or at least, the prevention of tyranny of the majority — the immediate goal for the 2008 Malaysian general election is clear. The immediate goal is the reduction of the power of the state. With history suggesting that BN will form the majority in the Dewan Rakyat by default, this translates into voting against BN.

That however does not quite cut it for me. I am facing a choice between having to choose UMNO, which is part of BN, and PAS. Does voting for PAS enhance my liberty?

Ideologically, it does not but pragmatically, it does enhance liberty due to rationale against tyranny of the majority.

At a stall last week, I had a supper with a several individuals and one of them was the respected lawyer Haris Ibrahim. He said, “this is not the time for a debate” in response to question by a Christian whom asked why should she vote for PAS?

Mr. Haris further stated, “do the arithmetic. PAS will not be able to form the government.” PAS is contesting only about 60 seats and it is only expected to win at least 40 seats. With 111 seats level marks the 50% threshold — if PAS is interested in forming a government; assuming BN would sit in the opposition — PAS will have to collaborate with other political parties which do not share the goals of PAS, including DAP.

Compare this to the current unmitigated Islamization process done by BN, led by UMNO.

Unlike UMNO, PAS limited influence can be controlled. UMNO’s influence on the other hand is too enormous to manage. Just observe BN; despite the presence of MCA and MIC as well as other junior partners, UMNO is free to dictate the direction of the coalition while dissent is swiftly punished. Fascism is the word of the day. If I may say so, intolerance for dissent is the reason why parties instead of individuals dominate Malaysian politics. Until these parties are humbled, individual-based politics will not thrive.

The only way I could think of to starve off creeping Islamization is the introduction of political competition in the legislature. This leads to the same conclusion yet again: the reduction of the power of the state.

Finally, when PAS knows that it is getting protest votes from those that do not agree to its Islamism and if PAS is interested in keeping and building its influence, it will have to continue to cater to these voters, which does not the traditional voters of PAS. Eventually, PAS agenda will be toned down.

Thus, the Sophie’s choice is solved without appealing to the rationale of the lesser of the two evils. What I have done is realizing an aspiration to achieve the noblest of all goals with clear conscience. I refuse to dance with Sophie.