They came, they saw and .... they fought! Representatives of the three NGOs at a press conference to announce their
Less than 48 hours ago, three race-championing NGOs squabbled in public before the ink was even dry on their pact to work together. It must make Malaysians wonder what role civil society can play in the healing after a bruising general election. In the fifth of the series on reconciliation, The Malaysian Insider talks to non-governmental organisations.
This may sound like a joke for the pub, but it really happened. A Malay, a Chinese and an Indian group walked into a news conference to announce they would all work together. Then they fought.
In classic form, Malay rights group Perkasa's deputy chief Zulkifli Noordin chose that occasion on Friday to defend the headmaster of SK Seri Pristana who ordered his non-Muslim pupils to eat their lunch in the school shower room, next to the toilet. Zulkifli, of course, was already famous for speaking derisively of Hindu gods before.
Angry members of the New Indian Welfare and Charity Association, which had just announced its partnership with Perkasa, confronted Zulkifli but he stood his ground. Then they all left.
What role their newfound Chinese partner, Malaysia New Era Chinese Association, played in all this remains to be told in what no doubt will become a pub joke about how three racial champions behave when they meet in Malaysia.
Not so much of a joke is how the rest of civil society here sees their lot and it is telling if the nation's leaders say that reconciliation is top of the agenda after a bruising general election.
If civil society is about citizens coming together to support the Malaysian way, then much of it clearly feels alienated from the powers.
For example, this is what Malaysia's most famous woman internationally, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, told The Malaysian Insider about electoral watchdog Bersih, "The government should start listening to us and engaging us and not looking at us as though we are the enemy."
Four years ago, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan stood with American First Lady Michelle Obama and then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to receive her fillip as one of the eight for the International Women of Courage Award.
Since then she has become the megaphone for Bersih, a corral of NGOs like Suaram and Women's Development Collective.
She says, "I say there are some in government who are willing to engage us but the push for this must come from the top. This country needs leadership."
Look at religious rights and there too you hear an echo of Bersih's views about a vacuum in political leadership.
"Because of the inability of politicians to protect the basic religious rights, we have been thrust forward to do just that," says Jagir Singh, deputy president of Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism.
This influential group was formed 30 years ago to promote cooperation between people of different religions, a task that has become more relevant in recent years with many religious issues cropping up, such as child conversion and the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims.
"Our role is to get the government to rethink their policies on religious matters," says Jagir.
But he adds, "I don't see a solution in the future. It will be a continuous struggle to fight for our rights."
Again, not far to go to hear another echo on leadership - or lack thereof, this time on deaths in police custody.
"We have been calling on the government to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission for better accountability. But it has fallen on deaf ears," says Eric Paulsen, an adviser for Lawyers for Liberty.
The group says it's a human rights and law reform initiative to challenge the unconstitutional, arbitrary and unreasonable decisions and acts by the government, its agencies and other authorities.
Paulsen says the "responsibilities" of the group increased since it started in February 2011.
"Yes, of course the number of cases we receive has gone up significantly because of the demand to protect the rights of those who have no voice."
He cited cases of police brutality and deaths in custody as one of the group's main concerns right now, noting the deaths of N. Dharmendran, P. Karuna Nithi and others recently.
But they are non-governmental organisations, so why do they keep looking to the government for leadership?
"Everything in this country is political and involves political parties," argues Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or more famously, Chegubard, from Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia.
The apolitical body, made up of mostly of students and youth, has been calling for changes in the way the country is run, and more specifically, the way elections are run.
"We don't care whether it is the BN or Pakatan. We want whoever it is to govern well and address the issues of the people," Chegubard declares.
But if everything is political and even NGOs look to the politicians for leadership, what is the state of the union? Not very trusting, going by their comments.
"The right hand is giving a handshake but the left is holding a knife to stab you," Chegubard says.
Ambiga's view: "There appears to be a move towards narrowing the democratic space by some of the leaders with talks of increasing curbs on fundamental freedoms. These alarming statements even come from some of our ministers. "For example, blaming one group of people for not voting for them, instead of looking at themselves, gives ghost against all principles of democracy."
Paulsen of the lawyers puts in that he feels that the government is not actually interested in reconciling.
"It is unlikely and does not seem genuine," he says.
Jagir from the religious group talks even tougher. "There should be remorse. All laws in the Federal Constitution must be protected," he says, referring to the child conversion laws.
So… it's not going well.
On the civil sector front, give the last word to Ambiga, the former Bar Council chief who now leads the largest gathering of NGOs in the country through Bersih.
After all, Hillary Clinton said of this Malaysian when giving her the international award, "Ambiga Sreenevasan has a remarkable record of accomplishment in Malaysia. She has pursued judicial reform and good governance, she has stood up for religious tolerance, and she has been a resolute advocate of women's equality and their full political participation. She is someone who is not only working in her own country, but whose influence is felt beyond the borders of Malaysia."
So what does the co-chair of Bersih herself say?
"What should be happening now is introspection and an ability to rise above politics and to lead in a statesmanlike manner."
She adds, "To me, the biggest impediment to national reconciliation is the government."
This may sound like a joke for the pub, but it really happened. A Malay, a Chinese and an Indian group walked into a news conference to announce they would all work together. Then they fought.
In classic form, Malay rights group Perkasa's deputy chief Zulkifli Noordin chose that occasion on Friday to defend the headmaster of SK Seri Pristana who ordered his non-Muslim pupils to eat their lunch in the school shower room, next to the toilet. Zulkifli, of course, was already famous for speaking derisively of Hindu gods before.
Angry members of the New Indian Welfare and Charity Association, which had just announced its partnership with Perkasa, confronted Zulkifli but he stood his ground. Then they all left.
What role their newfound Chinese partner, Malaysia New Era Chinese Association, played in all this remains to be told in what no doubt will become a pub joke about how three racial champions behave when they meet in Malaysia.
Not so much of a joke is how the rest of civil society here sees their lot and it is telling if the nation's leaders say that reconciliation is top of the agenda after a bruising general election.
If civil society is about citizens coming together to support the Malaysian way, then much of it clearly feels alienated from the powers.
For example, this is what Malaysia's most famous woman internationally, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, told The Malaysian Insider about electoral watchdog Bersih, "The government should start listening to us and engaging us and not looking at us as though we are the enemy."
Four years ago, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan stood with American First Lady Michelle Obama and then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to receive her fillip as one of the eight for the International Women of Courage Award.
Since then she has become the megaphone for Bersih, a corral of NGOs like Suaram and Women's Development Collective.
She says, "I say there are some in government who are willing to engage us but the push for this must come from the top. This country needs leadership."
Look at religious rights and there too you hear an echo of Bersih's views about a vacuum in political leadership.
"Because of the inability of politicians to protect the basic religious rights, we have been thrust forward to do just that," says Jagir Singh, deputy president of Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism.
This influential group was formed 30 years ago to promote cooperation between people of different religions, a task that has become more relevant in recent years with many religious issues cropping up, such as child conversion and the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims.
"Our role is to get the government to rethink their policies on religious matters," says Jagir.
But he adds, "I don't see a solution in the future. It will be a continuous struggle to fight for our rights."
Again, not far to go to hear another echo on leadership - or lack thereof, this time on deaths in police custody.
"We have been calling on the government to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission for better accountability. But it has fallen on deaf ears," says Eric Paulsen, an adviser for Lawyers for Liberty.
The group says it's a human rights and law reform initiative to challenge the unconstitutional, arbitrary and unreasonable decisions and acts by the government, its agencies and other authorities.
Paulsen says the "responsibilities" of the group increased since it started in February 2011.
"Yes, of course the number of cases we receive has gone up significantly because of the demand to protect the rights of those who have no voice."
He cited cases of police brutality and deaths in custody as one of the group's main concerns right now, noting the deaths of N. Dharmendran, P. Karuna Nithi and others recently.
But they are non-governmental organisations, so why do they keep looking to the government for leadership?
"Everything in this country is political and involves political parties," argues Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or more famously, Chegubard, from Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia.
The apolitical body, made up of mostly of students and youth, has been calling for changes in the way the country is run, and more specifically, the way elections are run.
"We don't care whether it is the BN or Pakatan. We want whoever it is to govern well and address the issues of the people," Chegubard declares.
But if everything is political and even NGOs look to the politicians for leadership, what is the state of the union? Not very trusting, going by their comments.
"The right hand is giving a handshake but the left is holding a knife to stab you," Chegubard says.
Ambiga's view: "There appears to be a move towards narrowing the democratic space by some of the leaders with talks of increasing curbs on fundamental freedoms. These alarming statements even come from some of our ministers. "For example, blaming one group of people for not voting for them, instead of looking at themselves, gives ghost against all principles of democracy."
Paulsen of the lawyers puts in that he feels that the government is not actually interested in reconciling.
"It is unlikely and does not seem genuine," he says.
Jagir from the religious group talks even tougher. "There should be remorse. All laws in the Federal Constitution must be protected," he says, referring to the child conversion laws.
So… it's not going well.
On the civil sector front, give the last word to Ambiga, the former Bar Council chief who now leads the largest gathering of NGOs in the country through Bersih.
After all, Hillary Clinton said of this Malaysian when giving her the international award, "Ambiga Sreenevasan has a remarkable record of accomplishment in Malaysia. She has pursued judicial reform and good governance, she has stood up for religious tolerance, and she has been a resolute advocate of women's equality and their full political participation. She is someone who is not only working in her own country, but whose influence is felt beyond the borders of Malaysia."
So what does the co-chair of Bersih herself say?
"What should be happening now is introspection and an ability to rise above politics and to lead in a statesmanlike manner."
She adds, "To me, the biggest impediment to national reconciliation is the government."
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