This is a new book by Kee Thuan Chye, published by Marshall Cavendish Editions, which is shooting up the best-sellers’ charts. (It was No. 2 on the MPH’s best-sellers’ list on 27 September – RPK’s birthday! – which seems appropriate as one of the highlights of the book is a lengthy interview with him.)
It is a collectors’ item, for it captures the mood of the nation in the aftermath of the political tsunami that swept across the land on 8 March.
Other highlights are interviews with Guan Eng, Zaid Ibrahim, Steven Gan and Husam Musa.
Contributors include familiar names such as Kam Raslan, Wong Chin Huat, Lucia Lai, Helen Ang, Kua Kia Soong, Azly Rahman, Azmi Sharom, Oon Yeoh and Zaharom Nain. Thuan Chye has a few chapters of his own.
When Thuan Chye asked me to contribute a chapter, I thought I would try and have a little fun in the process by dabbling in a little fiction. I tried to imagine what it would be like for a disillusioned Penangite, Ann, to return home ten years after packing her bags and heading to London around the time of the 8 March 2008 general election.
I describe her homecoming in 2018 and her reunion with her childhood friend-turned-activist, Clara, who had stayed behind to struggle for change, believing that the impossible could become possible if only ordinary people would get involved in the issues and not just leave politics to the politicians, no matter how well intentioned they may appear to be.
What would Penang – and the rest of Malaysia – be like if it changes for the better, if development is more holistic, people-centred, sustainable and environmentally sound, if workers’ rights are respected? What would Malaysia be like if more people felt empowered and participated in the decision making process?
You get some fascinating glimpses of Raja Petra from the interview with him. Here, for instance, RPK describes what a typical day for him is like:
I wake up in the morning, switch on my notebook and just bang away. I update the Malaysia Today website. I don’t leave the house till the sun goes down – like Dracula. Then I hit the streets, I mooch around and dig for the latest stories in town – who’s doing what to whom at what point of time – and I come back at 2.00 or 3.00am and write on what I picked up.
He also talks about overcoming the Fear Factor:
… you just got to learn to stand up to these people. That’s it. The trouble is, Malaysians still live under the fear factor. You are scared of May 13, you are scared of the ISA, you are scared of being sacked from your job. But if one million people stand up and say go to hell, are they going to catch one million people, put them on trial? Kamunting so big-ah can fit one million people? So you just got to face up to them.
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as long as BN is in power
you can forget about any
inquiry by the relevant authority
such as the ACA who is also
under the care of the PM.
Unless the PR Federal Government can be formed
forget about taking any action
on them.
Li, Sabah and Sarawak have already woken up. They have always voted BN because there was no choice but now there is a choice, you’ll see the tide turn next elections. There’s no more clean sweep for BN next elections and gerrymandering so many small seats in East Malaysia will come back to haunt the ruling party.
Is a must to read the book. go and get a copy .
(Some of) the leaders of MCA, MIC and Gerakan (of course, now Gerakan is as good as rubbish) are not bodoh but smart (they are self-seekers). They didnt serve the people or their community but they serve themselves… A good example is S and L, see how rich their children are now. … what did they hv then and how much they have now? It is the ordinary people who supported MIC and MCA or Gerakan for that matter, those are the really, really BODOH people. At least the Penang people are awaken now but the Sabah and Sarawak people… Read more »
You talked about Fear Factor. Read what my Parish Priest wrote in this week’s bulletin: THE FEAR FACTOR For the past few weeks the ISA has for the most part dominated the news especially the alternative media. The plight of those detained under this Act has resurfaced especially with the recent arrests which have accentuated the fact that the ISA, instead of being used as it was originally intended, to free the nation from the fear of insurrection, has long been used to perpetuate fear, fear amongst us to the extent that we may have been willing to compromise on… Read more »
Yes, I like the part too about MCA, MIC and Gerakan being the ones who give power to Umno. It is true as Umno isn’t strong enough to govern alone. The ones who are marginalized are ironically the ones who keep Umno in power.
It’s one thing to wake up
Then you must next sit up
Now you must bravely stand up
To reach beyond your breakfast cup
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng – 051008
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Sun. 5th Oct. 2008.
i’m presently still reading the book and just finished the chapter on RPK’s interview. wow! 27 pages of his interview and i tell you it was fantastic what he said! like the part he said the chinese and indians (esp. the other BN components parties eg MCA, MIC) are bodoh as they are the ones who gave power to umno.
go and get the book to read at once! you won’t regret. i posted a review of the book (not my own) and the contents of the book.