48 years of tenacious struggle: Aliran refuses to surrender hope!

As Aliran celebrated its 48th anniversary at Penang’s Majestic Theatre last Saturday, the contrast with our previous gathering seven years earlier could not have been starker.

Gone was the heady optimism that hung in the air, four months after the stunning electoral upset in the 2018 election.

But in its place now stood something perhaps more valuable – the unyielding resilience of activists who understand that real change demands both patience and persistence over the long haul.

Back in 2018, the mighty Umno-Barisan Nasional had just been toppled by Pakatan Harapan for the first time since independence and the formation of Malaysia. The expectations in the wake of that eye-popping regime change were sky high.

Since then, a lot has changed. Some of the old guard who returned to prominence after the mass defections from PH in the “Sheraton move” of 2020 are still very much around. Umno itself is back as part of a PH-led “unity government”, formed after the 2022 election, which seems slow in implementing the slew of reforms PH supporters had expected.

Still, the Aliran team aimed to inject a strong dose of hope among the audience with its theme for the night “A Malaysia for All – Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion”. Full article on Aliran website