Zainal Abidin’s timely reminder amidst Sea Games, Merdeka euphoria

Update: A couple of hours after this blog post was put up, Youtube blocked the video of the Zainal Abidin performance last night because it apparently infringed on the National Sports Council’s copyright. That’s strange for a perforf recorded the performance from a tv2 live telecast. So I have replaced it with another, less clear, video of the same performance uploaded by another Youtube user, who used footage taken from inside the stadium.

Many of us realise that certain quarters are trying to milk the feel-good factor generated by the Sea Games and Merdeka for political mileage ahead of the coming general election.

But Zainal Abidin’s song Hijau, which he performed at the stadium last night, has a refrain that put a dose of reality on the euphoria – though many of those watching the event ‘live’ may not have listened carefully to the lyrics:

Bumiku yang kian pudar
Siapa yang melihat
Di kala kita tersedar
Mungkinkah terlewat

Korupsi, opresi, obsesi diri
Polusi, depressi, di bumi, kini

Check out the full lyrics (and translation, courtesy of Imperfect Mum). Very meaningful.

Hijau (Green)

Bumi yang tiada rimba (A world without forests)
Seumpama hamba (is like a slave)
Dia dicemar manusia (she is polluted by humans)
Yang jahil ketawa (who only laugh ignorantly)

Bumi yang tiada udara (A world without air)
Bagai tiada nyawa (is a world without life)
Pasti hilang suatu hari (it will one day disappear)
Tanpa disedari (without realisation)

Bumi tanpa lautan (A world without the oceans)
Akan kehausan (will thirst)
Pasti lambat laun hilang (it will eventually vanish)
Duniaku yang malang (my unfortunate world)

Dewasa ini kita saling merayakan (In recent days we are always celebrating)
Kejayaan yang akhirnya membinasakan (Successes that in the end will destroy us)
Apalah gunanya kematangan fikiran (What is the use of maturity of thinking)
Bila di jiwa kita masih lagi muda (when our souls remain infantile)
Dan mentah (and raw)
Ku lihat hijau (I see green)

Bumiku yang kian pudar (My fading world)
Siapa yang melihat (Who sees you?)
Di kala kita tersedar (By the time we realise)
Mungkinkah terlewat (it might be too late)

Korupsi, opresi, obsesi diri (Corruption, oppression, self-obsession)
Polusi, depressi, di bumi, kini (Pollution, depression, on earth, now)

Oh …anok-anok (Oh, children)
tokleh meghaso mandi laok (will not feel how it is to swim in the sea)
Besaing,maing ghama-ghama (and play in it together)
Ale lo ni tuo umurnyo bejuto (this earth is millions of years old)
Kito usoho (we work)
Jauhke dari malapetako (to stave off disaster)
Ozon lo ni koho nipih nak nak aghi (the ozone is thinning day by day)
Keno make asak (eaten by smoke)
Hok biso wei, pasa maknusio (poisoned by humans)
Seghemo bendo-bendo di dunio (all the things in this world)
Tokleh tehe (will not last)
Sapa bilo-bilo (forever)

Also have a look at Aliran’s Merdeka message.

As we celebrate Merdeka, spare a thought for the Rohingya community in Myanmar where they are facing terrible atrocities in Arakan state.

Strange that those who championed the plight of the Rohingya (for political gain?) not long ago are now somewhat silent or distracted.