Police Brutality : Nothing Unusual

After some time, I just have to tell myself that I have to learn to get used to hearing cases on police brutality, no matter how repugnant and how unbelievable they can be.

The recent case of the beating and abduction by Police of K.Selvachandran, a key witness who testified against the police in the recently concluded R.Gunasegaran death in custody inquest bears testimony to the state of fascism and lawlessness of the highest degree.

I guess it's pretty normal for me to be confronted with the never ending accounts of police brutality, given the nature of activism I'm currently involved in. After all, according to the then Commissioner of SUHAKAM, Dato' Siva, 70% of cases referred to and dealt with by SUHAKAM involved police brutality.

So, it's nothing unusual isn't it?

People get beaten up in lock ups, people died in custody, people get shot at without justification. Police are getting away with all these things, no oversight mechanism set up despite repeated demands by the civil society. And we got and IGP and a Home Minister who would always side with the police over the victims which can be clearly seen in their response to public uproar on the lawlessness of their agents and the police institution. To expect them to announce that the matter will be investigated is nothing but an erroneous wishful thinking which will never match the current reality.

No accountability whatsoever. Like it or not, we are living in a complete state of lawlessness, surrounded by material development where one can brag on and on in the hope of becoming world's most developed country.

How strange that things that happen almost like a routine still affect one's mind as if they never happen before. The frustration, the anger, the disbelief, the feeling of hopelessness would always be there,hanging at the back of one's head, in utter disregard of the frequency of such happenings that would normally attract the 'normal' reaction which gradually turns into silent approval.

One gets upset. One starts to question the feeling. One even goes further to question is this wrong a right thing? Battling with a distant perspective drawn from of a foreign land where the grass is definitely much greener than the grass in the land of ours.

A quick observation on the statistic below:-
Death by police shooting in England and Wales in 2009 = 2 deaths (investigated)
Death by police shooting in Malaysia in 2009 = 39 ( no investigation)

This kind of observation would always make me wonder, why can't we be like them?

Is it right for a suspect, a criminal, an innocent man, a man, a woman, a teenager, a human being to be assaulted, murdered, humiliated while being in police custody? If it is, I am such a total failure in search of its permissibility.

Then why are there so many people conspiring to insult justice? One question after another.Is it me or everything around me is falling apart?

Then why do I still hear people, 'educated' people, with CGPA of 3.95, graduated from an institution that taught rule of law think that this is okay? Does reading KOSMO with the headline "Pelakon filem susuk bercerai" have something to do with this?

Is it too wishful of me to ever think, for one second, that we can have the same green grass we are talking about in the foreign land, here in our country?

Or we should just leave it well alone? Can we?

Me, me, me syndrome

As we were having dinner last night, talking about getting older-immaturity-a lorry driver who just disappeared after banging PUSPAKOM's wall-you can never win an argument with conservative parents, and somewhere in between this conversation, a usual high pitched voice of Far suddenly hit my ears! "why did you stop writing your blog?".

And I replied "I'm scared that I would become self absorbed/obsessed (the me, me, me syndrome as KL put it), that it will annoy me and others to death, just the way I get easily annoyed when YBs tweeted about "I just crossed the road-I visited surau A and then surau B-I missed my lunch and my stomach is killing me".

The reply : "Hell no! you write something on how you feel about things, not what you just do!".

Point noted. Hence this entry.

Merdeka

Gambar oleh Zunar

Fakta Merdeka :

1)Perjuangan merdeka diasaskan lebih lama oleh Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya, Kesatuan Malaya Merdeka dan Parti Komunis Malaya.

2)Merdeka dengan darah rakyat, bukan janji manis UMNO dgn British.

3)Selepas merdeka, UMNO masih menggadai kemerdekaan dengan menggadai 60% hasil kekayaan negara kepada British hingga tahun 1970an dan askar British masih menceroboh hingga tahun 1971.

Peculiar

It was as if the world stopped spinning for a while. The quietness left nothing but a distinct feeling, peculiar. The busy worldly routine nobody seems to escape all this while did not seem to take its ordinary course.

Quiet. That you can hear the clock was ticking, and the ticking sound was getting closer and closer, closer than you to your own self. Peculiar. Yes, it's here, as it has always been.

Here not to be remembered. Here not to be paraded. It's here to remind. The things that we, forget easily, most of the time, forgetting that it has never been gone.

Quote

I just couldn't contain myself from laughing my head off reading the Catcher in the Rye which Eric gave me as a birthday present.This particular part is extremely hilarious that I personally think it shouldn't let pass unquoted:-

"That's just the trouble with all you morons. You never want to discuss anything. That's the way you can always tell a moron. They never want to discuss anything intellig___"-Holden Caulfield.

Anti-ISA Candlelight Vigil-01.08.2010

Photo by Aina Sayuty

Despite the brutal and violent crackdown by the fascist police personnel on the peaceful anti-ISA protesters last night, the conscientious people stood still in opposition to the draconian act that has been in existence for 50 years, the lawyers stood still at the police station for 8 hours until 5am in the morning in defence of the people's constitutional rights to peacefully assemble and to be given a fair trial in court.

To know that there are still people who would give their hearts and souls to fight for what is right is extremely inspiring.I couldn't be more honoured to be standing next to these freedom fighters and to be associated with their undying struggle for justice and humanity.

Blessed.

Anti-Malay

photo from here

I think the award for the most funniest and/or stupidest comment ever made in response to the plight of the Istana project migrant workers goes to this man/woman named Anon who stated something to this effect :-

"this Nadia chick is one example of an ungrateful Malay... she forgot that NEP brought her where she is now, she is anti-Malay and anti-Monarchy!".

I just couldn't help myself but to burst into hysterical laugh at his/her comment on Malaysiakini news.

The plight of the Istana project migrant workers : non payment of salaries, extortion by police personnel, deplorable working conditions, lawyers were barred entry in order to have access to the clients, SUHAKAM was barred access to investigate human rights abuses, Government refused to give written undertaking to ensure the safety of the workers pending investigation, MACC pushing for names of the workers despite issues of safety and vulnerability of these migrant workers. And I'm anti Malay?

Well, just to satisfy his/her curiosity, this kinda accusation is the least of my concern. Go ahead, the world is not gonna stop spinning just because we have people like you and Ezam. Go ahead making fun of yourselves as your actions show nothing but anti-human and anti-justice.

Oh by the way, what I am today has nothing to do with the racist party's propaganda(or you may call it project) as I owe them nothing (well, it is them who owe me and my fellow countrymen every cent that they touch with their corrupt hands). Having always been standing in opposition to the racist propaganda propagated by the racist party, I don't remember being taught by my Maker to be anti-human and anti-justice in the name of race.

Thank God I never bought the racist party's pathetic propaganda just like Anon, Ezam and the like. What a blessing!

Kari Ayam

Maka pada suatu petang Ahad yang diiringi rintik hujan renyai-renyai, di sebuah keraian sempena menyambut kelahiran bakal anak sahabatku Afzan, maka satu kejadiaan yang dipenuhi reaksi terkesima telah berlaku.

Ketika kami semua sibuk menjamah makanan yang lazat dan bersembang diikuti ketawa girang, Munah, sambil memanggil anaknya, Zahra yang berumur hampir setahun untuk pulang memandang ke arah kami dan berkata "Dah lewat petang ni, aku nak kena balik dah ni, nak mandikan Zahra lepas tu nak kena masak kari ayam untuk makan malam".

Terkesima tanpa kata-kata. Aku memandang Atie dan Atie berbalas pandangan denganku. Kami memandang Munah. Maka, terkeluarlah kenyataan seperti berikut:-

"Masak kari ayammmmm? Kena masak ke? Hari Ahad malam kena masak? Dah lewat ni?Tapi esok kerja? Kari ayam? Lepas mandikan anak?".

Munah sambil mencekak pinggangnya berkata "korang ni nampak sangat lah hai... tidak bersedia!".

"Yelah, kari ayam, resepi mak mertua aku tau. Pehtu kena iron baju, tengah malam anak terjaga banyak kali, pagi kena siapkan dia, lepas tu pergi kerja, balik kena masak..."

Atie dengan tidak semena-mena pantas datang duduk di sebelah aku..."Fadiah...tidakkkk!!".

Munah hanya menggelengkan kepalanya dan kami hanya mampu tersengih seakan-akan kerang busuk di Pasar Selayang.

Memandangkan hari semakin lewat, kami pun berangkat pulang, selepas memeluk Afzan dan mengucapkan terima kasih kepada tuan rumah. Ketika aku berhenti di lampu isyarat, aku dapati kereta Munah betul-betul berada di belakang kereta ku. 3 minit kemudian akau mendapat satu sms.

"Fad, hubby aku bagi pelepasan tak payah masak kari ayam...yay!!makan luaqq!!".

dan aku membalas:-

"Hahahahahhaha, yahoo!!!tak payah masak kari ayam!"

Will we change?

I just read this piece on Hisham's blog. I somehow find it heart wrenching...I remember listening to Suren's story about the fight for human rights 13 years back...how tremendously inspiring it was...and how heart breaking it could be...and somewhere along those lines, the fighters chose to change their ways...

Will we change?

Hisham's letter describes it best.




SEKEPING SURAT DARI AKU


DIMANA KAU SEMUA SEKARANG ?



SURAT DARI AKU KEPADA KAU

setiap kali aku melihat gambar ini
setiap kali aku bertanya
dimana kau semua sekarang?

gambar pagi 3 disember 74 ini
adalah rakaman sejarah
setiakawan anak muda dengan kamu tani
setiakawan anak muda dengan penoreh getah
setiakawan anak muda dengan kaum buruh

dimana kau semua sekarang ?

setelah kau berijazah dan berdiploma
adakah kau masih bersetia dengan janji
janji yang kita lakar di sudut pidato
janji untuk menegak keadilan

pasti kau telah bernikah beranak dan bercucu
tidak seperti gambar ini
apakah kau telah berperut gendut
menjadi pegawai mengutip laba
memasang lukah mengumpul harta
memungut upti kiri dan kanan
berbaju batik dan bederajat tinggi
atau
kau menjadi susuk yang soleh
yang setia kepada janji
yang telah kita lafazkan di sudut pidato

dimana kau semua sekarang?

aku menuliskan surat ini dengan kenangan dan air mata
teringat pada janji janji setia
ketika bergerak di jalan raya
ketika berkumpul dan bersetia
ketika di tembak dan di belantan
ketika rebah dan bangun semula

dimana kau semua sekarang ?

tidak kah kau lihat betapa pertiwi sakit sengsara
tidak kah kau lihat pedih dan perit negara bangsa
tidak kah kau lihat terseksanya anak semua bangsa

jika kau membaca surat aku ini
jangan kau salah prasangka
aku bukan meminta dana
aku bukan meminta derajat
aku bukan meminta simpati

aku hanya ingin bertanya apakah kau masih setia
pada janji janji yang dilakar pada pagi itu
aku hanya ingin bertanya apakah kau masih setia
pada ilmu yang kita pelajari di gedung itu

dimana kau semua sekarang?

jika pagi ini kau di veranda banglo rumah mu
mengira kereta dan speda cucu mu
menghitung saham dan luas tanah mu
merancang percutian di kota eropah
aku meminta kau luang kan sedikit masa
lihat kembali gambar ini
ingatkan kembali pada janji dan cita cita
untuk mendirikan negara bangsa
yang adil dan berbudaya

dimana kau semua sekarang?

jika pagi ini kau bercanda canda dengan kekasih muda
mengira-gira saham emas dan bhara
mengumpul harta tidak terkata
aku meminta kau luangkan sedikit masa
lihat kembali gambar ini
gambar kita di pagi itu di masjid negara
berjanji dan bersetia
menentang kezaliman
menumpas kebatilan

jika surat ini tidak sampai
jika surat aku ini tidak dibaca
jika surat aku ini tidak dibuka
akulah sebenarnya bersalah
menulis surat ke alamat berubah

p/s
wahai agin yang lalu
tolonglah sampaikan surat aku
wahai angin lalu
lakarlah gambar ini dilangit biru
agar dapat dilihat oleh kawan kawan aku
diseluruh pelusuk seluruh penjuru
detik kami melakar janji
bersetiakawan untuk duji

Small Things

Sometimes, when I get to be all alone by myself, trying to figure out what life is all about, I would always come to a conclusion that small things that happen around me never fail to make me feel content about life.

Small things that matter. Small things that mean the world. Small things that transcend "I want to be a millionaire-I want to drive the most expensive car in the world-I want to buy the most fanciest mansion on earth" dreams.

Supportive family, great friends I can count my life on. I'm content.

Small things...


While sitting in the Court this morning, I found myself smiling while my mind was thinking about my one year old niece, Adeena.She loves to eat raisins (kismis) and fishball.She loves skin lotion a lot.

My attempt to get her to pronounce these words.

Me: Adeena, FISH-BALL
Her: BEE-BAN!
Me: Adeena, KISMIS
Her: MI-MIN
Me: Adeena, LO-TION
Her: TOO-TAN!
Me: Adeena, CHICKEN
Her: CHEE-KAN

And the best part is, she seriously feels that her pronounciation is perfect as she would confidently flash a huge smile after pronouncing those words real loud!

Today is my brother's birthday and early in the morning I texted him:


"Hey, selamat pengharian jadiaan mu lah!"

and he replied:

"haha, peringatanmu memang ku menghargakanlah!Penterimaan kasih mu hey!

We always have this habit of "saying it wrong--the broken Malay languange style". we can go for hours and laugh our heads off doing this!

LFL



A bunch of crazy-passionate-committed people I'm so blessed to meet. We can be serious together, we can be crazy together, we can climb Bukit Gasing together, we can stand in the sun for hours to get out voices heard together, we can suddenly sing in a middle of an important, serious discussion together.And we can also pass a resolution that there must be a movie screening before or after we start our meeting and...food is a must, no food no meeting---together.

How wonderful life can be...With all these small things that really matter.