Global Voices » Malaysia

Southeast Asia: Restoring Historic Towns

Mong Palatino — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:42:50 +0000

Dr. Apiwat Ratanawaraha writes about several projects in Southeast Asia that seek to restore historic towns and promote cultural tourism. Some of the ongoing projects are located in Singapore’s Boat Quay, Malaysia’s Georgetown, and Thailand’s Chiang Mai

Saudi Journalist Detained in Malaysia for ‘Offensive' Tweet

Mong Palatino — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:51:33 +0000

Saudi journalist Hamza Kashgari was stopped at Malaysia's airport after Saudi Arabia ordered his arrest. The journalist is accused of sending a twitter message that ‘insulted' Prophet Mohammad

Malaysia: Organization Advocates for Human Rights Through Video

Juliana Rincón Parra — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:26:24 +0000

An interview in EngageMedia showcases KOMAS, an organization in Malaysia that since 1993 has been using video production as a tool to educate and advocate for human rights.

Anna Har is the director of Pusat KOMAS (Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat) Community Communication Centre, and she explains the role video has in their outreach programs where they produce resource materials, facilitate processes, organize communities and give media training on the topics of non-discrimination, citizenship and voter education, as well as grassroots advocacy:

KOMAS is not a video production house nor do we specialise in producing films; rather, we see it as part of the strategic and creative use of media tools for the advocacy of human rights.

Freedom Film Fest by KOMAS

Between Love and Race is a short film focusing on racial discrimination, produced by KOMAS on 2006. In it, Angela and Rashid face backlash from friends and family because they've decided to date each other. Angela's parents object because they wanted her to date a Chinese boy,

Rashid's mother wishes he dated a nice Malaysian girl, as do Rashid's friends. Angela's friend Yati at least speaks Mandarin since she went to a Chinese school, so even among Yati's friends, Angela is singled out for not speaking her family's language.

Angela comes to discover that through labels, stereotypes, discrimination and expectations on race and love, what maters is how she and Rashid feel about each other.

In addition, KOMAS has also been running the human rights documentary festival FreedomFilmFest in Malaysia since 2003. The festival includes a documentary film competition where a first time film maker can pitch a proposal that they'll be able make into a documentary if they win, video workshops and film screenings; and it has become a platform for showcasing human rights documentaries that may not have enough commercial backing or space in mainstream media to get otherwise exposed. The 2012 FFF will be on the subject of Democracy, with the slogan of “Democracy – Who is the boss?”

The 2011 festival trailer gives us a perspective on the types of issues and topics the film festival promotes:

One of the 2011 winners of the documentary competition include Afiq Deen, who directed Huruf J, a short documentary on the hardships and discrimination faced by divorcees in Malaysia. A society that sets them apart for their condition, debt, poverty and a legal system which is unable to enforce fathers' financial obligations with their children are some of the hurdles these women have to face when trying to move on with their lives. The film includes some subtitles and audio in English.

With the online premiere of the documentary, the FreedomFilmFestival is asking you to view and review the documentary so they can add the opinions on their site.

Common Language in Southeast Asia

Mong Palatino — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:35:55 +0000

What should be the common language in the Southeast Asian region? Thai, Bahasa Indonesia or Bahasa Melayu? Kaewmala discusses this issue.

Malaysia: Biofuels and Deforestation

Mong Palatino — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:04:36 +0000

Shreeya Sinha of Asia Society interviews James Whitlow Delano who has been documenting the impact of bio-fuels and deforestation in Malaysia

Malaysia: Temiar Blockade and Indigenous Rights

Cindi Loo — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:18:17 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.

Eight Temiar indigenous people (also known as Orang Asli) in Malaysia were arrested by the police for attempting to set up a blockade and prevent loggers from entering their village in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

The villagers are against the agricultural project of the local government which would require the cutting down of forest trees in their ancestral land. The blockade, their second attempt at doing so, was made after attempts to negotiate with the state government have failed.

The police also refused to negotiate who removed the barricades and arrested the community residents and their lawyer, Siti Kasim. They were released later that night.

The Temiar community is setting up a blockade to prevent loggers from entering. Photo by SITI KASIM, published on Center for Orang Asli Concerns

Lawyer Edmund Bon lists the violations made by the police during the arrest:

@edmundbon: #TemiarBlockade Arrest of @sitikasim is to prevent lawyers fr rep OA arrested fr legal rights under s28A. She is kept apart fr them too

@edmundbon: Noting Police Act has been repealed and #PAA2011 is waiting assent, under what law is police using ? #TemiarBlockade

@edmundbon: #TemiarBlockade With repeal of Police Act note that it is not an offence per se just to gather without actually holding the rally.

@edmundbon: #TemiarBlockade @alisonghani Note: s113 has been abolished.@PDRMsia has no right to take statements fr suspects under that or s112. Release

Others have chimed in on the lack of comments from politicians from ruling party Barisan Nasional (National Front) or the Opposition Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance) which controls many state governments, including Kelantan:

@MamuNakHabaq: While we are watching football, some Orang Asli are being treated like shit. Woi! Watdehek is going on la????? #TemiarBlockade

@shakirameer: sometimes with situations involving #kuin5 and #TemiarBlockade I wonder if our votes would make any difference… #frustrating

@edmundbon: #TemiarBlockade Ask yourself if our system of representative democracy is working? How many OA MPs are in Parliament? How many are ADUNs?

@lilunumlock: wakil2 rakyat diam saja? Mana ni geng @NajibRazak @anwaribrahim. kata memperjuangkan Hak rakyat? Rakyat diutamakan? #TemiarBlockade

@lilunumlock:The people's representatives are just going to remain quiet? Where's @NajibRazak and @anwaribrahim's gang? Didn't they say they fight for citizen's rights? citizens as priority?

Independent journalist Anil Netto thinks this will not reflect well on Pakatan Rakyat in terms of pushing for more progressive policies:

I would have thought Pakatan state administrations would show a more enlightened, progressive approach to native land rights. Remember how the Pakatan state government in Selangor was lauded – and rightly so – for supporting the Orang Asli in their struggle there.

So what’s happening in Kelantan then, Nik Aziz? This coming so soon after Kedah MB Azizan’s disturbing support for the use of the UUCA on five college students. Not very encouraging.

The hashtag #TemiarBlockade has also triggered discussion about the treatment towards the indigenous people and the lack of awareness on their native land rights

@edmundbon: #TemiarBlockade is an eg of nonsense being spouted about more freedoms and demo space via #PA2011

@fifarahman: Reading tweets on the #temiarblockade - horrible tt Orang Asli protesting logging have been treated so badly.

@vangeyzel: Hopefully what happened at the #TemiarBlockade is publicized. Awareness matters. O/wise next week all forgotten.

@Ambiga_S: Enuff bullying of the OA. Well done Siti Kassim HR lawyer who stood with the OA in claiming what is rightfully theirs. #TemiarBlockade

@ladymissazira: When you remove Orang Asli from their ancestral lands, you eradicate an entire culture, belief system & wisdom. #temiarblockade

@VersedAnggerik: OAs are not myth of the past, ruins of the jungle. They are ppl who has got rights wants their rights to be respected #temiarblockade

@MalaysiaforAll: Until const is revisted&re-applied, whatever law enacted will always side the majority leaving the minority 2fend themselves

This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.

Malaysia: Ministry Blames Google Translate for Website Errors

Mong Palatino — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:05:15 +0000

Don’t wear “clothes that poke eye” and remember the “Mongoose fight” uniform for official functions. These are some of the funny English translation errors in the website of Malaysia’s Ministry of Defense which made headlines last week. The errors have been removed already but not before netizens were able to discuss them thoroughly in various social networks.

Uppercaise reviews the translation errors

The dress code says officers and staff must wear “ethical clothing” — but at the same time “the dress code is not allowed in the work”.

“Ethical clothing” was required (although there was no code of ethics that the clothes must follow). However, the clothes must not be party-going or picnic-going types.

Every Thursday is “mongoose fight” day for those not in uniform. “Mongoose fight” clothing is also for attending “official functions that do not require the use of certain types of clothing”.

Men must wear shirts that are “tight Malay civet berbutang three” or five civets; with long pants but sleeves not folded, and shirts included. Women must wear appropriate clothing “worn neatly and politely in line with the practice of noble character”

The “clothes that poke eye” is a literal translation of pakaian yang menjolok mata, which means revealing clothes in Bahasa Malaysia. Another error which made many people laugh: “After the withdrawal of British army, the Malaysian Government take drastic measures to increase the level of any national security threat”.

The Ministry attributed the mistakes to Google Translate which the agency used to translate the Bahasa content of the website. But when uppercaise used Google Translate to verify the statement of the Ministry, the free translation tool yielded different results

It’s bad enough that statements by the defence minister himself are much of a joke, but the dress code translation is hilarious.

This table consists of a few examples. Was Google at fault, or the ministry? Was the defence minister telling the truth, or trying to pass blame to others? When a govt lies about a small thing, can you trust them with big things?

From the website of Uppercaise

uppercaise wants the Minister to take responsibility for the mistakes

Apologists for politicians always make excuses to say the politician was misinformed. Just because someone lied to him and he in turn lies to the public does not excuse the lie. Ministers are responsible to the public for the conduct of their ministries. If a civil servant lied, he is disciplined. But it is the minister who takes the rap in public.

That’s how constitutional democracy works.

Khoo Kay Peng reminds the ministry to review its recruitment process

Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should learn quickly that not everything can be ‘automated'. Language is not one of them. The minister should review his ministry's recruitment process and employ those who are really proficient in the English language or the very least employ those who can show some initiative to do any task right.

Yes, this is very embarrassing not only to Mindef but also to the government.

Ktemoc Konsiders advises the ministry to stick to Bahasa

I am personally aware of the Malaysian Ministry of Defence (Mindef) using Mangrish (Malaysian mangled English) on its website, as I had on a couple of occasions accessed it for some information, only to encounter such horrors. They would be better off sticking to only Bahasa.

As I See It wants the ministry to learn how to use Google Translate correctly

Please lah – don’t take us for idiots! Even if you use Google Translate – any person with average intelligence knows that it shouldn’t be used directly. It is important to fathom the linguistic context; otherwise you get phrases like the ones highlighted above! What’s more, you can still spot the errors before you upload the translated script onto the website – if you do actually check and double-check, that is. Unless, of course, you are asleep on the job.

Here are some reactions on Facebook. Eric Chin thinks the ministry should have approached a local agency instead of relying on Google Translate:

The question that simply begs to be asked is this : Why in God's name did the Ministry of Defence use Google Translate when they had the Institut Penterjemahan Negara at their disposal?

Mary-Ann Chong asks why the ministry couldn’t afford to hire a translator

Can't our Defense Ministry afford to pay for a translator instead of using Google Translate? Of all purposes and intent to 'save' public money they pick the one that they are least proficient at.

Mekanda Sandhu believes the issue reflects the poor bilingual standards in the country

The Star report on English translation of Defence Ministry's directive in BM prohibiting dress code “clothes that poke eye” is a sad reminder of our poor bilingual standards

Malaysia: Proposed Race Relations Act

Mong Palatino — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:58:04 +0000

Ann Surin reviews the proposed Race Relations Act in Malaysia which the government hopes would prevent race-based discrimination in the country.

Malaysia: Improving Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities

Mong Palatino — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:49:52 +0000

KW Mak writes about the inadequacy of local laws to address the accessibility of public building for people with disabilities in Malaysia

Reviewing Malaysia's National Car Policy

Mong Palatino — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:43:00 +0000

Anil Netto lists the reasons why he thinks Malaysia's national car policy is a ‘big mistake.' He mentioned that “the dependence on motor vehicles puts Malaysians at the mercy of higher oil prices.”

Southeast Asia in 2011: A Year of Protest

Mong Palatino — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:28:37 +0000

The Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street are localized protests that still made a tremendous impact in the world in 2011. They were organized in response to place-specific issues, but their appeal and influence were immediately global. In Southeast Asia, Global Voices was able to feature several protest movements in 2011 that echoed the radical politics of Arab Spring and Occupy.

Malaysia’s Bersih (Clean) was the most outstanding protest event of 2011 in the region. The event, which was initially organized to ask for very sensible and doable electoral reforms (e.g. cleaning up of the electoral roll and the use of indelible ink), in the end became a pro-democracy action because of the massive participation of the civilian population in the streets – and the violent reaction of the state.

And like the tech-savvy Arab protesters, the Bersih marchers maximized social media to broaden the movement’s appeal among the apolitical segments of the local internet community.

Perhaps to prevent another Bersih, the Malaysian Parliament has approved the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill which gives police and government authorities broad powers to control and even ban street assemblies and protests. Rallies were also organized to oppose the bill

Bersih rally from the FB page of Yuvanesh Prabakaran

Next to Bersih were the various Occupy protests in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They didn’t succeed in sustaining big crowds, (Singapore’s Occupy flopped) but through their militant and creative actions, they were able to highlight the worsening poverty in their societies.

The Occupy protests in the Philippines were joined by students and other young people who used planking as a unique and funny way of expressing their anger over the state budget cuts on education and other social services. Early this month, the Occupy-like campout protests of students near the presidential palace were violently dispersed by the police.

Mass planking protest. Photo from participant

Perhaps the most underrated protest of the year was the rally of Cambodian villagers who dressed up like the Na'vi tribe from the 2009 science fiction film Avatar in opposition to the government’s plan to convert the Prey Lang forest into plantations and mines. Prey Lang is the largest remaining primary lowland dry evergreen forest in the region.

Prey Lang Avatar

Environmental protests actually intensified this year, and one of them succeeded in forcing Myanmar's government to cancel its hydroelectric dam project on the Irrawaddy River.

Not all those who fight for land rights, even through non-violent means, are able to freely express and organize their campaigns – a fact underscored by the experience of seven activists in Vietnam who were arrested, charged, and found guilty of overthrowing the government.

The protesters whose actions perhaps most symbolized the deep hatred and frustration of the poor against an oppressive system were Pham Thanh Son of Vietnam and Sondang Hutagalung of Indonesia. Son burned himself early this year in front of Da Nang’s municipal office to protest the confiscation of his family’s property by local authorities, while Sondang set his body on fire just a few weeks ago in front of the presidential palace to condemn the anti-poor policies of the government.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/ngochoang.qb.vn

There were no London-like urban riots in Southeast Asia this year, but the great floods that destroyed rice fields and food crops in almost all countries of the region could lead to food and rice protests next year. Delays in the rehabilitation of flooded communities could also ignite more anger and political backlash. During the Thailand flooding, residents removed flood barriers and defied authorities in protest to what they perceived as unfair government policy to ‘save’ central Bangkok from flooding at the expense of nearby towns.

Human rights advocates decried the continuing crackdown of democracy protests in West Papua and the various activities of their supporters in Indonesia.

We also recognize the SlutWalk protest in Singapore for its brave articulation of equality and sexual freedom through a rare protest assembly in the city.

Protest hashtags of the year: #bersih, #bersih2, #bersihstories, #occupydataran, #campoutph, #walk4freedom, #sawangsawa

Southeast Asia Indie Music

Mong Palatino — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:55:07 +0000

Southeast Asia Indie aims “to unite and promote the great indie scenes in the Southeast Asian Region: Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.” It specializes in releasing free digital mp3 compilations and singles that include indie tracks from the region.

Malaysia: Airport Tax Increase

Mong Palatino — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 01:11:55 +0000

There is opposition to the increase in airport taxes collected from tavellers in Malaysian airports.

Racism in Malaysia

Mong Palatino — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:52:44 +0000

The Human Rights Foundation has drafted a report about the extent of institutional racism in Malaysia.

Lusophone Heritage of “Portugality” Around the World

Sara Moreira — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:50:21 +0000

A Facebook group and a mapping website called “Portugality” have been created to explore the cultures that result from the “global cultural fusion started by Portuguese navigations of the XVth. century and lasting to this day in places like Brazil, Mozambique, East Timor or Malacca”.