CEKU Opinions

Art, is it Really Within our Reach? It started with a 15-year-old girl who dared to dream. A dream so out of reach that it was nearly impossible to turn

A group of government doctors who work under the contract system of Malaysia had claimed that more than 8,000 of them would go on a strike from 3 to 5 April 2023 to protest against the “unfair system” and “low wages” under the “Mogok Doktor Malaysia” (MDM) movement. This was the second effort of contract doctors’ protest since the “Hartal Doktor Kontrak” (HDK) movement in 2021.

The study of geopolitics concerns the way in which nations interact with one another, the nature of the policies instituted that govern these interactions, and how the motivations that underlie these policies can be reasoned to in light of a country’s interest, particularly from the perspective of geography, politics, and international relations.

Malaysian perspectives on foreign policy, since its independence in 1957, have almost always—as highlighted by Sharifah Munirah of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia—revolved around “regime legitimization.” Having transitioned from colonial rule into independent governance, Malaysia’s primary aspiration it wished to realise—concerning its foreign policy objectives—was to progressively transform into a reputable geopolitical power in the eyes of the international community; one that is efficient, self-sufficient, and capable of forging diplomatic alliances indiscriminately to both facilitate and expedite economic growth for domestic empowerment.

Would you take care of your parents when they are old? Rolling your eyes, you might be thinking, duh, of course I will. As Malaysians, many of us were brought up with traditional values emphasising filial piety. Customary Malaysian values of filial piety have always dictated that adults should care for their ageing parents, but what happens when the government proposes a filial piety law? Will it be a welcome reminder of cultural values, or will it lead to tension between parents and their children?

“Selamat pulang ke tanah air”—these words strike a chord within the hearts of many Malaysians; I am no exception. This is the phrase I have yearned to echo in my ears and heart again since I first touched down in KLIA after a year of loss, solitude, and sorrow in my distant home, the UK.

The recently announced Budget 2023 under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration will allocate RM15.1 billion to the Ministry of Higher Education, which is a 5.7 per cent increase compared to the previous budget, as reported by New Straits Times. The ministry has since pledged to improve the quality of Malaysian higher education, including upgrading the basic infrastructures and adopting more digitalisation to enhance digital learning, pairing with fiscal efforts such as the deferment of National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan payment and cash distribution via the e-tunai Belia Rahmah initiative.

It was certainly a tough pre-Valentine weekend for Penang Deputy Chief Minister Ramasamy Palanisamy when he was attacked by politicians from both sides of the aisle, along with various civil societies and non-governmental organisations, over his remark that the Malaysian civil service is currently Malay-dominated and that the current government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must take action to ‘break’ the Malay dominance in the public sector.

On 16 August 2021, following the resignation of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s government due to backlash on the handling of Covid-19, UMNO vice president, Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri became the ninth Prime Minister to lead the country’s recovery. He commanded a very slim four-seat majority in Malaysia’s 222-seat parliament of 114 seats. Pakatan Harapan (PH), the opposition bloc, had 88 seats in parliament. The country was still recovering with half-baked lockdowns and an unfinished vaccination program, and a general election was unrealistic and inconsiderate to the struggling rakyat. Thus, a memorandum of agreement between PH and the government was signed to ensure political stability.

It’s odd how what other people see as a waste of time is insightful for me and has changed my perspective on things. Whether it be bickering couples or day-to-day lives, as usual, your girl loves listing, and today’s list will be in the form of the things I have learned from one of my go-to series, One Day At A Time.

Malaysia has been and is able to produce great actors and actresses, but great actors and actresses need great scripts to support their skills. Under the current highly-restricted content-creating environment via various laws such as the Film Censorship Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act, it is hard for directors and scriptwriters to produce works with unconstrained style. One of the reasons why Asian films find it difficult to surpass Hollywood films in terms of global box office performance is the relatively restricted genres of content that can be legally and safely produced. In Malaysia, issues about race, religion, gender identity, and politics have always been untouchable taboos. Whoever touches it, even while meaning well, will be deemed insensitive and face various legal and ethical controversies. As an industry that values freedom, it is not irrational for filmmakers to leave Malaysia and seek a freer market overseas.

An oft-cited defence of Muslims against Islamophobes and critics of the religion is that what those on the fringes of the religious practice and preach is not what Islam stands for. In addition to a gap between theory and practice, there is also a gap between the mortal and the divine. Islam is a perfect divine religion, but those practising it are imperfect mortal men.

This imperfection manifests itself in many ways. Some are as innocent as in the way Muslims pray (notice how some schools (madhhab) hold the hands over their bellies whilst others don’t?).1 Some as far as whether women are sui juris in terms of marriage.2 And there are even ones that go as far as differences in basic theological principles. For instance, on whether people have free will as it relates to predestination (Qada’ and Qadr).3 The core idea here is that these differences in opinion epitomise the problem of human interpretation of the divine – that they are fundamentally imperfect.

Climate change is widely accepted as an issue, but it is not always intuitive. How is a substance as invisible and harmless as Carbon Dioxide (CO2) able to wreak havoc on earth at a scale being claimed – after all, is CO2 not what we naturally produce when we breathe, and what fuels the existence of the beautiful greeneries of the earth? If the reports from a few months ago claim that we are headed towards some of the hottest heatwaves Britain has seen, how, then, are we experiencing one of the coldest winters in recent years? Yet, climate change is an issue that has been well-understood by the scientific community for decades; it is the nuances that are difficult to communicate. These nuances are often lost in headline statements such as ‘keeping 1.5 ˚C within reach’ or ‘reach net-zero by 2050,’ fuelling much scepticism, or rather a lack of urgency, among the public. This article aims to inform the reader of the key concepts underpinning climate change science and clarify common misconceptions. 

A couple of months back, I drove to the Royal Lake Club at the heart of metropolitan Kuala Lumpur. As I stepped out of my car, I checked my pockets for my cigarette case containing my beloved Sampoerna. I lit the cigarette as I was early for my meeting with a Minister from Bersatu.

Less than 400 metres west is Dataran Merdeka; many battles have been fought there. 1998 witnessed seas of Malaysians square up against the Federal Reserve Unit as they rallied in the name of ‘Reformasi’. In the late 2000s, Malaysians took to the street again to demand free and fair elections, ‘Bersih!’, they cried as the surroundings were blurred with tear gas and showers of the FRU’s chemical-induced water cannon. Cries of ‘Kleptocracy’ filled Dataran Merdeka in 2015.

The past few weeks have been a tumultuous period for Malaysia. As the dust settles (for now), and Malaysia’s 10th Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, prepares to helm the new government, it is timely to take a step back and consider the current state of the country, as well as lessons that leaders and ordinary citizens should takeaway. As an individual who studied political science, here are three points of reflection about nation-building and where we go from here.

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” “Step out of your comfort zone,” “You will be fine,” such so-called motivating quotes have never failed to crop up in our sight, be it on our social media pages, our daily conversations with acquaintances, or even loved ones.

As students studying overseas in the UK and Ireland, we are a handful of the lucky ones on track to living life the predetermined ‘good’ way — trying our best to study hard in ‘good’ universities, get ‘good’ grades, and graduate in a field with good ‘career’ prospects. Once all that’s done, we are meant to go on and work in ‘good’ companies, contribute to society in meaningful ways, and start the process all over again with the partner and children that we are supposed to have. With the golden rule in place, life becomes boring with a fixed template; at different points in our lives, we might wonder if there really is more to life than it seems.

“Was British colonialism in Malaysia a good thing?”

This was the prompt I was given in Year 8 history when my teacher, despite my fervent and unequivocal presentation answering a firm ‘no’ to this question, continued to encouragingly say, “There were some positive facets as well…” Though my frustration was palpable, my 14-year-old self struggled to fully articulate how harrowing it was to hear someone, a British woman, no less, attempt to silence me and dismiss the trauma of an entire society who continues to struggle in the wake of a post-colonial hangover.

With politics being a topic discouraged within the walls of schools, many would argue that 18-year-olds could not possibly have the capacity to understand the complexity of Malaysian politics. One of the reasons for lowering the voting age is so that the youth’s interests can be represented and for there to be an increase in voter turnout; this is surely one way to ensure democracy in Malaysia is being upheld as citizens exercise their right to vote. But what about the step that precedes voting — forming one’s own political opinions? How is the youth supposed to understand the goals and ambitions of the political campaigns running for the 15th General Election?

Over the past few years, Malaysia has seen a tremendous shift in political power. For the first time since its independence, Malaysia was ruled by an opposing coalition. Two years later, in February 2020, the Perikatan Nasional coalition was formed and led by the eighth Prime Minister, Mahiaddin bin Md. Yasin. A period of political unrest followed the period of COVID-19 outbreak, eventually leading to the dissolution of Parliament on 10 October 2022, paving way for the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).
What does this mean for the nation and the people? Is this a sign of the end of democracy as many would claim? Or the start of a democratic reformation?

An old saying goes, “a day in politics is a very long time”. I hope that Elizabeth Truss will find solace in that saying. Her 50 days in office is the shortest in British history and when history tells its tale, she will not be remembered well. Number 10 is now inhabited by Rishi Sunak, the first British-Asian to hold the position. Mr Sunak, who lost the Tory Party leadership race to Ms Truss the previous month, inherits an economy with stubborn inflationary pressure, a fractured Tory party, and a low approval rating in the polls.

Without realisation, we experience daily doses of discrimination that catalyses the separation between our people, and it extends to a larger scale which also affects the country’s economy and politics. From economic inequality in Sabah and Sarawak to the unfair penalty to those who breach SOPs as compared to politicians, discrimination becomes more apparent when it comes to privilege, status and money.

Unity is an important aspect of a country’s harmony. However, for many years, Malaysians struggle to unite because we are expected to accept certain views and practices in order to be “Malaysian”. For example, the recent comment made by Dr. Mahathir about the Chinese community using chopsticks. This is only one of the many examples of the idea of assimilation being perpetuated against a particular community, hence, causing dissatisfactions.

After years of legal battles, Najib Razak was finally found guilty on all seven charges in his corruption trial by the Court of Appeal. However is this really the end? As Najib seeks to appeal to the Federal Court, this might buy more time for him to roam freely and continue his political agendas and more shockingly, become Prime Minister once again.

On July 26, a nationwide strike occurred with doctors walking out of their hospital stations. But is there more to #HartalDoktorKontrak than what meets the eye? What has led to this breaking point? Sia Zheng Chuang brings a medical student’s perspective on the country’s healthcare system, outlining what exactly it takes to become a doctor in Malaysia.

Stories about Malaysians moving abroad in search for greener pastures is one that we have heard far too often. While there are benefits to brain drain, the rate at which we are losing skilled labourers is alarming and could potentially dampen the development of our nation.

When asked, most people know roughly what Bitcoin is. Most assume that it is just another form of money. But is that all that it is? In this edition of CEKU Advocates, Shahmi Shahrir breaks down what the craze is all about.

With MalaysiaKini’s recent Contempt of Court case, many are left wondering what state our country’s freedom of speech is in. How has freedom of speech been curtailed by this recent case? Let’s divulge.

Sex is very much a taboo word in the Malaysian society. In this article written in conjunction with the #MSLSChallenge, Aldric, Daniel and Thomas considers how important sex education is to Malaysia.

Nationalism is looming over our world already torn by a pandemic, and it may just seem justified. In this piece, Kiru considers this by discussing a pressing new issue: vaccine nationalism, while highlighting what we can do in our daily lives to make some change.

Many youths believe that an MP should respect everyone regardless of their sex, age and race. At times, however, we are sorely disappointed. The recent parliamentary sitting on 13th July exemplifies the problematic misogynist and seniority mindset in our society.

Having to already battle a xenophobic system, the uphill battle refugees face just got steeper with the spread of COVID-19. In her opinion piece to CEKU, Adilla shines a torch on this pressing issue.

In her opinion piece to CEKU, Adilla urges everyone to recognise their own individual tendencies to be racist, saying, “we cannot call for racial equality while upholding any form of racial supremacy.”

The journey towards recognising one’s own privileges is a humbling, but necessary. In her touching article, Zoey Cheah not only encourages us to empathise with races that face discrimination, but to look deeper within.

Black squares on Instagram doesn’t bring tangible changes, critics argue, brushing off #BLM and #blackouttuesday as a trend. History is likely to prove them wrong, argues Hakim Manan and Maryam Sofia.

Place racism on a surgical table. Dissect it and you will find the concept of intergroup biases creeping about in its system. How to be anti-racist? Yi Kang Choo urges us to recognise our in-built biases.

Viral social media campaigns can encourage armchair activism. While not ideal, not all is bad. Muhammad Jazli Adam asks us to recognise that there are some positives.

There is a distinction between riots and protest. Protests are an expression of free speech in a democratic society. However, riots resemble a more violent approach to alter the status quo, said Ng Sze Fung when analysing if we should support #BLM.

Critics of #BLM argues that non-minorities should not voice their support online, lest they drown the authentic stories. Without action such as donating, posting amounts to little. Kieran argues why this is flawed.

In light of recent news surrounding #BLM, CEKU, in collaboration with ICUMS have decided to use this momentum to critically analyse the racial issues in Malaysia and pen down our thoughts.

To return home, or to stay put? Covid-19 forced many students to face this major dilemma. In this opinion piece to Astro Awani, Haris Danial and Hakim Manan, addresses this issue.

The Class of 2020 particularly is at risk of graduating into a recession. A brewing economic storm will tightened hiring, raising the risk of unemployment fresh out of graduation.

Malaysia charted the biggest rise in the RSF 2020 Freedom of Press Index, leaping 22 spots to 101 on the index. But there are red flags showing we risk falling back to old patterns.

Volunteerism plays a large role in fostering unity amongst the Malaysian youth. Alex Wee, a volunteer with the Charisma Movement, shares why we can find unity through volunteerism.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all in some way. While some of us are devastated about not being able to go out to makan or lepak, others are not as fortunate. The global pandemic has left the socially disadvantaged bearing the brunt of the pandemic, aggravating the disparities in living standards.

These are testing times indeed, with the COVID-19 outbreak causing Malaysia to enforce a Movement Control Order (MCO) to restrict contact between members of society. While we must trust our government to do its job in flattening the infection curve, we must also trust our own community members to act responsibly.

With Malaysia’s laggard track record in tackling mental health amongst the youth, how can religion help? In his opinion piece for CEKU, Adenan shares his thoughts with us.

The UK’s previous strategy of “herd immunity” is one that has come under fire not only from WHO, but from leading scientists across Britain’s top universities as dangerous and risky. But what was the rationale for the government’s strategy and why have they backpedalled from it?

With the current outrage surrounding COVID-19 worldwide, media attention has shifted away from other concerning problems in the heart of our nation, Kuala Lumpur. How does our nation plan to mitigate the rising number of homeless people and what can we do to ensure that they get the mental health attention that they need?

The diseases caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 is named as COVID-19. It is a large family of viruses that have caused illness from the common cold to more severe ones such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. SARS-CoV-2, is a new strand of zoonotic virus (able to jump from animal to human) and is believed to originate from the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China. The fatality of this virus highly depends on the condition of the patient itself.

What is the reason for an uproar from Malaysian youths, especially the doctors in the country, who are opposing the allowance cuts? Are our number of existing positions in public healthcare actually ‘sufficient’ to fulfill the nation’s needs? What current situation and other persisting issues in the medical field may have contributed to the abolition of BIPK?