posted by Din Merican on October 23, 2008
by Johnleemk @Dartmouth College, USA
Draconian legislation has come under the spotlight again in Malaysia as of late, now that the government has been actively using repressive statutes to round up journalists and politicians. It is wrong, no doubt, to arrest people without the benefit of due process, and to jail them without a fair trial. But what is really wrong, and what can almost never be justified, is the suppression of the human spirit: of the right to think for yourself, and to seek the truth.
We all search for truth in our lives, be it in the realm of the rational or the spiritual. We implicitly assume that the truth is desirable, that if the government will not help us in finding the truth, it will at least not hinder us. But laws which crush the human spirit, laws which let the government detain anyone for any reason it likes — or no reason at all — these are laws which suppress the truth, and which break our spirit.
We often bemoan the faltering and falling position of our universities compared to their international counterparts. We wonder what can be done to rectify this terrible state of things; we pour money and people into our education system, and hope for better results. But if you do not let people seek the truth, what is the point of having an academic system? If we feed our students lies, how can we hope to succeed when the international benchmark is one of truth?
I often come in contact with people who are shocked at how outspoken my writing can be. I always tell them that it is nothing compared to some of the rubbish morons on the internet regularly spew. But I respect those morons’ right to be foolish and ignorant; if they want to believe Islam or Christianity or secularism have nothing of value, if they want to believe all Malays are lazy or all Chinese are greedy, I can’t do anything about that, beyond giving my point of view. I believe we all have the right to an opinion of our own, and the right to continue developing our opinions as we find out more about our world, and get closer to the truth.
The search for truth goes to the very fundamental nature of the human spirit. Whether you are a rational academic or emotional dreamer, no matter how you perceive the world, you are looking for truth. But like any dictatorial government, ours seeks to suppress the search for truth by imposing its own truth on us.
A friend conducted some research into the economy and education system over the summer; I suggested he look into publishing his work in a local academic journal. His response: “Thanks but no thanks John — I’m not like you, I’m not interested in running afoul of the ISA.” When academics refuse to publish their work because they fear the consequences, it is hard to see how our laws and our government promote or even tolerate the search for truth.
And the same goes for spiritual truths. The government insists only its reading of Islam can be tolerated; Shia Muslims, and really, any sort of Muslim who deviates from the brand promoted by the government, can expect nothing but harsh treatment from the authorities. Now, I am not a Muslim, and I don’t think I have a right to tell Muslims how to practice their religion, but how can any of us pursue the truth when we are intentionally suppressing others in their own journey?
This climate of fear we live in is not something we can tolerate just because we can still put food on the table and send the kids to school. It cuts to something fundamental about us as human beings. We have a right to know, and a right to believe.
When you reject the notion that people have the right to seek the truth, you are not just rejecting some artsy-fartsy Western liberal ideas. You are rejecting the enrichment of human life, the spirit which has governed the growth of both religion and science over the millenia. You are rejecting economic development, because you have rejected the exposure of lies and corruption, because you have rejected the growth of human knowledge.
Ultimately human rights issues do boil down to economic realities. Like it or not, greater freedom of thought and expression will be a boon for our economy and the general state of our country. It is impossible to expose corruption if nobody wants to hear it because the truth is too harsh. It is impossible to carry out research if you fear you will end up in jail for your conclusions about the truth. Laws which fight the truth, be they the ISA, OSA, Sedition Act, PPPA, whatever you call them — these laws ultimately hold us back from growing as a society and as an economy.
These issues are not about the right to strip naked in public or to commit immoral acts; they are about the right to say what you think and express how you see the truth. If we cannot do that, we cannot grow. Truth compels us to abolish these laws which stand in the way of our growth, as individual human beings, and as a nation.
Din Merican: the Malaysian DJ Blogger 
I was introduced to John Lee by my good friend by Desi Chong, a poet and blogger, at the first blogger get-together in Subang Jaya some two years ago.
John and I were exchanging views, like the way I did with Jong, on Dr. Bakri Musa’s blog. I lost touch with this bright and unassuming young man until today when I stumbled upon his blog. I have included it in the blogroll/link on my blog as John Lee@Dartmouth. He is now in the United States at one of the Ivy League colleges; we can now read his writings.
His views are refreshing and brutally honest, not because he is now in the citadel of freedom, but because he is an example of young man of conviction and courage, born and educated in our country. He is quite exceptional, of course, but I believe that if our education system is reformed to nurture seekers of knowledge and truth, then the exception that John is can become the norm.
John said eloquently that “this climate of fear we live in is not something we can tolerate just because we can still put food on the table and send the kids to school. It cuts to something fundamental about us as human beings. We have a right to know, and a right to believe”. May young Malaysians take a cue from him to speak and write without inhibitions.
John is not alone. I also interact on my blog with an architectural student in New Zealand, Michelle Yoon, who also blogs on Malaysian issues. Of late, she has not commented on stuff I put on the blog. Maybe, she is busy with her academic pursuits.—Din Merican
According to the 18th century French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, there can be no oppressive laws in his definition of democracy because the government would be in the hands of the whole people, or of the greater part of the people, that people are sovereign and they make the laws.
My Czech professor in political science would clobber us every tutorial for not being able to understand the writings of this French political philosopher. Some forty years later, I still don’t. There is a stark difference between his early writings on the issues when he put his trust in man and his latter writings when he put his trust in society.
This is the political philosopher who gave us the “Social Contract” who attacked the institution of private property and who is considered the forebear of modern socialism and communism.
Rousseau did not think that the will of the majority is always right and believes that the goal of government should be to secure freedom, equality and justice for all regardless of the will of the majority.
Malaysia is nowhere near being a ghost of the western style democracy today. It is nearer to being a socialist state with emphasis on wealth redistribution – robbing Ah Chong to give to Ahmad. John McCain the U.S. Presidential candidate is today accusing Barack Obama of wealth distribution. That’s stupid because it is nothing even close to that.
Could the oppressive laws that we see today in Malaysia be merely the reflection of the struggle between the common good and the good of the individual??
“But if you do not let people seek the truth, what is the point of having an academic system? If we feed our students lies, how can we hope to succeed when the international benchmark is one of truth?” Johnleemk
What is the point of the search for the truth if it does not further the collective good? Just what is the ‘truth’??
For all its worth, freedom of speech and expression like what John Lee is experiencing in the States, or any true western democracy, will never be allowed in this country as long as racial politics is being practiced. Haven’t we gotten used to the lame excuse of racial sensitivities every time someone tries to be brutally forthright and honest about issues that touch on race and religion, even when it is put in a partial and intelligent manner? People here have lost the ability to laugh at themselves or worse still, the ability to be critical of themselves. And the worst excuse of all, this is how we do it here because of our “Asian values”. Darn lies!
3)Mr.Bean,
It is interesting that you mentioned “social contract” and not social contract. 🙂
““But if you do not let people seek the truth, what is the point of having an academic system? If we feed our students lies, how can we hope to succeed when the international benchmark is one of truth?” Johnleemk
What is the point of the search for the truth if it does not further the collective good? Just what is the ‘truth’??”
Both your points are valid. So what is Truth ? There are scientific and non scientific truths. It all boils down to perception and acceptance.
Can truth be logical and logic be true? If you tell an audience who believes that the earth is square, that it is indeed round, will you be telling a lie?
The point i am making is that Truth is paramount but you get squat if there is no acceptance and consensus. A glaring example is Anwars’s case. Regardless of whether the allegations made against him are true or false, what is material is the public perception of him that will make him the next PM.
Do not be fooled that this is not all about perception , public relations and spin doctoring! Truth is secondary when it comes to politics. Truth can be manipulated. Shakespeare, if he can get off his grave,will tell you that nothing is good nor bad but thinking makes it so.
“Malaysia is nowhere near being a ghost of the western style democracy today. It is nearer to being a socialist state with emphasis on wealth redistribution – robbing Ah Chong to give to Ahmad. John McCain the U.S. Presidential candidate is today accusing Barack Obama of wealth distribution. That’s stupid because it is nothing even close to that.”
There is no perfect system – idea, thought or opinion. If there is one it will not last. Everything is subjective and relative to time and what surrounds us. What works yesterday may work today and tomorrow only we all live in a time warp where nothing changes.
PR is moving at the right direction for I humbly think that they have the right balance – the idealism of PKR, the pragmatism of DAP and the moralism of PAS.
You can articulate as much in fanciful philosophical semantics but you will never reach the masses unless your words bear realism and carry some moralistic weight as well.
“This climate of fear we live in is not something we can tolerate just because we can still put food on the table and send the kids to school. It cuts to something fundamental about us as human beings. We have a right to know, and a right to believe.
When you reject the notion that people have the right to seek the truth, you are not just rejecting some artsy-fartsy Western liberal ideas. You are rejecting the enrichment of human life, the spirit which has governed the growth of both religion and science over the millenia. You are rejecting economic development, because you have rejected the exposure of lies and corruption, because you have rejected the growth of human knowledge”
This is hardly new script! The writing has been on the wall for years but the powers that be chose to ignore it.
The fact remains that the common aspirations of the common man on the streets are still paramount and it is also a fact that it is only because the government of the day has not delivered and meet these aspirations like”food on the table,etc….” that the freedom to question, to dissent ,etc.. which was and is non existent, resurges into the common man’s consciousness.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with my European friends who had visited Malaysia and they wanted my opinion why there are so many stray dogs and cats on our streets and why unlike here , why don’t the Malaysians just take them home and care for them? I answered that we do have the RSPCA but there is only so much they can do but we are not in Europe, the people here cannot afford the luxury they do because we have to first put food on our table before we can start to care for the strays.
I don’t know if that is the right answer, not humane but not unreal either, I think.
You are right, Mr.Bean, we do have a steep hill to climb still ,to reach “2020” or at least till we can be proud to say that e are a civil society. In the meanwhile, we need honest people like Johnlee to remind us to keep our resolve for change. The only constant in life is change. 🙂 🙂
Hey Din
“Academic pursuits” is correct, if you can regard chasing time to finish my assignments as that. It’s been an off-again on-again exercise for me, this reading of blogs and leaving comments.
I’ve still been coming here, just not leaving my mark all over the place, or as often as I should. I’ll be ‘back to normal’ once my pile of assignments are ‘back to normal level’.
Cheers
___________
Su, good to hear from you. You know you are always welcome. I take your comments seriously and respect you for the way you feel about about our country. Study hard, but do come into this blog when time permits.—Din Merican
The Universe is so vast, the sum total of everything, including ideas and thoughts all under the bigger tempurong may sound finite but since it is so damn big what might seem perfect is as good as busted.
It reminds one, that when we lift off the ISA, don’t anyone here need a “lift”, it is kinder to send them to Mars as the first Malaysian colony. For God’s sake, keep Dato Sheikh firmly on the ground, here!
Generally, we are trapped. The ISA is a small “bubu”. We trap ourselves when we “abolish”, rescind, delete, erase, incinerate. Let’s make kinder laws and consign old ones into archives as souveniers.
Ooops!
“to send them” – delete
“to send the detainees” – instate
Reminds you, doesn’t it, that even when you’re “released” it sounds terribly awful, which is waht they want! Well, shock ’em and feel proud!
Social Enlightenment. An enlightened society involves recognizing and reinforcing those things we have in common while simultaneously celebrating the diversity of every individual.
Real truth is objective. The means for discerning truth is reason. Reason — one plus one — is the same for everyone, everywhere on the planet. Beliefs and emotions do not share this common factor. Reason then, is the only means of reaching agreement.
The use of ISA is not one of reason but to suppress !!!!
One plus one isn’t strictly two, Nudibranch!
Some people have 23 fingers! Yet a few, too, have 13!
That life is black and white ain’t always true!
Here have fun with this –
8) salak,
One way tickets, Salak? We gonna need a lot of them in Malaysia ! Maybe Mars too close,lol. These slime balls may try to sneak back – can never know, with the latest know how – even India is heading off to space! 🙂 🙂
Hey Din, yeah I remember him, intelligent interaction in BM blog – JohnLeemk!
7) salak,
“One way tickets, Salak? We gonna need a lot of them in Malaysia ! Maybe Mars too close,lol. These slime balls may try to sneak back – can never know, with the latest know how – even India is heading off to space! ”
Just another version of your suggestion that we send the goons instead ! 🙂
ocho-onda,
ada satu Planet Kera, dalam constellation Mahsuri! Itu pun boleh. Sana banyak pisang. Kata orang! 😀