Turkey fights to remain secular. What about us? An interesting development is taking place in Turkey whereby millions of ordinary Turks are going into the streets to demand that the parliament choose a president with no Islamist ties. The all-powerful army has also sent out a stern warning that any move to dismantle the strong secular traditions of the country in order to "islamicise" the nation will be dealt with strongly.

With the rise of Islamicists demanding that secular governments be dismantled, from Egypt to Indonesia, Turkey remains a bulwark against this rising trend. That many Turks are suspicious about the possible presidential candidate Abdullah Gul because his wife wears the head scarf is striking. The mere suspicion that Turkey's secular way of life is under threat was enough to arouse so much passion amongst the citizens who obviously have great love and concern about their country. As it is, many turks also remain concerned about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is said to be more Islamic-minded.

In Malaysia, efforts to further break down secular government continue unabatedly with barely a squeak from the people. It is as if a vacuum has replaced reason and logic, as the Constitution continue to be under assault by certain quarters. Everyone keeps quiet and ignores key developments that could change Malaysia irrevocably and perhaps for the worse. It is passion, the kind shown by the turks, which will help save Malaysia. Unfortunately, this remains in short supply in this new Malaysia that certain politicians are determined to fashion, ignoring the actual complex realities on the ground.  ¶ 3:34 PM 0 Comments

  My father MGG Pillai One year ago, on April 28th 2006, one of Malaysia’s last independent journalists passed away at the age of 66, leaving behind an illustrious career which started in the mid-1960s. My father MGG Pillai, was a man who stayed true to his craft until his demise. In today’s Malaysia, a man of such convictions and passion for journalism, is well, put politely, not tolerated.. Under the previous administration of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, journalists were also expected to toe the line, and not ask too many questions, nor write analytic pieces. Newspaper editors were emasculated and kept in line. Critical thought was slowly squeezed out of the public consciousness. My father was not allowed to write for any mainstream newspapers but that was no deterrence for a man who was determined to have his say about his beloved country. MGG Pillai’s sharp pen also annoyed the Singapore authorities who barred him from entry into the little republic for many years. It is a measure of the man that he survived, nay, thrived under Malaysia’s restrictive media controls since he became a freelance journalist in 1971.

I grew up seeing him at the typewriter, or with volumes of books which he devoured voraciously. My father never finished his legal studies, cut short by his father’s death. In hindsight, journalism gained a son. It was a critical time when a nation was looking to be relevant in the world, barely a decade after independence from colonial masters; dealing with an aggressive, larger neighbour, and brewing racial suspicions amongst the population. In those days before spin doctors and greasy relatives hungry for power, my father’s insightful, investigative work about Malaysia allowed him to be acquainted with Bapa Merdeka Tuanku Abdul Rahman and successive Prime Ministers, as well as ministers and bureaucrats close to the seat of power.

Despite being a university drop-out, his tenacity, love for the written word and razor sharp mind, MGG Pillai evolved into an expert of Malaysian and regional affairs, constantly writing for a host of foreign media titles throughout his life. I would like to say that my love for books and writing was in large part, due to his influences, and while I freely admit that we have differences in opinions in some realms, he continues to have a massive impact on me. To me the man never died as his ideals continue to be relevant in today’s Malaysia. My father was largely a strong silent type in private life, an almost exact opposite when he was wielding a pen or tapping on a keyboard. That is the enigma that was MGG Pillai – a giant in the world of Malaysian journalism.

I think he liked what he saw in the world of cyber journalism which he pioneered, years before the likes of Malaysiakini and Malaysia-Today were established. It reminded him of the dynamic media space in the 1960s and early 1970s, which, if it was left unmolested, would have contributed to a more mature, dynamic and critical society. The shackles of race and communal politics could have in fact, been removed by now. Sadly history has dictated otherwise but my father correctly predicted that the Internet could in the long-term, be the great equalizer, in regards to citizens being more involved and responsive to issues that affect us all. Malaysia belongs to all of us and my father had made that point repeatedly in his 40-year career. That a new generation of bloggers and Internet news sites continue to propagate his message, to the chagrin of the authorities, is a fitting tribute to the tenacious MGG Pillai. My father is gone but never forgotten. Goodnight Acha, wherever you are.  ¶ 1:36 PM 0 Comments

  Ijok - disturbing signs for the future A little known area in central Selangor called Ijok could well merit a mention when a study of Malaysia's political landscape is carried out in the future, if the opposition can reduce the majority of the Barisan Nasional candidate on April 28. An unlikely win by Anwar Ibrahim and company could well be a turning point of massive significance for UMNO's political rivals. The intensive canvassing for votes and actions bordering on desperation, perpetrated by some parties plus the ever lingering talk of money politics of gargantuan proportions as well as phantom voters in the Ijok constituency, are clear indications that the ruling UMNO does not like the changing mood of the ground. The tired old themes of development and stablity only possible under Barisan, are beginning to fade away as people, even rural folks, are more attuned to all the going-ons in the seat of government.

The rise of a undisciplined group of young UMNO members whose behaviour borders on the loutish, in the midst of this political party is a dark sign of things to come. Police reports have been lodged recently about these group's unsavoury antics including outright assault on anyone not singing the Barisan Nasional tune. Whether the strong arm of the law will be used to rein these misguided youths in, is not known. As far as I know, this is a new phenomenon in Malaysian politics; the rise of thuggish political enforcers to intimidate all those who dare stand in its path. In the past, more subtle methods were used by the ruling coalition to ensure voter support. While deplorable, the public simply shrugged its shoulders and let such incidents pass.

These are disturbing signs. When governments think they need to resort to strong-arm tactics which could spill into outright violence to ensure people cross the right symbols on their little ballot papers, it is then time to really take stock of the state of the nation. I am not surprised by talk of "legitimate" voters purportedly aged between 7 and 108, which has apparently appeared on the election rolls for Ijok; these are expected to take place when UMNO has the massive government machinery to bank upon. This factor, I am sure, has already been taken into account by opposition strategists.

But I do not think they banked upon roving gangs of youths capable of sparking violence in the constituency in order to intimidate, frighten voters. The fact that the government has remained silent about the antics of these young men is also disturbing especially when its favourite buzz word is national security. These are indeed interesting times for Malaysia. What becomes of the political landscape, post-Ijok is already being eagerly anticipated.  ¶ 7:19 PM 0 Comments

  The shit hits the fan! "Sewage management company Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) is the main polluter of rivers in Peninsular Malaysia." So states the Star today. The statement was attributed to none other than the Minister for Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid himself. The question that pops into my mind is how come the good Minister only knew about this disastrous fact now? After all, he is the Minister and the proverbial buck stops with him. Well, we have been always been stricken by the "one-eye closed" syndrome. Our dear Minister has pushed the buck to another ministry; meanwhile the shit pouring into our rivers will continue unabatedly. 91 percent of our rivers in the Peninsula have been ladden with raw sewage courtesy of IWK, an entity, if I remember correctly, was hailed as the poster boy of how privatisation should be undertaken in the 1990s. This is one baby old man Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed must take the blame for.

Fine poster boy it is! IWK was very indignant when thousands of households refused to pay for their "services", branding these Malaysians as irresponsible and uncivil, for allegedly not paying for the hard work IWK is doing is protecting our environment and keeping our rivers clean! I have not paid them any money and I never will. Apparently, these fools are no better than the latrine cleaners of old pouring sewage into rivers. At least in the old days, the latrine cleaners knew no better. In this day and age, what IWK is doing is criminal under the guise of responsibility and good corporate governance. The sad thing is IWK will ultimately get away with this with a slap on the wrist. This is how things are done in Malaysia. Meanwhile our rivers continue to die. Fine sight for our foreign visitors when they go on a river cruise!  ¶ 12:50 PM 0 Comments

  Kerala The past telescopes into the now,
As I step onto green earth singing ancient traditions;
Echoes of childhood memories smile at me.
Invisible sinewy arms full of love
Catch me, lift me.
Where are you now my "acha cha"?

Thirty years have passed
Since Kerala last stepped into my memory.
Ancient souls still live
In the land of my fore fathers.
They live amongst the Gods now.
I tell myself – one day I want to live there too.

Languid, earthy passages
snake through this land of painted elephants,
gold and lush coconut trees;
Of smiling deities, powerful amulets
and crisp white dhoties married to the earth.

I embrace once again
this land of spirit and fragrance.  ¶ 5:23 PM 0 Comments

  Kerala! i was away for about eight days and went to south India for a few days to visit my mother's village. It was my first trip to Kerala in nearly 30 years and I enjoyed it immensely. The feeling of deja vu was profound as familiar places crashed through my brain, sparking good memories of my late grandparents and other relatives. Kerala is in the southern tip of India, situated on the south western tail of India, facing the Arabian Sea. It only makes of just over one percent of India's landmass but it is one of the greenest states in all of India. Kerala not surprisingly is now a popular tourist destination with a catchphrase that is all so appealing - "God's Own Country".

One thing India possesses that not many nations have is a soul. One only needs to visit albeit even for a short while to understand that this nation has a throbbing energy hidden under the surface that can simply capture a man's heart. This is always the case with me when I visit India, more so this time when I went down south to the land of my forefathers. It is a certainty that I am going back as soon as I can, perhaps December or January, when I may be able to spend more about two weeks exploring beautiful Kerala once more.

The visit this time around was primarily to do prayers for my late father MGG Pillai. We visited a 3,000 year-old temple in Thirunelly to recite the final goodbyes for my father's soul. The temple is tucked amongst a hilly forest reserve and is believed to be blessed by Lord Vishnu himself - it is considered to be one of the holiest hindu sites. We also visited another supremely important pilgrimage site of Guruvayoo where my brother and I lined up almost all night to gain entry into the holy temple grounds to say our prayers. While the trip itself was a little short, but it turned out to be a very rewarding trip for my entire family.   ¶ 2:06 PM 0 Comments