Seeing the light at Deepavali

I saw the other day that R Nadeswaran's new book "Some untold stories", is going on sale today, just in time for Deepavali.

Whether the timing of the book's release to coincide with the festival is deliberate or accidental, it's certainly entirely appropriate.

Because Nadeswaran, better known as Citizen Nades, is a shining light in the darkness of Malaysian mainstream journalism.

Nades, together with his collaborator Terence Fernandez, has tirelessly and courageously used his column in TheSun newspaper to expose one scandal after another.

And some of his and Fernandez's scoops, like the case of the Mat Deros mansion, have even forced the government's own shady media to come out and reluctantly contribute to the glare of adverse publicity.

Though I haven't actually seen the book yet, save for a picture of its cover on adoimagazine.com, the website of the marketing communications magazine I once worked for, I've already ordered a copy.

As I hope you will too, not only for the dazzling revelations it no doubt contains, but to show your support for the spirit of truth so sorely lacking in most of Malaysian journalism.

Despite the highlight of the launch of Nades' book, however, the news in the lead-up to Deepavali is by no means entirely brilliant.

The Bagan Pinang by-election, for example, proved to be another dark day for democracy. Not only did the authorities turn their usual blind eye to the fact that it was a typical Barisan Nasional-style buy-election, but BN also enjoyed the insuperable extra advantage of 5,000 or so captive armed-forces votes.

Looking after self first

Another recent dreary episode was the launch by PM Najib Abdul Razak of Malaysia Makkal Sakti, Party a new BN-friendly Indian political party headed by R Thanenthirran.

This move is seen by most as a sign that BN has finally given up on the MIC and its president, a man who's demonstrated over and over that he'll never see the light as long as he lives, S Samy Vellu.

Last Monday, Oct 12, marked the completion of his 30th year as president of the MIC, the main Indian party in Barisan Nasional.

But having seen his party devastated in the 2008 general election, in which he even lost his own seat after a tenure of 34 years, he seems more an embarrassment than an asset to his BN cronies.

Many erstwhile supporters, too, see him as part of the Indian community's problem rather than its solution.

As a comment I saw on a blog recently put it, "He may not have done much for the rest of us, but he's certainly looked after the interests of one Indian: himself".

This was presumably a reference to suspicions hanging over stewardship of the investment vehicle, Maika Holdings, questions concerning the custody of 10 million Telekom Malaysia shares allocated to the MIC years ago, a recent claim by Samy Vellu that he set up the Aimst University and MIED in his personal capacity, and lingering doubts as to his honesty in the cabinet post that he held for many years, that of Works Minister.

But Samy Vellu's luck may well be running out.

As M Mutharasan recently wrote in an excellent article I saw in Malaysiakini , "there is a popular saying in Tamil, Muppathu varudam valnthavanum illai; muppathu varudam thalnthavanum illai , which, loosely translated means, ‘No one can lead a glorious life for more than 30 years and no one would suffer for more than 30 years'.

Burning reminders of BN's bungling

But at least Samy Vellu has enjoyed 30 years living off the fat of the land, not to mention the blood, sweat and tears of his constituents and the citizens of Malaysia at large and has survived to celebrate this Deepavali at the ripe old age of 73.

Unlike the now-famous A Kugan who died at the age of just 23 in January this year of injuries sustained while in police custody.

As you may recall, Dr Abdul Karim Tajuddin of Serdang Hospital conveniently certified the cause of Kugan's death as "fluid on the lungs".

But following a second post-mortem forced by the victim's family following their viewing of his scarred, bruised and battered body, Dr Prashant N Samberkar of University Hospital, found that Kugan's death was due to organ failure resulting from tissue necrosis caused by a savage beating.

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail at that time characterised the death as "murder".

But nine months later, following interminable wrangling over police refusal to release blood and tissue samples for testing, only one junior officer, and conveniently an Indian, constable Navindran Vivekanandan, has been charged, and only with "causing grievous hurt" or "causing hurt", not homicide.

As MP for Klang Charles Santiago has stated concerning the arrest of just one suspect, and that on lesser charges than homicide, the situation smacks of a "rather cosy relationship shared by the government, the Attorney-General's office and the police force.

"Instead of acting in the interest of justice, they provide the cover for each other to promote the self-interest of the ruling elite."

He also recalled that there were a total of 1,535 custodial deaths in the country between 2003 and 2007.

So when the lamps are lighted this Deepavali, here's to seeing them as not just the timeless symbols of truth and virtue that they are, but also as burning reminders of Kugan, Teoh Beng Hock, Altantuya Shaariibuu and the hundreds of other victims of BN's black deeds.

Here's to reading Citizen Nades' new book to enlighten ourselves to more murky truths in the face of all the efforts of BN and its media minions to keep us in the dark.

And despite it all, here's wishing you, your family and friends all possible happiness in the here and now, and hope for brighter times to come.