Review nations direction, youth urged
Kariena AbdullahPublished: Mar 21, 2001 5:15 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Young people in Malaysia can play a role in bringing change to the nation if they engage in some serious soul-searching and rethink about the country's development path, an opposition leader said in London today.
Young people in Malaysia can play a role in bringing change to the nation if they engage in some serious soul-searching and rethink about the country's development path, an opposition leader said in London today.
Dr Chandra Muzaffar, Keadilan deputy president, said that Malaysia has not seen political changes like that in the Philippines and Indonesia because of some important structural and institutional differences, such as the absence of military rule.
He was speaking at a lecture entitled 'The Politics of Change in South East Asia' at the School of Oriental and African Studies (Soas).
"A facade of democracy exists in Malaysia. Because there are rules and regularities such as periodic elections, people believe that there is democracy and that change can be achieved through the ballot box," he said.
However, according to Chandra, change cannot come from within the current system.
He cites the existence of repressive laws such as the Internal Security Act, the University and Colleges Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act as examples of institutional tools that hamper "meaningful" political change.
In his 45-minute lecture, Chandra urged Malaysian youths to rethink the direction the country was heading in its development.
"We need to look back and rethink about how we are going to develop. We need to look at providing our people with basic needs instead of monuments such as the Twin Towers, we need to talk about closing the gap between the rich and the poor, about our values of compassion and integrity," he said.
Chandra also urged for more intellectual discourse among youth in order to come up with an ideological framework to solve the country's problems.
"The economic crisis, for example, is a result of us embracing the neo-liberal ideology without thinking of the consequences. We need to find a solution for this dilemma from within ourselves," he said.
Zombies
The lecture, organised by the Soas Southeast Asia Society and a group of students was attended by about 80 people, a majority of whom were Malaysian students studying in the United Kingdom.
Chandra spoke on a range of issues, focusing on the changes sweeping across South East Asia.
In response to a question from a student, Chandra said that he opposes any form of blind support of political leaders.
"This feudal behaviour of unquestioning loyalty to a leader is a problem in our society. It holds our society back," he said.
"Malaysians of your generation today are people who have known no other leader than Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He has never been subjected to a thorough critique, and this is dangerous," he said, adding that it had produced a nation of "zombies".
To another question, Chandra reaffirmed the Barisan Alternatif stand that the affirmative action programme implemented under the NEP must be designed to help and assist people who deserve it, regardless of race or religion.
"The way it is being practiced now, it is a system of special rights for special people who have links with special leaders," he said.
Chandra, who is also the chairman of the International Movement for a Just World (Just) is in London for a three-day visit before he leaves for Venice. He is scheduled to give another lecture here on Malaysian politics for Amnesty International on Thursday.
Dr Chandra Muzaffar, Keadilan deputy president, said that Malaysia has not seen political changes like that in the Philippines and Indonesia because of some important structural and institutional differences, such as the absence of military rule.
He was speaking at a lecture entitled 'The Politics of Change in South East Asia' at the School of Oriental and African Studies (Soas).
"A facade of democracy exists in Malaysia. Because there are rules and regularities such as periodic elections, people believe that there is democracy and that change can be achieved through the ballot box," he said.
However, according to Chandra, change cannot come from within the current system.
He cites the existence of repressive laws such as the Internal Security Act, the University and Colleges Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act as examples of institutional tools that hamper "meaningful" political change.
In his 45-minute lecture, Chandra urged Malaysian youths to rethink the direction the country was heading in its development.
"We need to look back and rethink about how we are going to develop. We need to look at providing our people with basic needs instead of monuments such as the Twin Towers, we need to talk about closing the gap between the rich and the poor, about our values of compassion and integrity," he said.
Chandra also urged for more intellectual discourse among youth in order to come up with an ideological framework to solve the country's problems.
"The economic crisis, for example, is a result of us embracing the neo-liberal ideology without thinking of the consequences. We need to find a solution for this dilemma from within ourselves," he said.
Zombies
The lecture, organised by the Soas Southeast Asia Society and a group of students was attended by about 80 people, a majority of whom were Malaysian students studying in the United Kingdom.
Chandra spoke on a range of issues, focusing on the changes sweeping across South East Asia.
In response to a question from a student, Chandra said that he opposes any form of blind support of political leaders.
"This feudal behaviour of unquestioning loyalty to a leader is a problem in our society. It holds our society back," he said.
"Malaysians of your generation today are people who have known no other leader than Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He has never been subjected to a thorough critique, and this is dangerous," he said, adding that it had produced a nation of "zombies".
To another question, Chandra reaffirmed the Barisan Alternatif stand that the affirmative action programme implemented under the NEP must be designed to help and assist people who deserve it, regardless of race or religion.
"The way it is being practiced now, it is a system of special rights for special people who have links with special leaders," he said.
Chandra, who is also the chairman of the International Movement for a Just World (Just) is in London for a three-day visit before he leaves for Venice. He is scheduled to give another lecture here on Malaysian politics for Amnesty International on Thursday.
View Comments0