An allegation with a touch of idiocy
That they are foreign-inspired; that they are unpatriotic; that they are anti-national; that they are subversive; that they are illegal or at least registered under the wrong law; that they are unruly.
It was, therefore, not surprising that in the nation-wide crackdown by the government in October 1987- in the so called Operation Lallang- under the Internal Security Act (ISA) which allows for detention without trial, among the more than one hundred people arrested, some were leaders of NGOs.
As NGOs grow in number and critical militancy, we can expect the powers-that-be to be more watchful of them, especially if they view these organisations to be in sympathy with the opposition policies and aspirations, without necessarily being actually part and parcel of opposition parties.
So it did not come as a surprise that the president of the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs), N Siva Subramaniam,, has recently alleged that opposition parties had pumped RM100 million into NGOs to buy over the NGOs to serve their cause.
Bloody lucky NGOs, to be so lavishly courted. And lucky opposition parties with so much money to give away. But before we become happy for the opposition parties and the NGOs and wax euphoric about their vast fortunes, let's examine what this seemingly glad tiding is about.
Curious twist
It appears that Siva Subramaniam had originally not intended this RM100 million bonanza for the NGOs; he had intended the handsome sum for the trade unions.
Poor NGOs. What would they do without the money?
If at this stage you think the whole tale sounds a bit confusing, you're probably right; it is rather confusing and convoluted, thanks to Siva Subramaniam; poor man who apparently did not know himself who should actually be his victims, the recipients of his wealthy allegation.
You see, this whole episode went to something like this. On April 22, the Malaysian Trade Unions Congress (MTUC) secretary-general G Rajasekaran challenged Siva to prove his claim - that opposition political parties had pumped RM 100 million into trade unions - in a public debate as the accusation affected the integrity of the 230 MTUC affiliates, which have a total membership of 550,000.
The next day, Siva Subramaniam denied that he had made allegations of corruption against the MTUC. He claimed that he never said the opposition parties had pumped RM100 million into the trade unions, or that opposition parties did this to buy over the unions to serve their cause.
He described the allegations as "wild or rubbish", and said, "The conversation at the meeting among the union members and the ministry officers was recorded on tape and paper". He said the MTUC could always refer to the recordings and find out the truth, "... as I never said such things".
According to Rajasekaran, Siva Subramanian was reported to have made his allegations at a meeting between Human Resources ministry officers and MTUC members on Arpil 19.
The meeting between the ministry's secretary-general, Dr Syed Muhamad Syed Abdul Kadir, and MTUC officers was initiated by the ministry to persuade MTUC to call off its May 12 nationwide picket against the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
Faxed letter
On April 23, Siva, in a letter faxed to Rajasekaran, said that he would answer the accusations against him in his capacity as the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general at the MTUC delegates conference to be held later in the year.
In his faxed reply to Siva's denial, Rajasekaran claimed the conversation on the opposition parties pumping RM100 million into trade unions was not part of discussion at the meeting with ministry officers. "As such there will not be a recording of it but several MTUC leaders who were present at the meeting heard the statement," Rajasekaran said.
Among the MTUC delegates at te meeting were its president Zainal Rampak, deputy president Mohd Shafie Mammal, and vice-president Indera Putra Ismail and Human Resources ministry officials.
Yet another twist
The controversy took another twist the following day. MTUC secretary-general Rajasekaran said that the issue of Cuepacs president Siva implicating trade unions over allegations of corruption should be dropped.
He said the matter was not worth pursuing as Siva had clarified the issue to him. "He reassured the MTUC that he did not in any way imply that trade unions received the monies, but was in fact referring to the NGO's," Rajasekaran said.. "For the sake of solidarity let the matter be put to rest,"he added.
Just fancy that! Are these trade union leaders running some circus? Obviously unable to answer the MTUC satisfactorily, Siva had shifted the focus to the NGO's. Suddenly, NGOs have become richer by RM100 million, thanks to Siva, and the trade unions are being deprived of the same sum of money.
How sad indeed, and how funny and how happy all at once! The MTUC and the trade unions might have been pacified by this diversion but the NGO's were now up in arms against Siva, the bearer of money news.
On May 5, the Sun daily carried a fairly long letter from the executive committee of Aliran, a long-established and respected NGO, demanding an explanation from Siva.
Oh, poor Siva, what has he gotten himself into?
Explain! Explain!
The Aliran executive committee said: "If it is true that Siva had indeed stated that the NGO's had received RM100 million from opposition political parties to do their bidding, it is an appalling statement which disparages the NGOs in a very callous manner."
It argued, "We are not bothered whether this allegation was made at a formal meeting or during an informal conversation. What is important is whether Siva made this allegation."
The Aliran executive committee demanded that Siva, "... should enlighten the Malaysian public as to the source of his information."
"Did the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) brief him? Or did the Minister Of Home Affairs share this confidential information with him?" it asked.
"Siva owes it as a duty to reveal the names of the NGO's on the payroll of the opposition political parties. Justice demands it. This irresponsible and sweeping statement attributed to him condemns and tarnishes the image of every NGO in the country," it further stated.
One must say that the Aliran executive committee's statement is strong and pertinent and justified. One has yet to see a reply, let alone a satisfactorily one, from Siva. The allegation attributed to him clearly has a touch of idiocy about it.
Clearly, Siva owes to the NGOs, Malaysians in general and himself an explanation. Otherwise, he will be accused of not only being irresponsible, of making wild and unsubstantiated claims, but also of suffering from the foot-in the-mouth disease, that most horrible affliction for public figures.
A person engaged in public affairs - whether a politician, a trade unionist, an NGO activist or a media person must have his facts before he opens his mouth. Otherwise, he would be despised forever for practising and promoting bad breath and from running away from decent open argument.
And our children will have cause to remember him forever more, as a clown in an epic theatre of the absurd when you mix up Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with Through the Looking Glass with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz like rojak in a topsy-turvy world of mumbo-jumbo and voodoo, all of which might well tempt some adventurer in our Follywood at Putrajaya to turn into a movie.
So, many Malaysians and I are awaiting eagerly for a reply from Siva Subramaniam. We hope it will be pretty soon. Because in the current dry season, we do not want to see more mirages in Malaysia.
FAN YEW TENG is a former Member of Parliament and a former consultant to the United Nations. An author and lecturer, he is retired from active politics and is currently nearing completion of another book.
