Penang DAP state government riding in yellow

State government standing with their bikes outside the canopied hall (where the Prime Minister is)

Penang, 25 September– Chief minister Lim Guan Eng and 20 or so penang DAP politicians came in yellow for the 1malaysia charity bicycle ride.

YB Teh Yee Cheu says the state government is here to show their support for fair and clean elections. They will be riding along side the Prime Minister and the rest of the participants later on the morning.

The fundraising event was initially sponsored by the state government and a local paper. This year, Prime Minster Najib Tun Razak has offer to sponsor RM 15 million for 15 Chinese Penang schools.

The event this year is now known as ‘1Malaysia Charity Ride for Education.’ According to the state government, it was only several weeks ago that the project was handed over to the federal government. Today, since 4am in the morning, the streets to Strait Quay is papered with 1Malaysia banner and hundreds to thousands of school children in white 1Malaysia tshirt gathered for the event.

6am in the morning, shouting "Hidup Pakatan"

CM Lim press officer Mr Wong Kim Fei says, “we definitely can wear yellow tshirt. It can also be for 1Bersih.”

He explains that the state government is in support of the 1malaysia charity ride.

The 20 yellow people group also got yelled at by police officers while waiting to ride out on their bicycles.

“We’re here because we want to show the spirit of Bersih 2.0. We hope the ban of Bersih as an organization will be lifted.” say Environmental officer Thing Siew Shuen wearing a 709 tshirt.

The 1Malaysia Charity Ride for Education 2011 also distributed t-shirts in black, white, green, red and yellow to everyone. Organizers estimate between 15000 to 20000 people will participate in the event.

The road less taken: Student activism in Subang universities

(from left) Faris Ghani, Nizhan Faraz, Low Weiyan

From the bustling township of Subang, Faris Ghani, Nizhan Faraz and Low Weiyan share their story of student activism.

Student activism when it involves politics, has not, of late, been associated with much positive vibes.

From smashing doors, missing candidate, fistfights and protests, Universiti Malaya (UM) was swarmed by drama between the pro-establishment team and the anti-establishment team before their campus election. The Star ran a piece saying the UM election showed the ugly side of student activism.

The Universities and University College Act also forbid students from participating in politics. A year ago, four students were charged for observing the Hulu-Selangor by-election.

All of these would have deterred many students from activism where it touches on politics but not for the three students in Subang.

Barisan National’s Subang representative, Datuk Lee Hwa Beng says, “my personal view is they cannot take part actively in any protest but most of you are eighteen above already… It is very wrong to tell you no [to activism] because it is your fundamental right.”

Faris Ghani speaking on racism in Malaysia

Faris Ghani is a student in Taylor’s University American Degree Program. The nineteen year old, along with a few friends and lecturers, started a campaign in March against racism called Voices of Diversity, Desensitizing Race.

The two month long campaign consist of flash mob, racial comedy and a forum to help people understand more of the sociological, biological and political construction of race in the nation.

When asked why he chose to be an activist, Ghani says, “education makes me mad [especially] the quota system like Malays having more rights to scholarships. This is what’s upset me the most among other things.”

Ghani, Malay by birth, also calls Bumiputras rights ‘ridiculous.’ He says, “affirmative action is absurd, unfair and really stupid. The government should be helping people based on merit and needs.”

Is he not afraid of the drawbacks of student activism, he says, “I rather be arrested,  thrown in jail than not being able to fight for the rights of those who aren’t able to fight for their rights. It is that hope for a better future, the hope for equal rights and to be part of the making of that future that make me never give up.”

Nizhan Faraz seeking educational reform

Nizhan Faraz, from Taylor’s University, is the spokesperson for the newly formed Dialogue Project. The project is a brainchild of his friend Ian Chew, also from Taylor’s University.

Dialogue Project is a student organization that want to improve Malaysia’s education system. The group, started in March, is planning to lift the group into a  non-governmental organization by July which would be easier for them to keep the group alive as most of them will be spending the next two years aboard in the States or Canada.

“Najib [Prime Minister] needs the driving force to initiate the change. We do not intend to take the reformation of the education system in a radical manner, we believe changes by negotiation and conversation,” the charismatic Faraz says very directly what he has in mind.

The biggest motivation behind the project for Faraz is his desire to bring societal change. Although the team is at its infancy, Faraz said they have organized a talk by the Bar Council for their fellow program-mates called My Constitution Workshop.

Their final goal is to meet up with politicians to ‘answer their questions’ on education system and policies.

Ask if fear of the authorities ever crossed his mind, he said, “should not be fearful of the consequences that are about to come but whether the message will reach the audience or not.”

Low Weiyan defending freedom of expression

Monash University’s Low Weiyan has always been passionate about filming documentaries.

But what spike him to political activism was his lecturer’s arrest in 2009. When his lecturer Wong Chin Huat, also a Bersih campaigner was arrested, Low says that’s when he felt the injustice of the system.

“Basically what I do is I document events, rally, forum as well as attend them. The biggest rally I documented was the ISA protest. My mom just came back from China that day I told her I was running from the police,” says Low.

So what kept him going? He describes the importance of the freedom of speech as his reason to be an activist.

“Interlok becomes big because we are not allowed to talk about it. There is no closure to the issue. It keeps building and form negative public sentiment… if this carries on, it is a matter of time before it burst.”

These young people referred to serious political dilemma in the country from racism, educational reform to freedom of expression as their motivation to become student activists.

Whether their plans succeed or fail, these three young minds seem unfazed and unafraid to take the road less taken by so many of their fellow students.

History of Student Activism in Malaysia

History of Student Activism in Malaysia (pdf for download)

The forum on race, organized by Voices of Diversity, Desensitizing Race:

Students studying in Subang universities opinions on student activism (political):

Nazri and Khairy: if BN loses, we respect the decision

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz MP (left) Khairy Jamaluddin MP (right) (taken during the interviews on Monday)

When asked, UMNO leaders, Khairy Jamaluddin and Nazri Aziz say they will respect the decision of the voters if BN loses the next general elections.

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 14: If Barisan National fails to secure majority votes, in the next general elections, they will accept the lost, say UMNO leaders, Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

Both said in separate interviews on Monday, they will accept the lost even if BN secures majority Malay votes but not overall majority votes in the forthcoming general elections.

“Most important in elections is the decision of the people, how can if the voters do not vote us as the government, how can we ever think to remain as the government?” said Nazri.

When asked, the minister in the Prime Minister Department still remain confident that BN will win because he says majority people still have hope in BN.

Nazri says but if it comes to that, he is ready to become the opposition if BN loses.

UMNO Youth Chief, Khairy, “I think if we fail to secure the mandate of the people, then we must respect that.”

He also says that the upcoming elections will determine whether BN is able to reclaim back what they lost in 2008 general elections where BN lost 5 states to the opposition.

In 2004 general elections, the then prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, cautioned voters against abandoning BN, citing that there will be political instability if they do so, as reported in Al Jazeera.

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Comments from political blogger/ policy analyst, Mr Khoo Kay Peng (in an interview on 13th October 2010)  on Nasri and Khairy’s statement.

A stark contrast of the Abdullah Badawi’s 2004 general elections message and Nasri and Khairy’s statement.