August 21, 2011
www.freemalaysiatoday.com
Dont just cari makan, take a stand, says A Samad Said
by Jeswan Kaur
A Samad Said urged intellectuals to stop being carma (cari makan) as well as brave take a mount opposite cruelty as well as injustice.Id rsther than be hated for who we am, rsther than than loved for what we am not Kurt Cobain, American singer-songwriter.
Fighting for what is just as well as right has its price, a single which not most have been willing to pay, especially writers or journalists. It explains afterwards because a mainstream media had zero enlightened to write about Jul 9, 2011, a day when Malaysians fearing zero joined hands in perfectionist electoral reforms.
The conventional media instead lambasted a rally, themed Walk for Democracy as well as organised by choosing watchdog Bersih 2.0 as being a mortal force aimed during disrupting togetherness between a people.
Writing what a political masters foreordain explains because a mainstream media has unsuccessful to regain its lost respect as well as credibility between a conscientious Malaysians.
But afterwards for a former newspaper man-turned-poet as well as novelist, a convene had each consequence to it. So much so which Abdul Samad Muhammad Said or improved well known by his pen name A Samad Said done sure he was between a most Malaysians who supported a means championed by Bersih.
Pak Samad, as he is populary called, was a former editor of a Berita Harian in a 1960s as well as 70s.In May 1976, he was hailed as a Pejuang Sastera (Literary Exponent) by a Malay literature communities! as well as linguists. In 1979, he was awarded a Southeast Middle East Write Award as well as in 1986 he was besto! marry a pretension of Sasterawan Negara or inhabitant laureate, in appreciation of his contributons to a nations literary heritage.
So when Samad done headlines in connection with a choosing watchdog Bersih 2.0, it took most by surprise.
In annoy of a heavy military carry out upon Jul 9, Samad, a poet as well as novelist, managed to walk, that
as well barefoot after his footwear went missing in a scuffle when a Police fired rip gas towards a protesters during a Kuala Lumpur Sentral, to Istana Negara. He was only 200 metres divided from a inhabitant house gates when apprehended by a Police.
Prior to a rally, a Barisan Nasional supervision filed sedition charges opposite Samad as well as alternative leaders of a Bersih 2.0 coalition of NGOs.
Stop a carma, take a stand
However, arrest was a least of Samads worry. Instead, he urged intellectuals to stop being carma (cari makan) as well as brave take a mount opposite cruelty as well as injustice. He did not mince his difference when he castigated a mainstream media which demonised a rally.
Writers seldom take a stand. Most of them have been carma as well as have been regularly rebuilt to not take a stand. This has caused all a evil to grow as well as widespread tremendously.
For a mainstream media, Bersih is dirty. Im also surprised, because these experienced pressmen who have won awards here as well as there, can allegation Bersih. we know they have been from a carma group.
Fortunately there is still a tiny series of writers who brave to take a stand, who know which Bersih is pure, Samad told a 250-strong assembly who filled a Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese! Assembl y Hall auditorium underneath a close watch of multiform plainclothes policemen upon Jul 3, days prior to a convene took off.
Have Samads difference awakened a consciousness of a mainstream media write! rs or ha ve they dismissed his call for them to quarrel misapplication as a coax of a moment remark?
Indeed, there is law in each word spoken by Samad. To mount up opposite injustices or to continue them, is for each writer to ponder.
The 76-year-old artless Malacca-born poet afterwards went a step serve observant he would boycott all supervision events, his approach of protesting a governments crackdown upon a convene protesters.
Paying a cost for law
Samad together with Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan as well as alternative activists was instrumental in organising a Walk for Democracy.
On June twenty-eight this year, a septuagenarian Samad was hauled up for 90-minutes by a Police who questioned him about his poem Unggun Bersih (The Bersih Fire) recited during a launch if a Bersih 2.0 convene upon June 19.
Besides Unggun Bersih, Samad composed dual alternative poems, Peludah Warna as well as Semarak Menyala, supporting a call by Bersih 2.0 for giveaway as well as fair elections.A furious Samad cursed a move, observant a authorities were treating communication as a weapon.
Poem has right away turn something extraordinary; it has right away turn a weapon, he later told reporters.
Samad was investigated underneath Section 4 (1) (b) of a Sedition Act 1948 as well as Section 27 (5) of a Police Act 1067 which relates to unlawful assembly. The laureate, synonymous with his shock of white hair as well as flowing white beard, was saddened which a authorities noticed his poem Unggun Bersih with prejudice.
In my poem, we did contend which we need to purify democracy, not mess-up it or pollute itand in poetry, those have been suggestions which have been really pristine as well as should be appreciated, not noticed su! spicious ly.
Personally, we find it rsther than strange because this has happened. A writer contributes by his art, to document a situation which is worsening, though it is noticed with such prejudice. This saddens me so, Samad afterwards said.
Pursuing leisure of countenance
Far from humble th! e litera ry community, Samad pronounced a actions of a Police would instead coax a some-more energetic transformation from his peers as well as associate writers in posterior leisure of expression.
It may be seen as a notice though for writers, this would coax as well as inspire them as they proceed to realize which literature has energy too. we dictated to furnish something which was pure, not to incite.
During his military interrogation, Samad was between others asked where he obtained his dato from as well as whether a poets during a Bersih 2.0 launch were paid to recite their poems.
His ordeal during a hands of a Police was cursed by scores of writers, artist as well as political activists.
We have been appalled which a reading of a poem can be considered seditious, a matter signed by some-more than 150 writers, activists as well as artists in opposite disciplines stated.
In a context of a most arrests which have been recently carried out upon sympathisers of a Bersih 2.0 rally, we believe which a investigation upon Dato Samad amounts to an action of nuisance as well as intimidation.
This is something which we, as citizens of Malaysia, do not condone, he said. The authorities were reminded which Samad was a nationally respected as well as internationally recognized public figure who has supposing care as well as superintendence for a good of many.
The matter also pronounced a military nuisance would not stop Malaysian artists from stability to await a beliefs of leisure of speech as well as expression.
Indeed, it is all about principles. Samads age as well as appearance may defy his bold philosophy though afterwards this ! is a sin gle man who will not adopt ignorance when democracy behind home is underneath threat.
Malaysia desperately needs bold people similar to Samad, unpretentious as well as firm in their belief, support a advice of British premier Benjamin Disraeli Never apologize for display your feeling. When do we so, we apologize for a truth.
Jeswan Kaur is a freelance journalist as well as a FMT columnist
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