I made the film “Who Speaks For Me?” during the FreedomFilmFest 2008 to spark conversations between the “two blocks” or “schools of thought” that existed during the time.
I was practising law and the issues which were hotly debated in 2008 were (and still are) the Lina Joy case, Namewee’s Negarakuku, freedom to religion, apostacy and freedom of expression.
You had the liberal and conservative views colliding with each other in the film. This is just a tiny hole into how both sides perceived each other and how they view certain policies and issues concerning society.
Strangely, at that time, the people who carried these views did not seem to be interested to talk to each other in real life… at least enough to understand where each of them are coming from.
And ironically, both were using the same documents such as the Federal Constitution, Rukun Negara to justify their views. From listening to both sides with an open mind, they both have legitimate grounds to feel how they feel.
On a positive note, these opposing views have over the years been somewhat blurred, and more citizens (from reading on social media and blogs) share the same sentiments on more issues than before.
The key difference, I think, is how we have started to look at each other as “us”, instead of having a group mentality of “us and them” during and before the Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi years.
Fast forward to today, we as a society are still grappling with the same or related issues, but through my eyes, much have improved as well.
People are more rights conscious and the government of the day “gives” more respect to alternative voices compared with yesteryears.
I was at the Young Southeast Asian Leaders' Initiative town hall in Universiti Malaya, and yes it was a bit surprising observing how the “future leaders” were more at awe with Obama’s presence than to address more pressing issues locally as well as globally.
While Obama may seem to have better PR compared with his predecessors, American policies with regards to Egypt, Syria, Iran, Israel & Palestine, Guantanamo and the TPPA to give just a few examples, are horrendous to say the least.
Obama is here to listen to opposing views to what is reported in the mainstream media by our fellow government-friendly channels.
But look at the alterative voices in the American media and how they are questioning Obama’s policies which are anti-democracy and anti-human rights, regardless of what Obama says.
Talk is cheap. The writing is on the wall.
If there was one take-away from the lacklustre Youth leaders’ gathering was how Obama mentioned that the power is with the people.
He told the story of how he got involved in social work and that no one turned up at the first meeting. The lesson he learnt was to keep on pushing and be consistent and persevere.
I came across a book during my last trip to Singapore, to attend a spiritual event, which was aptly titled “Agenda to Change our Condition” by Hamza Yusuf and Zaid Shakir.
Sadly, it is not for sale in Malaysia yet, but there are individuals who are selling them independently.
This is one of the more progressive writings by two American writers that is more stimulating to read and listen to than Obama’s speech at University Malaya.
During my filming of “Who Speaks for Me?” produced by Komas, a footage which was not included in the film was equally pertinent.
Wong Chin Huat said that groups with different schools of thought should be ready to come together on issues that they have a common interest. We need not toe the line and say everything on the other side is wrong.
Similarly, if there are any difference, there is no need to b*itch to outsiders where the results are uncertain to begin with. Look at the bigger picture.
Our children are going to the same schools. Do we want these children to view each other as “us” and “them” when they grow up, as did their parents (Melayu, China, India, Dan Lain-Lain, Muslims, Christians).
Let’s hold more dialogues with the opposing views. Find commonalities and middle grounds. If the government or the opposition is endorsing or keeping silent on important issues, they are just being politicians; they pick and choose their issues.
We as the people should be free to organise dialogues, mind-stimulating events, come together to stand for what’s right and make a change, even if like Obama says, no one comes for the first meeting. – April 29, 2014.
By Justin Johari, The Malaysian Insider
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