7 May according to UM--er, I mean Utusan Online

Apparently Sivakumar had to be carried out by policemen in the DUN Perak May 7 drama. In Singapore, highlights like the AWARE EGM are a once-in-a-lifetime event. In Malaysia, there's always something exciting to look forward to. So of course I'd like to return. I'm a sucker for television drama, especially when it happens in real life. The bad scripts, the extreme polarization of viewpoints and over-the-top acting: it's all there. In parliament and state councils, no less. I agree with the pro-UMNO reporter in this article: "menghina institusi diraja" indeed. It is an insult to royalty when royalty has to be insulted in order to uphold the democratic institution. Possibly democracy is an insult to royalty. Certainly the opposition brand of democracy (which is very much about people's action) is an insult to royalty. Apparently the UMNO brand of democracy, which seems to be a mish-mash of old-world feudalism and democratic forms of parliament, is entirely in support of the king--or that's what the newspaper would have us believe (conspiracy!). Too bad nobody asks the king what he actually wants.

I felt like putting up this article (even though it is unworthy of being called a piece of reporting) in order to highlight one of the largest contributing factors to the terrible mess of racial polarization and institutional confusion that is our imaginary nation. Media itself is highly racialized and downright biased. In case you can't read Malay, this article--probably headlines in the hardcopy issue--unequivocally blames the opposition leaders' pride and disrespect for the ruckus at the Perak DUN (State Assembly). Of course the opposition leaders were causing the ruckus. Any newspaper would report that. Yet surely no self-respecting newspaper would put down such a libellous spin to the matter. Alas, I am too naive to believe in media objectivity in the first place. The English newspapers have learnt to veil their insults to get past the army of scrutineers waiting to shout "sedition!" and release a gag order. For example, The Star artfully complimented Hishamuddin as the 'smiling tiger' and said it was only reasonable that Najib demanded that his cousin change portfolio from education to home affairs in order to concentrate power. The opposition-sided newspapers usually resort to quoting the worst and most thoughtless speeches of the politicians, refraining from making any comment themselves but framing the comments to bring out the best effect of the politician's self-destructive stupidity. Newspapers biased towards the ruling party have no such need. The problem: very few news sources (especially hardcopy) are biased towards the objective perspective, or biased towards their own evaluation of democracy. Everyone likes to be part of a herd, I suppose. It's a survival instinct, especially in the political minefield.

For the record, Utusan sells itself as a self-respecting newspaper, and many people buy it as such, thinking that the act of reading constitutes knowing the truth of a matter and therefore makes them intelligent. Fortunately, Malaysia's readers are growing more and more discerning by the year, but that still does not solve the problem of the gaps in information flow between the
different language streams of Malaysia's mass media. Malay newspapers report on Malay parties while vilifying Chinese politicians, and the Chinese newspapers vice-versa. The English newspapers are maturing slowly, though there is a risk of heading for the easy route of sensationalism in seeking to speak against political stupidity as well. The gap between perspective and truth. The gap between the democratic institution and the constitutional monarchy. Totally exploited by conniving foxes in politics. Yes, yes, I'm too unkind. I'll fix my viewpoint a little: most of them don't have the kind of intelligence to actually be that crafty. They just lack the self-reflexivity to understand what they do instinctively to protect themselves, and therefore are unaware that it is in fact unethical and destabilizing. In Conrad's universe, these are the foolish, flabby, weak-eyed pretending devils, who don't have the vision to go all the way into the heart of darkness and see what actually lies at the core of evil. These are the most persistent kind. They never go far enough to self-destruct.

Sidang DUN Perak kecoh

Perasmian Sidang Dewan Undangan Negeri Perak Ke-12 tertangguh kira-kira lima jam akibat kekecohan yang berlaku antara penyokong kerajaan dan pembangkang. Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir cuba mententeramkan keadaan di Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan, Ipoh semalam. – HANAFI KHAMIS

IPOH 7 Mei – Kecoh dan menghina institusi diraja. Begitulah suasana sidang Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) yang berlangsung hari ini. Majlis perasmian yang sepatutnya berlangsung kira-kira pukul 10 pagi tertunda ke pukul 3.15 petang.

Hanya selepas kira-kira lima jam drama keangkuhan dan kedegilan barisan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) pembangkang ‘ditayangkan’, barulah majlis pembukaan Mesyuarat Pertama Penggal Kedua DUN Perak Ke-12 berjaya disempurnakan.

Itu pun selepas Pemangku Raja Perak, Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah dan Raja Puan Besar, Tuanku Zara Salim yang tiba kira-kira pukul 9.30 pagi terpaksa menunggu di kamar diraja kira-kira lima jam.

Sedangkan sebelum itu, baginda telah pun memeriksa barisan kawalan kehormat dan sepatutnya merasmikan majlis pembukaan selepas itu.

Peliknya, selepas menimbulkan kekecohan sehingga berlaku adegan tolak-menolak, pergelutan kecil dan hamburan kata-kata kesat, ADUN pakatan pembangkang akhirnya sanggup pula untuk akur.

Kesemuanya itu didorong oleh sikap angkuh, degil dan tindakan mempermainkan kemuliaan Dewan sehingga mewujudkan suasana tegang dan menuntut Raja Dr. Nazrin supaya ‘menunggu’.

Dengan diketuai bekas Speaker, V. Sivakumar, Aturan Mesyuarat yang sepatutnya membantu melancarkan perjalanan sidang DUN diketepikan.

Malah, pakatan pembangkang seolah-olah lupa diri dan tidak menerima hakikat bahawa mereka bukan lagi suara majoriti.

Sebaik berakhirnya upacara membaca doa, Sivakumar bertegas tidak mahu memulakan sidang DUN selagi Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir dan enam Exconya berada di dalam Dewan.

Beliau turut mengarahkan tiga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Bebas iaitu Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang), Mohd. Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) dan Jamaluddin Mohd. Radzi (Behrang) meninggalkan Dewan dengan segera.

Beliau juga mengumumkan tempat duduk ADUN adalah berdasarkan status quo seperti sebelum ini.

‘‘Saya tak mahu ketujuh-tujuh orang (Zambry dan enam ahli Exco) yang digantung berada dalam Dewan. Keputusan ini dibuat oleh Jawatankuasa Hak dan Kebebasan yang telah diterima pada 3 Mac lalu, bukan saya.

‘‘Saya juga arah ketiga-tiga orang yang saya anggap telah meletak jawatan keluar daripada Dewan. Saya hendak 10 orang ini (tujuh ADUN BN dan tiga ADUN Bebas) keluar Dewan dulu baru mulakan sidang,” katanya sebaik mengambil tempat duduk Speaker dalam DUN di sini hari ini.

Bagaimanapun, Zambry dan sembilan lagi ADUN terbabit tidak mempedulikan arahan Sivakumar.

Kekecohan berlarutan sehingga ada ketikanya hampir bertumbuk apabila kedua-dua pihak cuba menegakkan pendapat masing-masing.

Dalam suasana kelam kabut itu, Zambry membuat usul memecat Sivakumar sebagai Speaker dan Timbalan Speaker, Yit Foong mengumumkan mengambil alih tugas menggantikan Sivakumar.

Bagaimanapun Sivakumar menegaskan, usul itu tidak boleh diterima daripada seseorang yang telah digantung keahliannya sebagai ADUN.

Keputusan menggantung 10 ADUN tersebut daripada menghadiri sidang DUN dibuat oleh Sivakumar menerusi Jawatankuasa Hak dan Kebebasan yang bersidang di bawah pokok pada 3 Mac lalu.

Zambry kemudian mengulangi usul yang sama dan sekali lagi disokong oleh semua ADUN Barisan Nasional (BN) dan tiga ADUN Bebas.

Sebaik sahaja usul pelantikan Speaker baru diluluskan oleh penyokong BN, Yit Foong mengisytiharkan R. Ganesan sebagai Speaker baru sebelum dipakaikan jubah oleh Zambry.

Selepas mengangkat sumpah jawatan di bahagian tempat duduk ADUN BN, bekas ADUN Sungkai itu mengambil alih sidang Dewan daripada Yit Foong.

Empat usul telah diluluskan oleh Ganesan iaitu pelantikan ahli baru bagi Jawatankuasa Kira-Kira Wang Negeri, Jawatankuasa Perintah-Perintah Tetap dan Jawatankuasa Hak dan Kebebasan.

Turut diluluskan ialah usul membatalkan sidang DUN Perak di bawah pokok pada 3 Mac lalu.

Sivakumar yang sejak awal mempertikaikan kedudukan Ganesan kemudian menegaskan beliau menolak kesemua usul tersebut.

Memandangkan situasi yang semakin tegang, Zambry mengusulkan supaya sidang Dewan ditangguhkan selama sejam bermula pukul 11.15 pagi.

Walaupun ditangguhkan, Sivakumar tetap tidak berganjak daripada tempat duduk Speaker sejak pukul 9.45 pagi.

Sidang Dewan sekali lagi ditangguhkan pada pukul 1 petang. Ketika ini Sivakumar masih juga berada di tempatnya.

Keadaan agak terkawal apabila polis mula memasuki Dewan dan mengarahkan Sivakumar bangun daripada kerusi Speaker yang didudukinya.

Kedegilannya menyebabkan polis dan beberapa petugas Dewan terpaksa ‘mengangkat’ serta mengusung beliau ke luar.

Walaupun bekas Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin dan ADUN pembangkang masih lagi mempertikaikan tindakan terhadap Sivakumar, namun kehadiran Raja Dr. Nazrin berjaya menenangkan keadaan.

Selepas baginda berjumpa dengan Mohammad Nizar dan ADUN Sitiawan, Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham, pembangkang dilihat mula mematuhi peraturan Dewan.

~dipetik dari Utusan Online, 7 Mei 2009 http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0508&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Muka_Hadapan&pg=mh_01.htm