Memali : a Democracy in rubbles (by Art Harun) “In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organised robbery?”: Saint Agustine Date: November 1985. Place: Malaysia. The Prime Minister was Mahathir Mohamad. Musa Hitam was the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. Malaysia was going through a bad recession. The price of its 2 main natural resources, tin and rubber, was at rock bottom. The Mahathir-induced “look east policy” was not working to Malaysia’s advantage. All it managed to do was to invite Japanese and South Korean contractors to undertake massive development works such as the then ground breaking Dayabumi project. Little else was being achieved from the policy apart from the mushrooming of Japanese restaurants around town. “Privatisation” and “sogo sosha” were the in-words at this time. On the other hand, the policy only managed to isolate Malaysia from its customary ally, the Great Britain and consequently, the United States. Economically, Malaysia was struggling. ...

Sayu aku melihat gambar Tok Janggut* yang telah mati terkorban dalam perjuangannya menentang penjajahan British di Tanah Melayu..tak cukup dengan dibunuh, mayatnya digantung terbalik dan dihina kerana dianggap sebagai penderhaka. Aku abadikan gambar-gambar pejuang bangsa ini dalam entry kali ini sebagai mengenang jasa dan pergorbanan mereka yang tak ternilai harganya. Mereka telah membayar harga yang mahal sekali dengan darah dan nyawa mereka sebagai taruhan untuk generasi kini mengecap nikmat kemerdekaaan. Tok Gajah Kita masih mengingati nama-nama ini semasa mempelajari Sejarah di bangku sekolah, Tok Janggut di Kelantan, Mat Kilau dan Tok Gajah di Pahang, Hj Abdul Rahman Limbong dan Tokku Paloh di Terengganu, Rentap di Sarawak, Mat Salleh di Sabah, Dato' Maharajalela di Perak dan ramai lagi yang telah menggadai nyawa demi perjuangan mempertahankan tanahair daripada di jajah. Mereka semua adalah pejuang-pejuang bangsa yang telah digambarkan sebagai penderhaka oleh penjajah Britis...