National laureate A Samad Said believes that Malaysians chose to keep their mouths shut, doing nothing; then 'don’t blame the government. Blame yourself'.
Conversation with him is a surreal experience, more so when he ordered a hot chocolate with an impish smile, dashing the notion that all serious literary people drink coffee – black.
At 76 years old, Pak Samad has the kind of zen persona that makes even his most vitriolic statements sound like poetry. It does then seem odd that he should co-chair the Bersih coalition.
So how did this quiet, unassuming man get involved in one of the biggest demonstrations the country has seen?
Those who saw the photos or who were at the walk in July 2011 are likely to remember for a long time to come, the sight of him walking barefooted to the palace to deliver a memorandum after having lost his slippers in the foray of the demonstration.
After so many years of quiet, why now at this age, did he decide to lend his voice and be a part of such a rally?
A native of Belimbing Dalam, a villager near Durian Tunggal in Malacca, Pak Samad received his early education during the second World War years at Sekolah Melayu Kota Raja (Kota Raja Malay School) in Singapore.
When the war was over, he continued his education at Singapore’s Victoria School and went on to work as a clerk in a hospital.
Pak Samad confessed that he had always wanted to be a writer. He began an unsuspecting career in 1954 by writing short stories, poems, features, dramas, novels and even diaries.
Later, he would get a job with Utusan Zaman in Singapore and other well-known Malay language magazines like Mastika and Remaja. He added that the reason why he wanted to write to much was so that he could chronicle everything he saw as sincerely as possible as seen through his eyes.
His calling as a writer was cemented in the years of 1957 and 1968 when a novel he had written won the consolation prize in a writing competition organised by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
The novel was Salina. Salina was the story of a woman who, due to poverty, finds work in the Singapore’s red light district of the 1950s.
Salina the novel, is today touted as a literary masterpiece, moving in its portrayal of humanity.
Much ugliness in Malaysia
When asked if Pak Samad personally knew a woman like Salina, he proffered that he knew and met many women like her. Salina, he said, was a composition of characters he had met.
“When I was in Singapore in the 1950s, I lived in places like Lorong Lalat before moving to Rangoon road. Both these areas and the surrounding ones like Johor Road and Deskar Road were red light districts.
“The rooms and houses were cheap, so that’s where I stayed,” he smiled.
“It was during this time that I got to know a few waitresses and sex workers. I would say that the character of Salina was a combination of these women I met.”
Salina took Pak Samad to greater heights and his writing career flourished.
As the years began to roll out, he realised that settling to recording and writing what he saw wasn’t enough.
Leaning forward in his chair, he said: “Here there were so many ugly things happening in front of me. I would see unfairness, intimidation, fraud and this moved me a step ahead from what I was used to.
“I saw that after 54 years of independence, we have come to point zero again. We have become racial when we want to win votes.
“I think there’s something wrong somewhere if, after five decades, a nation cannot stand on solid ground; I think it has failed.
“This is why I decide to walk, as you asked me. I wanted to do more than just write about what I saw.”
‘We need sincere leaders’
Pak Samad has his own idea of what it would take for the country to thrive as she should.
It’s a big idea, but he put it simply when he said, “We need sincere leaders with a vision and with a real project in mind to galvanise a nation. We don’t have that right now.”
He added that having said that, it would only be fair to exclude Tunku Abdul Rahman from the equation.
“Tunku Abdul Rahman was the beginner… who started things.
“Tun Abdul Razak may have had a vision but this didn’t quite turn out because he was too pro-Malay.
“After that, everything became rojak… because things became messy; you don’t come to the ideal to have a nation which is now symbolised by a motto – 1Malaysia. That’s what it is – 1Malaysia is just a motto, an advertisement.”
At this point, Pak Samad opened his eyes wide in mock annoyance, then quickly breaks into a smile and laughing heartily he asked, “Do I look angry? I’m not angry. I just act angrily.
“My wife always reminds me to be careful about what I say and write. But I know that whatever I write, there will be repercussions. I have always said that poems are weapons. I even have an anthology out called Puisi Itu Senjata but people don’t read it.”
But Pak Samad’s sense of reassurance is settled in the fact that Malaysians are beginning to voice their thoughts.
He said he believed that the younger generation is making an impact in some of the changes being witnessed. The “old people” he has discounted because they already know who to vote for.
‘Don’t blame the government’
Pak Samad is hopeful that this will eventually bring about the balance which is needed for democracy.
He said that this equilibrium will end what the government is doing by giving abrupt citizenship to immigrants just to make sure they vote for Barisan Nasional.
Why should someone who has just been here for three or five years be given the power to determine the country’s rule is a question he posed.
He said there were millions of other genuine rakyat who are not been given that chance.
“I will come back to the same thing again and again. I’m afraid that Malaysians won’t do their bit.
“If you keep your mouth shut doing nothing, don’t blame the government. Blame yourself,” he stated.
Perhaps it is this dogged determination which he says is part of his personality that has kept him doing what he has all this time.
To those who are not familiar with Pak Samad, fiery is not how one would describe him. But make no mistake that he is.
He doesn’t suffer fools gladly but is still very compassionate about the rights of Malaysians and there isn’t an iota of doubt that this is a man who is in love with his country.
He laughs at his repetitive self and says he knows he sometimes sounds like a broken record.
‘I am still same person’
But he doesn’t mind, of course, because someone has to say something. And at the risk of getting into trouble for it, he is completely at peace with it being him.
Acknowledging that he is in the twilight of his life, Pak Samad expressed a desire to see Malaysia become an example of a new country – harmonious, rich, fair, respectful and dominant in a way that her voice will be internationally respected.
“Some people have told me that I have changed as a person. But I know I am still the same. I do what I do, say what I say and write what I write because I don’t want to die uselessly.
“I want to be able to die knowing that I did something for my country, even if it’s a small part, to bring about the change I hope to see in my lifetime.”
You do not want to die useless. Then we need a new beginning.
ReplyDeleteThe Rulers in Malaysia have no elected mandate from the people. The Rulers must voluntarily reduce themselves to a nobody; and the citizens should just ignore the statements from Rulers. People Power must manifest itself. It is People Power that gave India independence from British rule. It is People Power that defeated the Polish communist dictatorship in Poland. It is People Power that ousted former President Marcos from power in Philippines. When the constitution, judicial system, political system, military, police, and bureaucracy are all biased, then people power becomes justifiable. This is the age of people power in Malaysia; and ideally, Malaysia should be decomposed into different interest groups; and each interest group should have a people power of its own to work in its own self-interest. That is, self -interested group with people power. All these self-interest people power groups may end up being kingmakers.
No person in his right mind can take Prophet Mohamed as a role model because Prophet Mohamed is an epileptic pedophile. It is time for Muslims to go into introspection. It is time for Muslims to detach from Prophet Mohamed. Righteous Muslims must have the moral courage to condemn Prophet Mohamed and distance themselves from the Koran; and I think the world has the right to expect such a step from righteous Muslims. The Muslims have remained silent for too long about certain negative things about Islamic history. Some Muslims must be bold enough to condemn Prophet Mohamed. Changing faith is an inviolable human right. I can tell you that if Muslims want to solve the problem, then they should have an independent mind, not just toe the line of the Koran. If Muslims want to solve the problem, then Muslims must detach from the Koran. Muslims must go beyond the Koran. If Prophet Mohamed is an epileptic pedophile, then the next step for Muslims with moral courage is to distance themselves from Prophet Mohamed. I will not blame today's Muslims for what Prophet Mohamed did. But not condemning the Prophet Mohamed is to remain silent. Remaining silent is wrong. May the truth prevail. The behavior of Prophet Mohamed epitomizes a " do as I say and not as I do" culture; and this "do as I say and not as I do" culture is nothing to be proud of. Good Muslims who condemn Prophet Mohamed will earn respect from non-Muslims. It is time for Muslims to stop living on half-truth. It is time for Muslims to grow up and face the truth. I challenge my beloved Muslim brothers and sisters to be supportive of righteousness and break the silence. Please break the silence and condemn Prophet Mohamed. They say that there is no creation without destruction. It is time to destroy Prophet Mohamed so that we can have a new beginning. The world deserves a new beginning.
We need groups that can claim to be kingmakers. We need cooperation among kingmakers. We need a conspiracy among kingmakers. We need unity among kingmakers. We need kingmakers who favor a Malaysia which is well integrated into world trade.
Please pass the word around to all Hindu Malaysians to keep an eye on Dr.Jeffry Kitingan at the political level. Dr.Jeffry Kitingan is a Christian and therefore all Christian Malaysians should be supportive of him. Either the Federal government put Malaysia first or they allow Sabah to secede. That's it. Please feel free to copy and re-mail this composition to anybody. Those who receive this composition should re-mail it to others. Simply reading my posting and ignoring it will not help. Please read my posting and re-mail it to whoever it may concern.