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Zen and the art of maintaining silence

Published

17 years ago

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By Kamal Mamat

My father, who passed away last month at the start of Ramadan, was a member of the Singapore branch of UMNO back in the early 60s.

Later, when Singapore achieved independence, it dissolved and re-emerged as PKMS, an opposition party which is still around today.

Much disheartened by the socio-political events surrounding him after 1965, he slowly dissociated himself from the party.

My father was what we call a man of Zen.

When he was alive, he spoke very little and gesticulated even less. He seems quite at loss to find words to talk about, even to our closest relatives when they came to visit on occasions. He grinned when other people laughed and was a picture of calm in the face of family tragedies.

While Mum wielded the cane willingly, my father could not even muster up more than five decibels from his voice. When he was very angry, he simply switched from Malay to English. It was his code.

A man of culture

He was not like that before, apparently. In the 50s, he was a man of culture. He wrote and directed pantomimes, contributed articles to the press and recited poems to audiences. He had the same enthusiasm when he joined politics but gradually lost the passion as the years went by. He became, unexcitingly, a family man.

When I was growing up, I was frequently told by my father to not talk about politics in school and, in no uncertain terms, to not condemn any member of the government. I was reminded incessantly that walls could hear and not everyone could be trusted. The repercussions, he said cryptically, are not worth the trouble.

In Secondary Three, my form teacher, instead of writing about my grades, wrote a remark in my report book about me needing to ‘learn to be more humble’. My father was very upset. Needless to say, he spoke in English.

As a young adult, I talked to him more frequently. We had discussions on politics and socio-cultural affairs on even terms. Sometimes, when the discussions about politics and policies got overheated, (or rather, I got overheated), he was there to remind me not to transplant my ‘enthusiastic’ ramblings beyond our home.

In one of these sessions, I clearly remember, I retorted back something to the effect that the political environment that we were in then were not the same anymore as compared to those early years, and the culture of fear should be eradicated from each and every one of us.

Caution borne out of experience

That was when his wall of silence crumbled. He told me about his days in politics, the Malaysian leaders he had met and that ‘this Malaysian politician is the son of an earlier politician whom I knew personally’.

Later, in his piece de resistance, he calmly revealed that he was once shadowed by an ISD officer, whose name he could even remember. He could not recall a time during those days in which he was not followed by this shadow. And he did not want that to happen to me.

I did not verify this last bit of my father’s history. I do not wish to, in any case. It is his story, after all. What I know is that ever since the incident, he learned to economise his thoughts and his words. And I learned that for myself too.

As a student of politics now, I perfectly understand the need to have covert intelligence operations in any country, democratic or otherwise. Singapore is no exception, more so since she is such a young nation needing to maintain a sense of security, what with a history of communal violence preceding her independence.

Having said that, I perfectly understand too why our undergraduates, as evident in the NTU-organised forum, are not very willing to open up their mouths, much to Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s bafflement.

Baggage of history

Unlike our foreign scholars who could easily uproot themselves, take the first flight out and return to their respective homelands in times of trouble, local undergraduates have their roots firmly entrenched here.

Encapsulated within these roots are their family structures, their friendships, the shared memories, the educational system and the socio-political culture which they grew up with. These are the very foundations they were presumably told earlier on in their lives not to disturb. Because they simply have no other home to return to. And the last thing they want to do is question the very person who has painstakingly laid these foundations for them.

My father, at least, made sure I remember that.

I do foresee though that the silence of the local undergraduates will diminish in the future, when the baggage of history unburdens itself. There are already many signs pointing me to that direction.

Nevertheless, if my father was still alive, I am not sure that I will dare to articulate my reflections and my thoughts to him. What more to publish them. He would, I suspect, be very upset.

And he will be speaking to me in English.


About the author: Kamal is the latest addition to the TOC’s writing team. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Politics at Queen’s University in Belfast. Kamal describes himself as “your typical brudder, typical Mat, typical Singaporean. Also a son, husband, father and a student of politics.”

Kamal has a blog here.

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Indonesia

Miss Universe cuts ties with Indonesia chapter after harassment allegations

The Miss Universe Organization severs ties with Indonesia franchise due to harassment claims. Malaysia edition canceled.

Women allege body checks before pageant. Investigation launched. Safety prioritized.

Indonesia winner to compete in November finale. Height requirement controversy.

Published

1 year ago

on

14 August 2023

By

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — The Miss Universe Organization has cut ties with its Indonesia franchise, it announced days after allegations of sexual harassment, and will cancel an upcoming Malaysia edition.

In the complaint, more than a half dozen women said all 30 finalists for Miss Universe Indonesia were unexpectedly asked to strip for a supposed body check for scars and cellulite two days before the pageant’s crowning ceremony in Jakarta.

Their lawyer said Tuesday that five of the women had their pictures taken.

“In light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards, ethics, or expectations,” the US-based Miss Universe Organization posted Saturday night on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.

It said that it had “decided to terminate the relationship with its current franchise in Indonesia, PT Capella Swastika Karya, and its National Director, Poppy Capella.”

It thanked the contestants for their bravery in coming forward and added that “providing a safe place for women” was the organization’s priority.

Jakarta police spokesman Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said Tuesday that an investigation into the women’s complaint has been launched.

The Indonesia franchise also holds the license for Miss Universe Malaysia, where there will no longer be a competition this year, according to the New York-based parent organizer.

In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram, Indonesia franchise director Capella denied involvement in any body checks.

“I, as the National Director and as the owner of the Miss Universe Indonesia license, was not involved at all and have never known, ordered, requested or allowed anyone who played a role and participated in the process of organizing Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 to commit violence or sexual harassment through body checking,” she wrote.

She added that she is against “any form of violence or sexual harassment.”

The Jakarta competition was held from 29 July to 3 August to choose Indonesia’s representative to the 2023 Miss Universe contest, and was won by Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld.

Miss Universe said it would make arrangements for her to compete in the finale, scheduled for November in El Salvador.

This year’s Indonesia pageant also came under fire for announcing a “significant change in this (year’s) competition guidelines” with the elimination of its minimum height requirement after it had crowned a winner.

In its statement, the Miss Universe Organization said it wanted to “make it extremely clear that there are no measurements such as height, weight, or body dimensions required to join a Miss Universe pageant worldwide.”

— AFP

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Malaysia

A Perodua service centre in Kuantan, Malaysia went viral for its strict dress code, Perodua responds

A dress code for vehicle servicing? A Malaysian car brand’s service centre dress code signage has puzzled netizens, raising queries about the need for attire rules during a routine service.

The manufacturer responded with an official statement after a flurry of comments, seeking to clarify and apologize.

Published

1 year ago

on

10 August 2023

By

MALAYSIA: A dress code signage positioned at a service centre belonging to a prominent Malaysian car brand has sparked bewilderment among Malaysian netizens, who question the necessity of adhering to attire guidelines for a simple vehicle servicing.

The signage explicitly delineates clothing items that are deemed unsuitable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, abbreviated pants, and distressed jeans.

The car manufacturer swiftly found itself flooded with comments from both inquisitive and irked Malaysian netizens. This surge in online activity prompted the company to issue an official statement aimed at clarifying the situation and extending an apology.

In a post that gained significant traction on the social media platform, politician Quek Tai Seong of Pahang State, Malaysia, shared an image to Facebook on Monday (7 Aug).

The image showcased a dress code sign prominently displayed at a Perodua Service Centre in Kuantan. Within the post, Quek posed the question: “Is this dress code applicable nationwide, or is it specific to this branch?”

The signage reads, “All customers dealing with Perodua Service Kuantan 1, Semambu, are requested to dress modestly and appropriately.”

Adding visual clarity to these guidelines, the sign features illustrative graphics that explicitly outline clothing items deemed unacceptable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, short pants, and ripped jeans.

Delineating the specifics of the dress code, the signage stipulates that male visitors are expected to don shirts accompanied by neckties, opt for long pants, and wear closed shoes.

Conversely, female visitors are advised to don long-sleeved shirts, full-length skirts, and closed-toe footwear.

Perodua’s dress code sparks online uproar

Following the rapid spread of the post, Perodua’s official Facebook page found itself inundated with comments from both intrigued and frustrated Malaysian netizens, all seeking clarifications about the newly surfaced dress code policy.

Amidst the flurry of comments, numerous incensed netizens posed pointed questions such as, “What is the rationale behind the introduction of such regulations by the management? We demand an explanation.”

Another netizen expressed their dissatisfaction, arguing against the necessity of the rule and urging Perodua to take inspiration from the practices of other 4S (Sales, Service, Spare Parts, and Survey) automotive dealerships.

A concerned Facebook user chimed in, advocating for a more lenient stance, asserting that attempting to dictate customers’ clothing choices might not be in the company’s best interest.

Someone also commented in an angry tone, “Oi what is this? Going there for car service, not interview or working, right.”

As the discourse unfolded, it became evident that while some inquiries carried genuine weight, others chose to inject humor into the situation, playfully remarking, “If I wanted to buy a Myvi, I should buy or rent a formal attire first.”

“I sell economy rice at a hawker centre, I have never worn a long sleeve shirt and a tie… I guess I will not buy a Perodua car then.”

“I guess they will not serve those who wear short pants.”

Perodua addresses dress code controversy

As reported by Chinese media outlet Sin Chew Daily News, the manager of Kuantan’s Perodua Service Centre had acknowledged that the images on the dress code signage were misleading.

In response, the manager divulged that discussions had transpired with the head office, leading to the prompt removal of the signage to prevent any further misconceptions.

The manager clarifies, “We do encourage visitors to adhere to the dress etiquette, but we won’t go to the extent of restricting their choice of attire.”

He also revealed that currently, no complaints have been directly received from the public.

However, feedback from certain customers was relayed through Perodua’s agents.

Perodua also released an official statement by chief operating officer JK Rozman Jaffar on Wednesday (9 Aug) regarding the dress code on their official Facebook page.

The statement stated the dress code etiquette is not aligned with their official guidelines and they are currently conducting an official investigation on the matter followed by corrective measures to avoid the same incident from happening.

Perodua also extends its apologies for any inconvenience caused.

 

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