For whom the bells toll
Another transgender woman was found dead “under criminal circumstances” last week.
Her death reminds us once again of the terrible plight of transgenders in Malaysia, condemned to live on the fringes of our society, the object of scorn and abuse.
When are we going to understand that an assault on the most vulnerable members of our society – no matter who they are – is an assault on us all, an infringement of our own fundamental rights and freedoms?
We don’t have to agree with transgenders or endorse their lifestyle but we are – every last one of us – obliged to respect and defend their rights as citizens, as human beings. No more and no less. Like the rest of us, they have a constitutionally protected right to live free from harassment, intimidation and assault, to pursue their own hopes and dreams.
The poet John Donne once said, “everyman’s death diminishes me because I am a part of mankind. Therefore, do not send to find for whom the bells toll; it tolls for thee.” Last week in Malaysia we were all diminished because of that one death.
The stupidity test
PPBM vice-president Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman recently urged the government to give contracts and government positions to party members to help the party retain power. He said it was “stupid” not to try to win “by hook or by crook”. Party members shamelessly cheered him on.
What is really stupid is for a senior party leader to press for the reintroduction of the very system of cronyism, patronage and entitlement that led to Umno-BN’s rejection by the people.
It is hardly surprising, however, coming from the same man who helped Umno subvert our electoral process during his long tenure as Election Commission chairman.
And what does it say of the government’s commitment to reform when someone like that is appointed to head the government’s election reform committee? If PPBM really means to be a role model for the nation, as Dr Mahathir Mohamad suggested recently, Rashid should be sacked.
Patronage politics
Talking about patronage politics, it was recently announced that two PPBM Supreme Council members and a party lawyer had been appointed to head government agencies under the rural development ministry.
So, despite the hullaballoo about patronage appointments, the practice is continuing. How else to reward party hacks who apparently “sacrificed much before the general elections” as one of them claimed recently.
What about the sacrifice of the people who have had to endure rising costs of living while politicians and bureaucrats enriched themselves?
Undoubtedly, this is just the beginning. A change in government doesn’t just involve a change in cabinet members but a change in thousands of well-paid GLCs and government agency chairmen and board members. That’s why so many people are suddenly rushing to join the winning side insisting, of course, that it’s not about personal gain but about serving the country.
The UEC again
Before the election, both Pakatan Harapan and BN vied for the Chinese vote by promising to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
Now apparently, absurd conditionalities are being attached that make recognition all but impossible. Insisting that the UEC include the requisite qualification in the national language and history is one thing, linking it to the income disparity in the country (as Dr Mahathir now seems to be doing) is quite something else.
The whole argument against UEC recognition is illogical and irrational. And it is getting weirder by the day. It is mind-boggling how a simple examination certificate has become an existential threat to Malay civilisation, rights and status and now, it seems, even their prosperity.
Pandering to what is essentially a racist argument that the UEC somehow undermines national unity or affects Malay rights is simply wrong. It smacks of bigotry, the kind of bigotry we had hoped never to see again in Malaysia Baru.
The smoking ban
On Jan 1, non-smokers had something to finally celebrate as a ban on smoking in all eateries came into force. The law finally caught up with the science. Everyone has a right to a smoke-free environment.
Smokers, of course, continue to be in denial. A legal challenge to the ban has been initiated while others expressed concern that the ban might affect tourism and negatively impact the restaurant and entertainment industry.
Some are also asking to delay enforcement to give smokers “time to adjust” or calling on the government to focus on education rather than legislation.
Smokers don’t need more education or more time to “adjust”; they just need a greater incentive to stop polluting our environment. The law and the fines for non-compliance will do just that.
Smokers in other countries whined about the same things and were proven completely wrong. People gave up smoking or adjusted to the new rules. The sky didn’t fall down, the economy didn’t go into a tailspin. And the whole country was healthier for it. So, if you are a smoker, get used to it or eat at home.
Happy New Year y’all!