By FAHMI REZA

Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka from fahmi reza on Vimeo.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We have published the English translation below. theCICAK would like to encourage intelligent debate and discussion on Fahmi Reza’s latest documentary. Please post your thoughts beneath this post.

Filem dokumentari Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka ini menceritakan tentang satu peristiwa tersembunyi dalam sejarah perjuangan kemerdekaan rakyat, di mana seluruh Malaya telah menyaksikan tindakan politik pertama yang melibatkan penyatuan rakyat pelbagai kaum - Hartal Seluruh Malaya pada 20 Oktober 1947.

Filem ini cuba untuk mengetengahkan satu naratif alternatif kepada “naratif rasmi” sejarah perjuangan kemerdekaan negara kita yang dimonopoli secara ekslusif oleh kepimpinan elit UMNO. Filem ini boleh dilihat sebagai satu proses “recovery of historical memory” dengan … Click here for the full article!

(13) Comments so far. Add Yours Now!

UPDATE: For those who want to vote in the AYA Dream Malaysia Awards, voting has ended.

The co-founder of theCICAK has been nominated for AYA Dream Malaysia Awards, Most Outstanding Youth of the Year 2007. Who is she? And why should you care? This personal letter from Krystle Chow will reveal a different side of theCICAK and what you can do to help theCICAK continue to promote good writing and good discussion of the issues which affect young Malaysians.

It’s been a few years since Poh Si Teng surprised me with a message on the old theCICAK forum asking me if I would like to work with the webzine on a more regular basis.

I admit, I’ve never met her in person, but … Click here for the full article!

(8) Comments so far. Add Yours Now!

AZMI SHAROM’S response to Katherine’s post:

Dear Ms. Koh,

Hi. Thanks for writing. Actually, what you said are my thoughts exactly. I was being sarcastic in the article. I am sorry I if you thought I was being earnest!

I’ve been writing for the Star for about a year and a half now and I guess I take it for granted that people read my stuff on a fairly regular basis and have come to know that i can be quite a sarcastic little creature.

I got some flak about this earlier article too because some one thought I was being hypocritical in criticising long haired people when i have long hair myself!

Anyway, all the best to you.

Azmi

–
By KATHERINE KOH

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor - Photo from The Star

Dear Azmi Sharom,

In response to your article “Wah! We are now a space power” in The Star on Thursday, 18 October 2007, I must ask, how much were you paid to write all this propaganda?

It must be pretty lucrative because you were extolling the benefits that we Malaysians would gain as a direct result of the Angkasawan project. There was no weigh-in of the pros and the cons of the programme, but just your views on how good this programme is. Perhaps your training as a lawyer has just taught you to argue your points one-sided?

Firstly, I agree that the spaceman programme is an inspiration to many children in Malaysia. We are allowing them hope and imagination, and surely there is nothing more important than … Click here for the full article!

(75) Comments so far. Add Yours Now!

Are you a young woman? Are you interested in writing and women’s issues?

Call for Applications for AWAM’s Programme for Young Women Writers About the All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)

AWAM is one of the leading women’s NGOs in Malaysia. AWAM’s advocacy work includes legal reform, public education and trainings to raise awareness of women’s and gender issues. AWAM also provides counseling, legal advice and other support services for women in crisis … Click here for the full article!

(7) Comments so far. Add Yours Now!

Evo Pictures is currently looking for writers for their upcoming movies. They will begin production soon.

The company’s previous project was Seed of Darkness. New comers are welcomed to apply and those who are interested in an internship can also e-mail Evo Pictures at info@evopictures.com

Evo Pictures is looking for people who are creative and passionate about writing.

(2) Comments so far. Add Yours Now!

Pro-Mahasiswa candidates rallying for support - Photo by Richard Lim

By FAREENA J.

Student elections at various universities across the country ended as expected - with pro-government groups in power - after vicious mudslinging and tactics from all parties. The two major players were pro-Aspirasi (pro-government) and pro-Mahasiswa (pro-opposition) student groups.

Voters at university campuses throughout the country were overwhelmingly in favour of pro-Aspirasi parties, with the exception of Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM). Pro-Aspirasi groups swept all the positions at Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia in Terengganu and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Perak.

In Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), pro-Aspirasi candidates took 42 out of 48 seats, in Universiti Malaya (UM) it was 33 out of 41, in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) it was 30 out of 34, and 30 out of 37 in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

Pro-Aspirasi is pro-government, and usually sides with the university’s policies. And pro-Mahasiswa is known to be anti-government or anti-establishment. Some university administrators have no qualms hiding the fact that they do not like pro-Mahasiswa groups … Click here for the full article!

(15) Comments so far. Add Yours Now!

theCICAK Editors: Are you enraged about the judicial scandal? Why? Please share your opinion on this page. Thanks!

Photo by CHUA SUE ANN

By OON YEOH

A mass demonstration by lawyers last week in Putrajaya underlined the serious questions raised about the integrity of the Malaysian judiciary, following a press conference by former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, during which a controversial video clip was made public.

The eight-minute video, said to have been shot in 2002, shows high-powered lawyer V K Lingam allegedly chatting with a senior judge and brokering the appointment of certain judges.

The local media has not mentioned either the lawyer or the judge by name. Online news sites and political bloggers, however, have not exercised any such restraint.

The authorities’ reaction to this scandal has disappointed many who had hoped this would be a chance to restore confidence in the judiciary.

Confidence in the judiciary has been eroding since the late ’80s, when former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had the Chief Justice sacked.

Instead, the government has reacted… Continue reading the article here.

(6) Comments so far. Add Yours Now!

By APUT

Nurin Jazlin Jazimin (left) - Photo from NST

As much as I would like to grieve over the death of the 8-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, and get mad at the Malaysian law enforcement agencies for not doing their job, the basic truth is that she is nothing other than another victim of parental negligence.

And she isn’t the only one … Click here for the full article!

(22) Comments so far. Add Yours Now!