by Haris Ibrahim,
Sorry, we do not have a Formula 1 racing team to boast of.
It cost just too much ( as much as RM1.4 billion a year, according to the Malaysianinsider ) and we don’t have that kind of money.
And even if we did, we’d rather spend it on the rakyat.
Like feeding the starving children of Kapit, Sarawak.
Or build more hospitals and universities throughout the country.
But we haven’t got that kind of money.
The creative genius of Ambrose. Many asked whether this would be the design on the next SABM T-shirt. What do you think?
So we just launched a sampan called the Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia Charter.
We can’t afford glossy brochures to display our sampan, but we can offer you a two-pager, in pdf, that details her specifications.
And a powerpoint presentation to give an idea as to where we want to take this sampan.
SAYA ANAK BANGSA MALAYSIA Launch
Nothing fancy.
No frills, but she is a labour of love and we are certain that she is not only sea-worthy but that she will see us through the roughest of storms that we see ahead of us.
Built by men and women who, by God’s grace, are free from the shackles of ‘tribal think’.
Who look at each other and see, not Malay, not Chinese, not Indian, but fellow human beings, equal and free.
Who respect, embrace and celebrate our cultural differences.
And though the oarsmen were small in number, as we put our sampan out to sea yesterday, we were greatly encouraged by the many who,notwithstanding the intermittent rain, came to wish us well on this journey.
Some of the early arrivals who made it to RABM just after the early rain had eased off
As the guests arrived on the outside, Meor ( left ) and Black were practising their rendition of their Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia song on the inside
Artiste Rahmat manning the indie music stall
The SABM merchandising team manning our stall
Blogger Hawkeye ( in our latest 'Racism is so yesterday' white T-shirt ) arriving
Friends registering. In all more than 250 attended the launch
The canopies could only afford cover for slightly over 100. We kicked off the launch when everyone rose to sing 'Negaraku'
The crowd under canopy No.1 just before the slideshow presentation
One People, One Nation buttons on sale. Photo courtesy of Pahlawan Volunteers
You can literally see the rain pouring off the canopy. Photo courtesy of Pahlawan Volunteers
Umbrellas were up to ward off the rain as the presentation was underway. Photo courtesy of Pahlawan Volunteers
Those who were able to take shelter during the presentation. Photo courtesy of Pahlawan Volunteers
Another view of the crowd. Photo courtesy of Pahlawan Volunteers
Danny keeping watch over our emcees, Mila and Ayu
These smart ones took shelter in the house whilst the presentation was underway. Photo courtesy of Pahlawan Volunteers.
The SABM core group during the PC. Photo courtesy of The Nutgraph
The voter education working group, with Ally Chua, a registrar with the SPR, were on hand to register those eligible to vote
We catered food for 150. There were mpre than 250, yet, no one went home hungry, I think.
See who came and bought a T-shirt?
Boom on the harmonica, Black and Meor guitaring and Mila on vocals gave us a beautiful rendition of the newly minted SABM song
Pat Lu and other guests
The journey that this SABM sampan is going to take?
On 10th October, we are hosting a roundtable to share the Charter with potential smart partner NGOs and NGIs. We want to network with those who share the same aspirations as we do and to collaborate ongoing efforts to bring down divisive walls that have been put in place by those whose agenda are at odds with our ‘One People, One Nation’ mission.
Later that same month, we will be hosting a dialogue with political parties from both sides of the political divide. We want to present our ‘One People, One Nation’ initiative as an aspiration of the rakyat and invite all the political parties to work with the rakyat in making this ‘One People, One Nation’ initiative a reality. We will challenge Pakatan Rakyat and BN to walk their respective ‘Ketuanan Rakyat’ and ‘1Malaysia’ talk. Being non-partisan, yet very, very political in calling for change, we will work with all parties that share our aspiration.
Between November this year and August next year, we hope to take the SABM roadshow to Sabah and Sarawak, to Penang, Kelantan, Selangor and Johore.
The roadshows will also carry two other efforts : a voter education program and a ‘No to ISA, Yes to ATA’ initiative.
ATA?
Our Anti-ISA working group is busy drafting a proposed Anti-Terrorism Act as a replacement for the ISA, which we want repealed.
And we hope to be able to initiate our ‘Neighbourhood SABM initiatives’. More on this in a later post.
However, we have not deluded ourselves and we will not deceive you.
We do not pretend that these few oarsmen can, by themselves, undo the damage inflicted by39 years of divide and rule based on race and religion in this country.
This can only be done if every decent anak Bangsa Malaysia will join us in this journey.
Take the 250 or so who were at the launch last night.
We have your e-mail addresses and will be in touch soon.
You would have taken with you a copy of the Charter.
Study it.
Digest it.
And if it sits with all you have ever wished for this, your country, embrace it as your own mission.
Make a 100 copies of the same and give it out to family and friends. Tell them of this initiative to take our country back for the people.
Get your young relatives and friends to register as voters. Get them to understand that the power of the vote will enable us to collectively bring about the change we want through peaceful means.
Get your family and friends to lend their support to all anti-ISA initiatives. Don’t wait until one of your own loved ones is despatched to Kamunting before you act.
And when the SABM roadshow comes to a town or city close to you, make time to come and join us.
To keep you informed of what’s happening, we also launched the SABM website yesterday.
A great evening of fellowship.
And like that night at the Rumah two years ago when it was known as Blog House, when we hosted the first Anak Bangsa Malaysia fellowship on 25th August, 2007, it happened again yesterday.
God planted love, respect and tenderness at the Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia last night.
To the core group and the working group members of the SABM initiative, to the 250 anak Bangsa Malaysia who braved the rain last night, and to every anak Bangsa Malaysia who will join hands with us and take this message of ‘One People, One Nation’ far and wide, I dedicate the song below to each and every one of you.
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