What the heck does ‘politicising’ mean, anyway?

By Haris Ibrahim

Many of you, in your comments to the “Guan Eng…” post yesterday seemed to find ‘politicise’ and ‘politicising’ imprecise in its meaning.

I’ve looked at the post again and, yes, the fault is mine.

I could have made myself more clear.

Let me try to atone with a little more clarity in presenting my thoughts.

A few comments to that post will actually aid me in trying to make my point.

colimac Says:
July 20, 2009 at 11:52 am e

harris what’swrong with guan eng’s ststement? with the bn people the only way out is to crush them under the chains of bulldozer and even with that we may not be able to the bare truth.guan eng is only showing his anger with what has happen aren’t you angry harris/

Let me reproduce here what I said in that post in relation to what Guan Eng said.

“And I heard Guan Eng make a promise to take a campaign through the country to force the government to appoint the Royal Commission.

I’m all for this, and I’m going to badger Guan Eng’s office to honour his word to the crowd gathered at Kelana Jaya yesterday, but only if they will strictly honour the family’s wishes”

So, no colimac, there’s nothing wrong with Guan Eng’s statement. I’m all for the nationwide campaign. I’m only against Beng Hock’s death being politicised in the course of such a nationwide campaign.

Damn!

That word ‘politicised’ again!

I’m going to have to use another word or phrase to get across exactly what I mean.

First, though, Charlotte’s comment to that ‘Guan Eng’ post.

Charlotte Says:
July 20, 2009 at 9:32 am e

I thought it would’ve been better if those who were given a chance to speak, spoke about Beng Hock himself – his characteristics and mannerisms.

AND also talk about the standard operating procedures during such a questioning. Get at least a qualified doctor and/or lawyer to talk about these things, instead of hitting the BN in every speech. Leave the rakyat with something harder to chew on upon leaving the stadium.

Though, I’d like to make mention that Nik Nazmi did share about Beng Hock’s personal character. Only 1 out of 10 speakers? Most to most, 2 out of 10…

And one from KaKiYam.

KaKiaYam Says:
July 20, 2009 at 9:41 am e

Haris,

kelana jaya stadium is seriously not a convenient place to be in. I am pretty sure, most of those who were there, stays around PJ area and drives their own car. In addition to that, the announcement came too late and I guess people are getting tired with all these rally and speeches.

I got tired when Khalid Ibrahim started to speak, and went back (which is towards the end of the rally). Personally, we were there so that we could show our support for the cause and make up the numbers. We think that is important, whether or not there will be good speeches or otherwise.

Like you, i hope that the DAP will not politicised the matter, and that PR will somehow facilitate the public in showing their disgust and anger towards the authority in their handling of the case.

Honestly i think those leaders who made speeches, need to take lessons in making good ones. They sound too shallow and does not really express their heartfelt sadness. But this is only my personal opinion lar….

I think the selangor Speaker made a good speech. Was surprise with his fluency in bahasa.

Finally, good to see you there.

KaKiaYam

I fully associate with the sentiments expressed by Charlotte and KaKiYam

And now, probably the sternest reprimand that I received for that post. This is from Patriot.

Patriot Says:
July 20, 2009 at 9:36 am e

How to distinguish between what need to be done and politicizing? The nation need to know the truth. The nation need to bring to justice those responsible. The nation need to ensure no repeat. All these need citizens to put pressure on the government of the day. Fortunately or unfortunately the people who are in the position to do so are politicians. So when they apply pressure for a Royal Commission, are they politicizing the issue or are they just doing what justice demand?

Answer me Harris

I’m going to try and answer you now, Patriot.

Every parent, sibling and fiancee, regardless of race, must surely be able to empathise with how Beng Hock’s parents, siblings and fiancee must be feeling right now.

Who cannot begin to feel for them, and to understand their need to know the truth behind Beng Hock’s tragic passing, so that they may, in time, bring closure to this sad episode in their lives and to move on?

Which parent, sibling and fiancee, regardless of race, would not join the growing call for the establishment of the Royal Commission of Inquiry to get at the truth of the final hours leading up to Beng Hock’s death?

In my view, none, unless Beng Hock’s death and, more pertinently, the public outcry for the formation of the Royal Commission, begins to be perceived by certain quarters as fronting an agenda other than getting at the truth of this young man’s death.

The sms I received announcing the Kelana Jaya rally read : “JUSTICE FOR BENG HOCK – Vigil at Stadium MBPJ Kelana Jaya, Selangor @ 4.30pm on Sunday, 19th July, 2009. Pakatan Rakyat & NGO leaders will also be present…”

At the stadium, these were some of the banners that I saw on display.

I think the very first banner summed up why the 3,000 odd crowd were there.

We wanted justice for Beng Hock and we wanted the truth.

Period.

Patriot, you said in your comment that ‘The nation need to know the truth. The nation need to bring to justice those responsible. The nation need to ensure no repeat. All these need citizens to put pressure on the government of the day. Fortunately or unfortunately the people who are in the position to do so are politicians’

I’m in complete agreement with you save for your last sentence.

In fact, I’d say the reverse.

The politicians need us, the rakyat, and in big numbers, to pressure the government to give in and agree to the establishment of the Royal Commission.

Without the rakyat coming out in large numbers to push for the Royal Commission, the Pakatan politicians haven’t a hope of seeing this Commission ever realised.

Trouble is, politicians on both sides of the divide are not averse to trying to ride the current wave of public anger at Beng Hock’s death to try and get some collateral political mileage other than the plain and stated objective, loudly demanded in the banners : Justice for Beng Hock; truth for the rakyat.

Give you an example of collateral political mileage?

Sure.

Malaysiakini reported yesterday that before attending Beng Hock’s funeral yesterday, bith Kit Siang and Karpal held a press conference at which Kit Siang reiterated the demand for the formation of the Royal Commission.

Additionally, Kit Siang “urged Najib to order the MACC to “stop the war against Pakatan”, adding that the anti-graft body has “become Umno’s tool to topple the Selangor government”.

Now, that is a collateral political mileage and is irrelevant to and goes beyond the “Justice for Beng Hock; truth for the rakyat” aspiration of the more than 3,000 at Kelana Jaya on Sunday last.

As irrelevant as Khir Toyo’s RM24m bungalow and the question why MACC have not yet moved to investigate the former Selangor MB for corruption, that was brought up again and again by so many speakers at Kelana Jaya.

Sure, we all want an independent anti-corruption agency that will investigate and prosecute without fear or favour.

And if MACC is not it, then we want to be rid of MACC and have a new authority in place.

However, merge the issue of getting at the truth of the circumstances surrounding Beng Hock’s death and the need to revamp MACC because, as Kit Siang put it, ‘the anti-graft body has “become Umno’s tool to topple the Selangor government’ , and we may find that many who would otherwise not hesitate to join the growing clamour for the truth and the establishment of the Royal Commission of Inquiry, will not be prepared to do so publicly.

And as well know so well, silent support will not get us anywhere.

MCA has come out in support of the call for the Royal Commission, probably realising that civil society generally, and the Chinese community, in particular, is completely outraged, and therefore feels compelled to take the stance it has so as not to be outdone by DAP.

MIC has backed the call, probably feeling confident enough to do so, given that MCA was the first to break rank with BN on this issue.

Rais Yatim and Khairy have made statements supportive of the formation of the Commission.

What’s UMNO’s official position?

Nazri, riding on the spin-doctoring of the UMNO MSM, has chided the opposition for turning Beng Hock’s death into a race issue.

You and I know the truth, but how many have been taken in by this spin-doctoring?

I was at Beng Hock’s funeral yesterday.

Anwar and a delegation from PKR were there.

PAS, led by Salahuddin, were there.

I did not see anyone from UMNO.

And the Malays there to pay their last respects to Beng Hock were few in number.

Would this have anything to do with the UMNO MSM spin-doctoring?

I don’t know.

Just as I do not know if the poor turnout at the Kelana Jaya stadium last Sunday might in any way be attributed to the UMNO MSM spin-doctoring.

What I do know is that the Royal Commission of Inquiry, with terms of reference and a composition that may allow for an independent investigation into the circumstances of Beng Hock’s death, will only come to pass if there is enough pressure brought to bear on the government by the people.

And I fear that we may not be able to achieve those large numbers if our “Justice for Beng Hock; truth for the rakyat” aspiration becomes saddled with the collateral political mileage sought by politicians.

So, Guan Eng, please get your nationwide campaign to call for the Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate Beng Hock’s death off the ground. However, please leave out any considerations of collateral political mileage in this campaign.

Yes, respect the wishes of the family. Don’t turn this campaign into something else other than its stated objective.

Don’t misrepresent yourselves to the rakyat, by overtly campaigning for the Commission, but covertly hinging other agendas to the same.

Most importantly, don’t give UMNO and its MSM any room to spin-doctor and divide the very people you need to make the Commission a reality.

Let your campaign through the nation in the coming days and weeks, if need be, be about “Justice for Beng Hock; truth for the rakyat” and nothing else.