Republic of virtue, 9/08

When tomorrow comes

Posted by admin

Monday, 15 September 2008 15:00

We know Sept 16 is tomorrow. We know that radical changes will happen. We know we are ready for such changes. What we need is the will to realign ourselves with the new paradigm and to medicate ourselves of the pain that will come through the changes. Azly Rahman http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/ "The only permanent thing is change" - Lao Tzu During Mahathirism in the 1980s – change management ideology pervaded the psyche of the civil service sector. The ideology was enculturalised by the corporate sector and universities picked up the trend and fashioned it into their mission statement, pedagogical processes, and curriculum. Everybody was taught to speak the language of change. During that time too, circa 1985-1995, even high school students were taught visioning strategies and how to manage change. Literature of change management, i.e. to change to corporate culture, to change to a society run on cybernetics/information technology became hugely popular. Knowledge of visioning strategies were brought to the grassroots and even kampong people were in tune with the basic ideas of change sometimes equating it with the Arabic words "islah" and "hijrah" to denote and connote "reforming oneself" and "pilgrimag-ising oneself". The Malay word "perubahan paradigma" became perhaps the most popular word on television, as its use signified a "better level of intelligence" as perceived by Malaysians imbued with "corporatist ideology". Nowadays we hear people speaking of "blue ocean strategy". On how to look at our environment as an ocean of both chaos and opportunities and how to think like a dolphin but act like a shark. The Mahathirist decades essentially prepared Malaysians for that only one thing that is permanent: change. It prepared the country for even for a velvet revolution such as in the Mar 8, 2008 and Permatang Pauh. When he unveiled the mega-project Multimedia Super Corridor (The MSC) which included the Bill of Guarantees for the free-flow of information and no-censorship of the Internet, he called upon the rakyat to "fantasise" with him. At the moment of writing this article, it is 7 o'clock in the evening (New York) Eastern Time Sept 15. My question is - what will tomorrow bring when Sept 16 comes. Are we ready for political change - big time? Political change My initial though is this: corporate cultural changes occur peacefully - why not political change? In light of a benchmarked and scheduled possible change Malaysians will be experiencing and in light of the deliverable promised, I am advocating the new regime to disseminate 10 ideas that will augur well with the new era we are ushering into, I call them "ten steps towards cultural freedom" this nation can conditioned itself with. Independence and freedom are not slogans but existential states of mind and a condition of 'lived democracy', one in which citizens are aware of how oppressive systems are cultivated. We cannot be independent until we arrive at these historical junctures, and until we do the following: 1. Free the human mind from all forms of dogmas, superstitions, mental chains, hegemonic formations, and transitional levels of totalitarianism. Our educational system at all levels must strengthen the scientific and philosophical foundation of its curriculum and practices to effect changes in the higher-order thinking skills of the next generation. We should not tolerate any forms of bigotry, racial chauvinism, and retarded form of democracy in our educational system. 2. Understand the relationship between the 'self and the system of social relations of production' and how the self becomes alienated and reduced to labour and appendages and cogs in the wheels of industrial system of production, a system that hides under the name of the corporatist nation and any other term that masks the real exploitation of the human self. 3. Make ourselves aware that our social systems, through the rapid development of technology and its synthesis with local and international predatory culture, have helped create classes of human beings that transform their bodies into different classes of labour (manual, secretarial, managerial, militarial, intellectual, and capital-owning) that is now shaping the nature of class antagonism locally and globally. 4. Understand how our political, economic, cultural institutions have evolved and are created out of the vestiges of newer forms of colonialism, institutions that are built upon the ideology of race-based interpretations of human and material development that benefit the few who own the means of cultural, material, and intellectual production. 5. Understand how ideologies that oppress humanity works, how prevailing political, economic, cultural ideologies help craft false consciousness and create psychological barriers to the creation of a society that puts the principles of social contract into practice. 6. Be aware of how our physical landscape creates spaces of power and knowledge and alienates us and how huge structural transformations such as the Multimedia Super Corridor or those emerging corridors that create a new form of technological city-scape (technopoles) that benefits local and international real estate profiteers more that they provide more humane living spaces for the poor and the marginalised in an increasingly cybernated society. 7. Be fully aware of the relationship between science, culture, and society and how these interplay with contemporary global challenges and how we clearly or blindly adopt these rapid changes and transform them into our newer shibboleths of developmentalism – one such policy being the National BioTechnology Program. 8. Put a halt to the systematic stupefication of academicians and students in our public universities by first incorporating Academic Freedom Clauses in their mission statements and next enculturalising intellectualism in these learning environments. The public universities must be restructured based on a new paradigm of leadership. Leaders that enable the ability of our students and faculty to think must be removed and replaced with those that pay allegiance to truth. "Veritas!" or "Truth!" as Harvard University sloganises and lives by. 9. Design an economic system founded upon socialistic principles that meet the needs of the many and curb our enthusiasm to consume conspicuously and consequently create a society divided by classes and a postmodern caste system. Rethink the progressive dimension of nationalisation instead of pursuing the excesses of privatisation. What good would Malaysia do if its leaders are siphoning the nation's wealth by the billions, stashing them in places such as Switzerland and the Cayman Islands? 10. Restructure the entire education system that would not only create some variant of a classless society but also one that would evolve into a reflective one instead of being rushed to death along the path of Wall Street by those who owns the means of production. Sept 16 and change. We know Sept 16 is tomorrow. We know that radical changes will happen. We know we are ready for such changes. What we need is the will to realign ourselves with the new paradigm and to medicate ourselves of the pain that will come through the changes. Change is good especially of it means celebrating our diversity, curbing our desire for material wealth, punishing those who have stolen form the masses, and making our systems implement equity, equitability, equal opportunity, and empathy as philosophical elements of change. But Lao Tzu did warn us too against carving the stone. Comments (12) ... written by zonefinder, September 15, 2008 15:24:39 En. Azly, we need visionary folks like you back here to effect and facilitate these changes. All of us are waiting for the historic event over the next few days. Can you afford not to witness this first hand? report abuse disagree 2 agree 76 ... written by indianputra, September 15, 2008 15:26:43 Dear Dr. Azly... no matter how much I want to read your articles, something puts me off. May be it is too long or the beginning is rather dry. Not that I am asking you to write like RPK, but please do something to create interest in your articles. I am sure you mean well and there is substance in your articles... help us to make it readable. Thank you. report abuse disagree 11 agree 66 ... written by Birdbrain, September 15, 2008 15:54:22 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDQnkYwfNfk There's no reason why you should not come home!? report abuse disagree 0 agree 32 ... written by boeytahan, September 15, 2008 15:56:21 Dear M/T supporters, By the stroke of 12midnite on 16/09/2008, I will raise our Malaysian flag infront of my house to honour MALAYSIA DAY. report abuse disagree 0 agree 29 ... written by kc respect, September 15, 2008 16:15:04 For the past 12 years, I have been fling the Jalur Gemilang in front of my house in the months of August & September. But not this year. This year, I bought a Selangor flag and proudly celebrated with Pakatan Rakyat and flew it in fornt of my house. When tomorrow comes, or when the new era od feferal administration comes, I will be flying two flags. report abuse disagree 1 agree 26 ... written by densemy, September 15, 2008 16:18:23 Dr, you were here in the decade 1985 to 95 when you talk about an ideology of change permeating through Malaysian society. I wasnt here, so I cant argue with you. But somewhere between then and now that fluffy ideology of welcoming change had gone down the gurgler. Nowadays in the civil service sector change means shall I have roti canai or nasi lemak. Change to them means a new way to avoid work and a potentially new way to take another bribe At all levels change and initiative is stifled by ego and insecurity Unlike other countries where the civil service is the power house of the country and the politicians the figure heads, in Malaysia the civil service is the retirement home for unemployable bumiputras and there is no powerhouse because the politicians who think they are the brains are nothing but egos. To suggest that a country dominated by Islam is open to change has to be the ultimate joke. Islam is a backward looking religion which abhors change, because change might suggest questioning and questioning is taboo. So how can you possibly suggest to "Free the human mind from all forms of dogmas and superstitions.... In the same vein: "Put a halt to the systemic stupefaction of academics and students" The systemic stupefaction by religion is so deeply entrenched in the tertiary sector that no academic progresses without going through further brainwashing so they toe the religious line. How many decades would you take to reverse that situation? Your comment on the "relationship between science, culture and society and how they interplay with contemporary global challenges" Is all nonsense while Islam has education by the balls. Education should be open and unbiassed by religious dogma. In Malaysia the biological and earth sciences are compromised by Islam's attitude to creationism. Its undeniable fact that the world of science in those disciplines is based on evolution and to deny that fact is to deny science. And to deny your future Malaysia didnt even want change in March 2008... a few people here and there wanted to show the government their displeasure with the way things were turning out. It came as a shock to almost everyone to discover that those few people amounted to nearly 50% of the voters Since then they discovered they like the taste of the power that they have gained and they want more. But there is still a long way to go. Undoing 50 yrs of neglect on both sides of the doors of parliament might be a good place to begin report abuse disagree 9 agree 27 ... written by cheekhiaw, September 15, 2008 19:58:03 The constant change in Malaysian government leadership the last 50 years was from one thief and liar to another. The worry we have is not change but the kind of change. History shows that humanity and progress will sort itself out peacefully once the reins of power are rid of thieves, liars and murderers. xxx report abuse disagree 1 agree 14 ... written by penangboi, September 15, 2008 21:35:39 Dear Dr Azly, No offence intended at all but I can't help agreeing with indianputra. You are obviously a learned person and it is obvious in the way in express yourself. But I too have the same problem understanding what you are saying. Have to admit I am only plain joe who didn't go far in my studies. But I am proud that we have learned people like you in our midst. And I too would like you to be one of our leaders when the new dawn sets in. Malaysia needs intellectuals like you who talk logic and sense and above all who is a humanitarian. The age of bigotry and racism will soon be relegated to just mere history where it will only serve as a reference point to return to for reminding us what not to do and to gain greater wisdom. report abuse disagree 3 agree 20 ... written by Alarka, September 16, 2008 03:35:44 I am watching this event with extreme interest. I may move back to Malaysia to help it grow once I see business is not as usual post transition. I am hoping for pre-1969 type of muhibbah but with the Malays being engaged in all facets of the economy. I want all corrupt criminals arrested and the judicial, political and executive system revamped for true separation of powers with all the check and balances reinstated. I want the law enforcement branch be flushed of criminal cops and enforce the law dictated by the judicial system which in turn interprets the law written by the members of Parliament which in turn table the law based on the wishes of the people they represented. I want local government official elected and held accountable. I love Malaysia and after 20 years of heartbreak outside Malaysia, I am seeing a chance for a bright future for me and my children. report abuse disagree 1 agree 4 ... written by renoir, September 16, 2008 04:59:06 penangboi wrote: > I can't help agreeing with indianputra....you who talk logic and sense and above all who is a humanitarian.]] Hi, penangboi: The fact that you know Dr.Azly "talks logic and sense and above all is a humanitarian" shows that you DO understand him! Granted, a few words here and there might be unfamiliar, but after some time you'll get used to them. P/S: You can consider me a plain joe too. LChuah report abuse disagree 1 agree 6 ... written by Old Man, September 16, 2008 17:57:53 Lao Tze also said, "Extreme comes change." So those extremists out there have to accept that Change is the Will of Heaven and not of DSAI alone or we Malaysians. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by dassky2000, September 18, 2008 13:19:07 Indianputra, you should go get some playboy magazines to read instate of reading Dr. Azly's articles. There you will see many interesting stories untill you drool. Don't compare Dr.Azly with RPK. Both have they own style in writing and expressing themselves. You are in no position to judge or comment on how and what they write and written. Be happy bro, report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 Write comment This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment. You must be logged in to a comment. 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