The BN government is responsible for the unhappiness and controversy over Interlok, observes Rani Rasiah. If it had been just left on the shelves of bookshops, available to all who care to read it, there would have been none of this controversy. Continue reading »
Gadoh, a film produced by Komas, tells a story of a group of teenagers who fought each other along racial lines – a cycle of hatred and violence further escalated by their environment and school system.
What was to be a quick resolution to improve the school’s bad image was taken as an opportunity for one teacher who believed that real change was possible. She ropes in the help of an old friend and reluctant maverick theater activist for this arduous task.
Is there hope amidst the cycle of discrimination that surrounds us?
Watch Gadoh for their story and what it may very well tell us about ourselves.
Movie Info: Duration: 70 mins
Director: Brenda Danker, Namron
Producer: Anna Har Production
Company: Big Pictures Productions
Supported by Pusat KOMAS
Starring: Namron, Nicholas Liew Davis, Zahiril Adzim, Amerul Affendi and Maya Tan Abdullah
Language: Bahasa Malaysia with English/BM subtitles
Poster design by: Alexdrina Chong, Lucid Design Collaborative Studio
Official Home Page: komas.org/gadoh/
It is difficult to reconcile how a principal of a secondary school could be so insensitive and dumb as to utter derogatory words to denigrate students under her care. She had shown utter contempt to the Chinese and Indians in this country.
Hishamuddin Yahaya says racial sloganeering could become irrelevant if a new government takes over that is better able to promote democracy and socio-economic and cultural justice.
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P Ramakrishnan recalls how Malaysians woke up on 8 March 2008 after half a century of slumber. He now urges them to generate a new tsunami of progressive non-racist politics and eliminate racial politics in the country
Compared to the long road ahead and the obstacles that are bound to be put up in the face of reform, winning power and taking over the government will seem a relatively easy task, observes Aliran member Farish Noor. Much more difficult will be having to dismantle the structures of power and knowledge that have grown sedimented for so long and overturning the dominant culture of racialised politics that has divided Malaysian society thus far.
It is ironic that Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks came just as the fasting month of Ramadhan was beginning. This, being a holy month where patience and forebearance are lauded above all, made the timing of his press conference and abusive remarks all the more pointed and bitter, observes Aliran member Farish A Noor.
Johan Saravanamuttu discusses the “Badawied” political transition, during which neither Abdullah Badawi nor Mahathir realised that the rakyat have tired of racial politics.
Farish A Noor looks at how the keris, a universal symbol, has been transformed into a tool of racial politics.
Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan Aliran hari ini merakamkan kebimbangan mengenai perkembangan-perkembangan terkini bersabit dengan hubungan etnik dan agama yang semakin merosot. Khususnya semangat perkauman dan agama telah disemarakkan tanpa segan silu oleh beberapa pemimpin UMNO dalam perhimpunan agung baru-baru ini.
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