FreeMalaysiaToday: The power of LGBT votes in Malaysia

Reading this piece, makes me wonder few things…

FMT LETTER: From Pang Khee Teik, via e-mail

Around the world, LGBTs represent around 3 to 10 % of the population. Malaysian homo sapiens are not more homo. So it is certainly not 30 % here as recently claimed by a counsellor in Utusan.

This counsellor said his data is solid because he heard it from his gay clients who are being cured of gayness by him. This is what happens when people have a simplistic understanding about the world. This is how our education has failed us.

The Ministry of Education is not the only institution that has failed us. All other Ministries, either in promoting discrimination and misunderstanding of LGBTs or keeping silent when we are discriminated, have also failed us.

But the country has not only failed the LGBTs. It has failed all minorities. This government has only been manipulating and pandering to the majority because it is interested in their votes. This is where they are wrong.

The upcoming General Elections will be a close fight. In many constituencies, the difference between the winning candidate and the losing candidate will be about 3 to 10 % of the votes, the same percentage of LGBTs in society.

LGBT voters therefore make up that difference between winning and losing. With the majority split half and half to either coalition, the fates of this election lies in the fabulous hands of the minorities.

Whether we are out and proud LGBTs or we are in the closet or we are friends and families of LGBTs, we must vote the candidate most likely to create a better future for everyone, minorities and all.

So all you MP wannabes who want our votes?

1 Be nice to us.

2 We don’t need special treatment. We don’t need to be cured. We are fine as we are. We just want equality. Treat us all with respect.

3 We are a peaceful people. We want to make peace with ourselves. We want to make peace with others. Yet many are fighting us. We are not surprised. It is because they are ignorant about us, they misunderstand us. Your task is not to take sides, not to censor, not to ban. Your task is to facilitate peace making. And understanding leads to peace.

4 Give us space to be who we are and to promote our rights. We want to fully participate in society. We are tired of simply existing in the shadows where it becomes easy for others to mistreat us. We want to help make Malaysia a better home for everyone.

5 Educate yourself about us. Talk to us. Hear our side.

6 Educate the public about us. Promote understanding. Give us space to talk about ourselves.

7 Stop saying stupid shit about us or other minorities.

8 Apologise for your party’s stupid shit. Call on your own members to apologise when they say stupid shit.

9 You don’t only represent the people who vote for you. You don’t represent the majority only. For the majority certainly doesn’t represent the minorities. You represent all.

10 Be nice to everyone, especially minorities. Malaysia is big enough for us all.

Seriously, we are watching you now. We have families and friends who care about us too. So don’t mess with us. We are the king and queen makers.

The writer is the co-founder of annual sexuality rights festival Seksualiti Merdeka. Though banned by the police on Nov 2011, Seksualiti Merdeka vows to keep fighting for the rights of LGBTs in Malaysia.

1. Who have treated LGBTs in a bad way and why?
2. Are those who treated them bad due to political, or religious or social reason?
3. What are LGBT’s opinion on their own religious teachings? Or are they atheis?
4. In what way does they right to live and other rights as Malaysians being denied?
5. What do they mean by “promoting their rights”?
6. Does the comments made by politicians or even the public on LGBT is political based, or as normal human being, where logically, men are made for women, and women for men?

I am trying to understand what are their motives. Seriously, I do not know any religion that condone to same sex sexual intercourse. If you do, tell me, and perhaps, any LGBT or pro LGBT (that may not be one of them, but you support them) can come forward and let us discussed here, in public, to understand in what way that these points made in the FreeMalaysiaToday being put on to paper.

Personally, I have not abused any LGBT rights, and neither I supported them.

Or… do they mean, not supporting them is an act of abusing and denying them rights?

 

Question on the street: How many are they, the LGBTs in Malaysia? Are they taking advantage on politicians just for their votes???

Antara UMNO, PAS dan Yahudi…Kemudahan dan Keperluan Kita…

Susulan daripada kenyataan Tun Guru Haji Hadi beberapa hari lalu, membuatkan antara kita sudah patut mula berfikir lebih kritis dan baca sebanyak mungkin sebelum menilai sesuatu perkara. Tuan Guru Haji Hadi disebut sebagai berkata:

“Yahudi ada dua. Satu Yahudi satu lagi Zionis. Satu bangsa dan satu lagi kefahaman.

“Walaupun boleh berniaga dengan Yahudi, tetapi Pas tetap menentang sekeras-kerasnya (aktiviti) berniaga dengan Zionis,”

Oleh itu, isu dagangan dengan Yahudi yang selama ini bermain dalam masyarakat kita perlulah dinilai sebaiknya.

Pasti ramai yang masih ingat kempen boikot barangan yang dipercayai milik Yahudi/Israel. Kebanyakan dalam senarai itu yang diguna pakai seharian, malah tika dan saat ini, saya percaya ada produk buatan Yahudi/Israel didalam kemudahan yang anda gunakan ketika ini untuk membaca artikel ini.

Saya melihat ada beberapa kekusutan yang perlu dirungkaikan oleh PAS terutamanya dalam isu Yahudi ini. UMNO? Buat tika dan masa ini, apa jua UMNO buat, pasti salah di mata ramai orang, terutama mereka yang telah mempunyai persepsi negatif terhadap UMNO dan Barisan Nasional.

Manakan tidak, tika dua individu daripada kepimpinan PAS mengeluarkan hujah dan nas menunjukkan adalah salah berurusan dengan Yahudi, Presidennya kata boleh, kerana berniaga dengan bangsa, bukan kefahaman Zionis.

Ingin juga saya bertanya… bagaimana rupanya berniaga dengan kefahaman? Apakah berniaga melibatkan “perniagaan” akidah Yahudi?

Untuk satu ketika, kita difahamkan SALAH berniaga dengan Yahudi, terutama sekali ketika dua kapal yang berlabuh di Malaysia tempohari. Pelbagai dalil yang diberi, pelbagai hujah yang diberi dan kelihatan, UMNO hipokrit dan salah berurusan dengan Yahudi. Isu APCO kembali dimainkan, bagi menyokong sentimen UMNO berniaga dengan Yahudi dan menunjukkan mereka hipokrit dan tidak Islamik. Kerana itulah, saya sebutkan tadi, saya fikir tidaklah perlu UMNO membuat apa-apa kenyataan kerana apa jua kenyataan mereka, salah dan tidak benar semata-mata.

Saya amat mengharapkan kita adil dalam menilai sesuatu perkara.

Apa yang saya fahami, kita TIDAK mengiktiraf Israel, tetapi, kita tidak menghalang hubungan dagang dengan Yahudi. Mungkin, ada diantara pembaca boleh beritahu saya, bagaimana Rasulullah berurusan dengan Yahudi dahulu, dan bagaimana keadaannya.

Soalan dijalanan: Kerjasama dengan Yahudi yang bagaimana dibolehkan atau tidak? Apa yang kita boleh pelajari daripada sirah?

“Un-sangka-rable”- Nurul Izzah DS Anwar

“Un-sangka-rable”. A word that I also used before, but never thought coming from a political point of view. However, reading YB Nurul Izzah’s piece in Sinar Harian, reminded me of some good old times.

Her piece is as follows:

Kejutan hanya untuk yang tidak tidak menjangka sesuatu akan berlaku di luar dugaan dan dalam politik, tidak ada mustahil. Segala yang mungkin pasti berlaku dan yang hanya ‘mengejutkan’ rakyat adalah ‘waktu’ dipilih untuk sesuatu berlaku, menyebabkan ada tersalah sangka dan tersilap jangka.

Tetapi untuk ahli politik, adalah lumrah bersedia untuk semua kemungkinan, termasuk apa yang dipopularkan suatu ketika dahulu – dengan perkataan dibahasa Inggeriskan iaitu perkara yang ‘un-sangka-rable’.

Siapa sangka setelah hampir empat tahun berlalu sejak 2008 perkara yang ‘un-sangka-rable’ berlaku, iaitu ‘tsunami politik’ yang menghakis kekebalan majoriti dua pertiga BN di Parlimen, kembalinya lima negeri termasuk Wilayah Persekutuan ke tangan rakyat dan kemenangan Pilihan Raya Kecil Permatang Pauh yang memungkinkan pelantikan Ketua Pembangkang baru?

Siapa sangka akibat hasil ‘tsunami politik’ pilihan raya ke-12 mencetuskan tindak balas BN yang berbilang serampang penuh konspirasi – pelantikan perdana menteri baru, episod fitnah dua dengan tuduhan salah laku terhadap Anwar Ibrahim dan rampasan kuasa negeri Perak?

Siapa sangka suara rakyat Bersih 2.0 pada 9 Julai 2011, walaupun ditentang dengan kuku besi, telah mencipta lembaran baru kuasa rakyat di mana Jawatankuasa Terpilih Parlimen Reformasi Pilihan raya terbentuk dan satu rang undang-undang Perhimpunan Awam secara segera dan terburu-buru diluluskan?

Siapa sangka gagasan Pakatan Rakyat yang perjuang berbagai isu dengan mengeluarkan pelbagai dasar demi rakyat akan ditiru perdana menteri seperti saranan Reformasi Politik dan Pemulihan Demokrasi, termasuk – Penghapusan Deklarasi Darurat, ISA, Auku, PPPA – dan belanjawan alternatif 2012?

Siapa sangka isu ‘barang naik’ yang telah sekian lama didukung Pakatan Rakyat telah memaksa BN melahirkan berbagai skim kaya akronim seperti KRIM, PRIMA dan BRIM yang dengan jelas – mengaku kebenaran analisa Pakatan Rakyat bahawa rakyat bertambah miskin akibat dasar-dasar ekonomi BN yang anti-rakyat seperti penswastaan berat sebelah, ketirisan wang keluar negara sebanyak RM1 trilion, kegagalan implementasi DEB, korupsi di peringkat tertinggi dan monopoli perniagaan?

Siapa sangka pihak berkuasa terpaksa mengaku apa yang sekian lama disebutkan oleh Pakatan Rakyat bahawa takrif pendapatan isi rumah miskin yang digunakan BN, iaitu RM800 sebulan terlalu rendah dan salah?

Siapa sangka ‘Tawaran Jingga’ yang berpaksikan empat tawaran utama bagi ‘Bersihkan Malaysia’ – Pelaksanaan Federalisme Tulen untuk kembalikan kuasa dan hak kepada semua negeri, Reformasi Felda demi kesejahteraan peneroka, Memperkasakan Perkhidmatan Awam sebagai penggerak pembangunan negara dan Polisi Anti-Monopoli untuk kurangkan kos sara hidup rakyat akan menggegarkan Putrajaya?

Siapa sangka susulan 9 Januari 2012 bawa kepada rayuan Peguam Negara untuk mengetepikan penghakiman yang mendapati Anwar tidak bersalah dalam kes Fitnah 2 diteruskan – manakala rayuan melibatkan Razak Baginda dalam perbicaraan pembunuhan Altantuya tidak dibuat – hanya membuktikan laungan awal oleh perdana menteri tentang kebebasan institusi kehakiman tidak benar?

Siapa sangka di negeri lahirnya Umno yang dikatakan parti nasionalis beradab dan beradat telah berlaku peristiwa baling batu rosakkan kereta ketua pembangkang hanya meyakinkan kita memang benar budaya ‘baling batu sorok tangan’ adalah teras perwatakan Umno yang semakin berasa terancam dengan tuntutan reformasi rakyat?

Siapa sangka dua pemimpin parti MCA dan DAP berbahasa Tionghoa berani berdebat secara langsung di kaca TV, sebaliknya seorang pemimpin parti Melayu terbesar yang pernah berucap tidak pernah ‘gentar’ dengan sesiapa pula mengelak berdebat dengan ketua pembangkang?

Siapa sangka tawaran alternatif Pakatan Rakyat kepada rakyat yang menduduki flat kos rendah diberikan pilihan melalui skim Pembiayaan dua peratus seperti NFC atau konsep Sewa Hingga Milik Tanpa Faedah berbanding tawaran kerajaan dengan pinjaman dari sumber KWSP dengan kadar 6.5 peratus langsung tidak diendahkan oleh menteri?

Siapa sangka Pakatan Rakyat yang sudah teruji dengan liku-liku perjuangannya, sudah membuktikan kemampuan merangka dasar dan dengan izin Maha Esa, sudah bersedia memerintah di Kerajaan Pusat jika dipilih rakyat, akan diberikan laluan mudah oleh Umno?

Jadi, janganlah kita putus harap, terus istiqamah bersih nama Malaysia dan bebaskan minda serta jiwa kerana apa yang kehidupan dan politik ajar kita adalah – semua itu mungkin walaupun ‘un-sangka-rable’.

Yes, there are things that have happened beyond our thoughts at certain point of time. Be it planned or unplanned, things have, are, and will happen as a cause or effect from even a single small action.

For example, who would ever thought that near to be a Prime Minister, now still running and attempting to be one? Who would ever thought, like a father-son relationship once, now gone as if it never happens. Just watch this.. if one can remember…

I’ve been wondering, IF DS Anwar is the current Prime Minister after taking office from Tun Mahathir as UMNO President, will he face sodomy allegations? Who will chant “Al-Juburi” if DS Anwar still with UMNO and Barisan Nasional? Will PKR and Pakatan Rakyat ever exist IF DS Anwar is the Prime Minister after Tun Dr Mahathir?… Un-sangka-rable…

Back to the article written, what have been pointed out by YB Nurul Izzah can be interesting as a point of view. Being a Pakatan Rakyat member, what have been pointed out sounded and make look like it is the work of Pakatan Rakyat, not the people / rakyat that caused some of the changes, and as if Barisan Nasional has never taken any action to make things better.

Taking consideration of how people usually react nowadays, it is more difficult to tell what Barisan Nasional has done well, without being telling it out loud. Who have thought, that Barisan Nasional is now in a position that to tell is wrong, and not to tell is also wrong?

Who have thought, doing good is now not considered as job well done, but is an expected job to be done and considered as responsibilities? And pretty much, I am not saying in political point of view, but our lifestyle, our actions in day to day living and breathing.

For an instance, when a traffic jam occurs, those who are trapped may not appreciate the police traffic on duty trying to make things smooth from all directions, under impression – “hey, it is your job. Not us to appreciate it”. However, non-appearance during those time will make PDRM not doing their job. Appreciation? Zero.

Another example is, your task and job done in the office. I am pretty sure that during year end, and while doing appraisal, most of us will try to list down all the good job done, and feeling deserved to be appreciated, promoted and getting big bonus. I bet, not many have the guts to list down and admit own weaknesses in the appraisal, and will fight tooth and nail to show it is not their fault for any short comings. When all is done, many will feel unsatisfied and unjustified for the reward they get. But hey, taking the same approach, you have been paid to do things, and you should be thanking you are not out your job for the mistakes done. You are expected to deliver for each single penny paid to you. Un-sangka-rable?

Last example that I can think of for now is… your task as parent to your child, or responsibilities to your parents. How do you handle and expect in return? How “un-sangka-rable” that some of us are being so selfish and ignorant of own responsibilities as oneself, husband/wife, father/mother, children? From being a parent point of view, have you ever think that children/youngsters nowadays can say in your face that you failed to educate them well when you try to make things right? Un-sangka-rable?

Most things happen for some reason, that only God knows why. It may be the most “un-sangka-rable” thing that can happen (like who ever wonder few years back that some of us so damn attached to  facebook and twitter, as if without it you are weirdo), part of the causes for things to happen is our own self.

So, if un-sangka-rable things happening in front of your eye, especially chaotic times.. look and ask yourself.. what have you done in order to make things “sangka-rable” and avoid the bad “un-sangka-rable”?

Question on the street: How “un-sangka-rable” you can be?