The Ghosts Of May 13 Won T Lie Still


 



Pakatan Harapan prime minister-designate Anwar Ibrahim has come out with a nuanced statement on a topic that is roiling the political arena – Tommy Thomas's memoirs My Story: Justice in the Wilderness.
The PKR supremo deserves credit for weighing into the raging controversy with comments that are neither excoriation nor encomium - extremes that commenters thus far have generally preferred as reaction to the book.
Anwar has chosen to qualify his comments about Thomas's account of his life and tenure as attorney-general between June 2018 and February 2020, a narrative that conveys Thomas's views on the high voltage issues that have troubled our history for more than half a century.
While lamenting the book as a “tragedy of generalisations”, Anwar is against its banning – “Silencing voices has never done the work of progress,” he argues sensibly.
In perhaps his most significant utterance, Anwar says Thomas's claim that the evidence points to then deputy prime minister Abdul Razak Hussain's complicity in the May 13 riots is based on “conjectures” and “borders on a conspiracy theory.”
More darkly, Anwar describes this claim as an affront to the collective consciousness of Malaysians, particularly the Malay community, that holds and cherishes Razak’s memory.
This opinion is notable for reason of an episode that Tamrin Ghafar, son of onetime deputy prime minister Ghafar Baba, related early last decade about a meeting that a delegation of Umno Youth leaders, headed by Anwar and including Tamrin, obtained in 1984 with then foreign minister Ghazali Shafie.
According to Tamrin, whose recall of the episode was carried by portals including this one, the topic of the May 13 came up at the meeting.
Tamrin said that Ghazali, who was information minister during the time of the riots, told the Umno Youth delegation that the police had conducted a study of the riots after matters had simmered down.

Tamrin Ghafar, son of ex-deputy prime minister Ghafar Baba
According to Tamrin, Ghazali said the police inquiry found that the riots were not a spontaneous conflagration but were started by people keen to engineer a putsch against incumbent prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Tamrin's recall of the episode, publicly aired early last decade, versions of which constituted the nub of Tamrin's theory of the May 13 riots which he retailed to GE13 campaign crowds in Johor in April 2013, was not contested nor affirmed by Anwar who had headed the team that met with Ghazali.
This is quite strange because Tamrin has not recanted his version of the meeting.
Guilty of racism
Now Anwar has commented obliquely on the causal factors behind the riots by averring that Thomas's opinion that the troubles were a coup by Razak borders on a conspiracy theory.
Now is the time for Anwar to give his version of what Ghazali was supposed to have revealed at the meeting in 1984 with an Umno Youth delegation that he headed.
Also, the recordings made of conversations the late Abdullah Ahmad, an Umno politician and diplomat, had with Tunku Abdul Rahman between 1982 and '84, supposed to have been published in 1985, but held back because of the explosive nature of some of the Tunku's opinions, cries out for exposure.
It is believed that Abdullah was advised to hold back on the publication because it would hurt some individuals close to Razak and that it was best to let these individuals pass on first before releasing them in the public domain.
However, Abdullah, terminally ill with cancer by 2015, decided in December that year to publish an expurgated version of the conversations, which book was formally launched in April 2016.
At the launch of Conversations with Tunku Abdul Rahman: 1982-84, Abdullah said he had handed the entire recordings to the National Archives, presumably for release at some future point when the coast – as far as individual sensitivities were concerned – was clear.


Coming back to Anwar's other comments on Thomas's book, note must be taken of his comment that Thomas is being one-sided in attributing the racism that blights Malaysian politics as the responsibility of Malay leaders alone.
Anwar argues that leaders across the race spectrum in Malaysian politics have been guilty of racism, plainly and subliminally, in their public and private speech and bearing and that it is time to have a healthy conversation about this malady.
No better anecdotal evidence of its pervasiveness can be had than an episode that occurred at Harapan's first presidential council meeting to name its cabinet held shortly after its victory in GE14 on May 9, 2018.
A participant was asked by the meeting's chairperson to state the portfolio he preferred.
The respondent specified whereupon it drew this reaction from another participant: that he could not have the post because of his race.
It was a startling reaction but said all it needed to about the depths of the malady that afflicts the country.
Anwar Ibrahim is right to point to the pervasiveness of this bacillus but would he be candid enough to concede its extents reach close to home.


TERENCE NETTO has been a journalist for more than four decades. - Mkini

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.


Artikel ini hanyalah simpanan cache dari url asal penulis yang berkebarangkalian sudah terlalu lama atau sudah dibuang :

http://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-ghosts-of-may-13-wont-lie-still.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MalaysiansMustKnowTheTruth+%28Malaysians+Must

Kempen Promosi dan Iklan
Kami memerlukan jasa baik anda untuk menyokong kempen pengiklanan dalam website kami. Serba sedikit anda telah membantu kami untuk mengekalkan servis percuma aggregating ini kepada semua.

Anda juga boleh memberikan sumbangan anda kepada kami dengan menghubungi kami di sini
We Won T Pull Ntv7 Off The Air Or Change Ownership Says Media Prima

We Won T Pull Ntv7 Off The Air Or Change Ownership Says Media Prima

papar berkaitan - pada 17/2/2021 - jumlah : 225 hits
Media Prima Berhad has stressed that it will not be shutting down the ntv7 television channel or giving up its ownership to make way for incoming DidikTV KPM Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on news you need to know KUALA LUM...
The Wheels Are Creaking And May Come Off At Anytime

The Wheels Are Creaking And May Come Off At Anytime

papar berkaitan - pada 15/2/2021 - jumlah : 155 hits
Have our systems broken down Are our law enforcement apparatus being methodically dismantled Is there a class system in law and order implementation Has the cookie finally crumbled for Malaysians and its leaders These questions are repeated...
Don T Ban Tommy Thomas Book Get A Qc To Rebut The Book As Was Done With May Day For Justice

Don T Ban Tommy Thomas Book Get A Qc To Rebut The Book As Was Done With May Day For Justice

papar berkaitan - pada 8/2/2021 - jumlah : 248 hits
The police should not waste time investigating these reports based on conjecture and falsehood The police should insist that those making their police report produce the book as evidence that they have read the book and not acting as lackey...
The Backdoor Prime Minister Myth Shattered

The Backdoor Prime Minister Myth Shattered

papar berkaitan - pada 1/2/2021 - jumlah : 114 hits
So it was Mahathir and not Muhyiddin who is at fault And yet the Pakatan Harapan people are accusing Muhyiddin of stealing the government With this latest revelation by Tommy Thomas the truth is finally known And that truth is Muhyiddin is ...
The Paradox Of Orang

The Paradox Of Orang

papar berkaitan - pada 1/2/2021 - jumlah : 122 hits
27 April adalah tarikh akhir aku gunakan tagline Kerna Mu aku hidup bagi podcast description aku Kenapa kau tukar Mungkin sebab aku rasa ia macam hipokrit dan bukan personaliti yang aku bawak Aku rasa terbeban dengan imej yang dibawa Tuhan ...
Keep The Green Lane To Singapore Open Says Johor Mb

Keep The Green Lane To Singapore Open Says Johor Mb

papar berkaitan - pada 1/2/2021 - jumlah : 151 hits
Singapore has suspended a travel bubble scheme for three months JOHOR BAHRU The Johor state government has called for the travel bubble with Singapore to be kept open for the sake of industrial growth and investment in the state Singapore h...
Bintang Scrubs Sertai Remake Cheaper By The Dozen

Bintang Scrubs Sertai Remake Cheaper By The Dozen

papar berkaitan - pada 1/2/2021 - jumlah : 160 hits
Pelakon Zach Braff dilaporkan sertai Gabrielle Union dalam remake terbaru Disney Cheaper By the Dozen Braff akan memainkan peranan sebagai bapa kepada 12 anak dalam keluarga berbilang kaum Braff dikenali menerusi peranan utamanya dalam sitc...
The White Tiger Tunjuk Taring

The White Tiger Tunjuk Taring

papar berkaitan - pada 1/2/2021 - jumlah : 153 hits
Filem terbaharu arahan Ramin Bahrani The White Tiger hangat diperkatakan warga maya sehingga sohor kini dalam ruangan media sosial sejak dua minggu lalu The White Tiger yang dibintangi barisan pelakon hebat seperti Priyanka Chopra dan Adars...
Capitalism Kills The Cat

Capitalism Kills The Cat

papar berkaitan - pada 1/2/2021 - jumlah : 201 hits
My cats have been starving since the J T Express strike commotion this past few days I feel sorry for the seller whom I always buy cat food online from The seller never fails to ship out fast and delivery usually takes within one to two day...
Fungi Wechat Yang Ramai Tak Tahu

Ziana Zain Duta Rasmi Csa Academy

Di Masjid Muhammadiyah Nurul Yakin Paus Quran Dan Sains By Dr Hm Raki

Asan Lembu The Movie

Hospital Kuala Pilah

Potong Ikan Keluar Api

Ramadan Bazaars 2024 Exploring The Culinary Delights Of Selangor S Ramadan Bazaars

Saya Dan Rafizi Tiada Isu Peribadi Kata Puad



Koleksi 15 Lagu Hari Raya Terbaru Yang Meriahkan Aidilfitri 2024 Bakal Evergreen Bak Lagu Lama

6 Pantang Larang Penting Kalau Nak Selamat di Sekolah Asrama

Info Dan Sinopsis Filem 19 Puasa Playboys Of Plastik Hitam Astro First

Casimir Zeglen Paderi Yang Mencipta Jaket Kalis Peluru

Biodata Mohammad Rifdean Masdor Atlet Muay Thai Malaysia Yang Gegarkan One Championship Seangkatan Johan Ghazali Jojo


Pemain Newcastle Tonali Dituduh Melanggar Peraturan Pertaruhan Bahasa Inggeris

Akmal Sokong Mb Johor Tularkan Isu Kesesakan Tambak Johor

Tanding Solo Pilihan Akhir Jika Umno Mahu Kembali Tadbir Sabah Kata Penganalisis

Netizen Sebak Tengok Anak Lap Air Mata Bella Astillah Ayden Macam Dah Biasa Mesti Mak Dia Selalu Nangis

Maaflah Biarlah Benak Ubi Tapi Betul Hafidz Roshdi Pertahan Tindakan Tak Hadir Mahkamah Bidas Balik Teguran Shuhada

Packing Barang Kucing Kesayangan