The Independent Insight

Giving truth a voice

Mao: From librarian to Chairman of Communist China

By 3 Comments

 

This small book which tries to tell a story about one huge world leader, really helps readers in a sense that you can understand a huge subject with fewer pages. Of course, it needs simplification, and also selection, in order to achieve this goal. A layman about the subject, I find the book helpful in my journey as readers. As I get to understand the subject in a less painful way (you need to sip through a few thick tomes to understand it as a whole).

I find Mao life story, struggle, family life, as interesting, strange, and often paradoxical in many cases. Born in 1893 at Hunan, he moved from being a librarian to the chairman of communist China. In the early life, Spence collected the habit of Mao, particularly his love for reading. Early in Changsha, Mao read rigorously in a library founded by late Qing’s reformist. He had a great interest in world geography and history. One of this early teacher was Yang Changji (Mao married to his daughter later in his life), which reiterate the importance of exercise. Mao absorbs this idea and would regularly go hiking with his friend and swim in the Xiang River.

Mao also active in organizing student association to go on strike against Zhang Jingyao, famously known as General Zhang, a military governor in Hunan. Mao also loves poetry, one of his beautiful poem written to his wife, Yang Kaihui in 1923:

I’m begging you to sever these tangled ties of emotion.

I myself would like to be a rootless wanderer.

And have nothing more to do with lovers’ whispers.

 

The poem was written by Mao as he left Yang Kaihui and their newborn child for National Guomindang Congress. The ties with Guomindang in a United Front later shattered, during this time Mao utter a mistake in party leadership, which neglected military affairs. He said that Chiang Kai-shek (his arc enemy) was right by raising in power with a gun in his hand. He then famously said, “We must know that political power is obtained from the barrel of the gun!”. This development later evolved into a civil war.

Guomindang latter suffered a great lost against Japanese invasion. The ‘rape of Nanjing’ by Japan in 1937 brought a literal end to their power and finally retreated deep inland to Chongqing. Japan then suffered two atomic bombs and later surrender. The communist with the help from Russia quickly taking over, and in 1949 Mao announce the formation of the People’s Republic of China at Great Tiananmen gate south of the Forbidden City.

The book also recalled Mao conversation with Stalin. On how propaganda is the main apparatus to achieve any goal. Stalin advised Mao to send propaganda team to Taiwan to foment an insurrection (Chiang Kai-shek has now retreated to Taiwan). On the final pages, Spence draws readers attention on how Mao grows into isolation and detached from realities. This caused a disastrous policy forced through the masses. Spence also noted that Mao rarely helps or promoted his family member to power. During the Cultural Revolution, Mao purged his dissenter such as Peng Dehuai causing further chaos and violence. He has several heart attacks and died in 1976.

This article is a book review of “Mao” written by Jonathan Spence. Published by Phoenix in 2000. Picture credit: Britannica.

Kenapa asyik cakap tentang kelemahan pembangkang? Takut berubah ke?

By 1 Comment

 
Post ini tidak bertujuan untuk meraih undi untuk mana-mana parti. Terpulanglah kepada setiap individu menggunakan akal dengan sihat bagi menilai dan membuat keputusan bagi menentukan hala tuju politik 5 tahun akan datang. Sekiranya mahu kerajaan baru boleh undi pembangkang, sekiranya selesa dengan kerajaan sedia ada boleh beri undi pada kerajaan (sekarang kerajaan sementara kerana parlimen sudah di bubarkan).
 
Apa pun pilihan anda kita kena berlaku adil. Yang salah tetap salah dan tidak boleh di sorok, agar kita faham siapa yang kita pilih. Agar kita boleh letakkan harapan yang realistik. Sekarang, di kehangatan pilihan raya yang bakal tiba, ternampak semula ulang tayang kononnya warga Bangladesh di import bagi mengundi kerajaan.
 
 
Satu laporan tribunal rakyat bertarikh 25 Mac 2014 telah menyimpulkan bahawa perkara ini hanya spekulasi dan tiada bukti yang jelas.
 
“Some of the evidence about “foreigners” voting was somewhat speculative (people who “appeared” to be foreign), which would not satisfy burdens of proof required in a court, and it is hard to draw any firm conclusion about this.”
(Findings, Point 7, page. 58) Boleh download dan baca.
 
Laporan tribunal ini bukan diterbitkan kerajaan, tetapi oleh NGO Bersih. Perkataan ‘Bangladesh’ hanya disebut 1 kali sahaja pada laporan tersebut pada mukasurat 72.
 
Seperti biasa selepas itu pembangkang menafikan mereka pernah menuduh dan melakukan u-turn. Tetapi dari Mei 2013 hinggalah perkara ini di sahkan tidak benar menurut laporan pada Mac 2014, hampir 1 tahun persepsi dibina bahawa pilihan raya ini kotor. Dan walaupun fakta itu sudah terbukti salah, persepsi dan sentimen itu kekal. Kemarahan yang dibina itu berterusan menjadi modal.
 
 
 
Mungkin bagi sesetengah orang akan berkata “apa ini ungkit-ungkit kisah lama, please move on”. Kelakar apabila calon perdana menteri pun di kitar semula. Move on? Jika benar nak berubah, berilah perubahan yang sebenar kepada rakyat. Jujur dalam berpolitik, bukan guna taktik fitnah dahulu, kalah saman kemudian.
 
Taktik fitnah dahulu minta maaf kemudian ini mungkin sebab DAP mengkritik PAS yang menyokong akta anti berita palsu. Lim Guan Eng sebut “Adakah PAS parti pembangkang atau pemerintah, ini berikan gambaran macam PAS sebahagian daripada BN.”
Kenapa nak takut kalau tak sebar berita palsu? Ini negara demokrasi, PAS boleh beri sokongan jika akta itu di rasakan baik, PAS dipilih oleh rakyat dan mewakili rakyat. PAS bukan mewakili DAP.
 
Apa pun keputusan pilihanraya nanti, di harap kita dapat menerima nya dengan waras. Selamat berkempen sehingga 9 Mei. Semoga selepas itu kita kembali bersama bermuafakat membangunkan negara tercinta ini, siapa pun yang memerintah.
 
Ini kali lah!

Senarai hujah-hujah politik yang kelakar

By Leave a Comment

 

1. Jangan di ulang-ulang sejarah lama. Kita perlu pandang ke hadapan.

2. Kalau Anwar pun boleh maafkan, kenapa kita tak boleh.

3. Kita perlu pilih syaitan kecil berbanding syaitan besar.

4. Apa-apa pun kita kena jatuhkan rejim sedia ada, ini saja cara nak suburkan demokrasi.

5. Dia dah bertaubat, biarlah dia betulkan kesilapannya yang lalu.

6. Kita letak dia di situ supaya kita boleh dapat undi Melayu luar bandar. Tapi kami tak amalkan politik perkauman.

7. Kita nak lawan kezaliman sedia ada, bukan kezaliman lampau.

8. Saya intelektual dan tak setuju politik perkauman. Tapi bila terjun dalam bidang politik kita kena realistik. Jadi saya sertai parti berasaskan kaum.

9. SPR ini kotor dan tidak adil. Maka saya akan letak jawatan dalam NGO dan bertanding dalam PRU anjuran SPR.

10. Kita nak cadangkan jawatan tertinggi di hadkan hanya 2 penggal, tapi MB negeri kami dikecualikan.

11. Walaupun eksport dan GDP kita meningkat, negara kita akan bangkrap.

12. Pelaburan dan pinjaman dari China tanda pelabur asing percaya pada kebolehan ekonomi negeri kita. Kita akan batalkan projek pelaburan China jika berjaya jadi kerajaan.

13. Kita nak galakkan rakyat keluar mengundi, jadi kita akan buat undian di hari Rabu, ditengah minggu bekerja.

14. Kita percaya dalam sistem demokrasi semua orang ada hak untuk menyuarakan pendapat dan bertanding. Tapi parti-parti lain ni pengacau dan memecahkan undi.

15. Tengok Singapura, maju. Walaupun bayar pelbagai cukai dan bayar GST tetapi gaji mereka tinggi. Kita akan tingkatkan gaji dan mansuhkan GST.

16. Presiden parti Islam ni selalu ponteng persidangan berdasarkan laporan media online, tapi saya pun tak pasti sama ada presiden parti lain hadir dengan kehadiran 100% atau tidak.

17. Lihat pemimpin mereka disiasat SPRM, ini tandanya parti mereka korup. Siasatan SPRM terhadap pemimpin kami bermotifkan politik, akta SPRM bertentangan dengan perlembagaan.

18. Hanya parti kita yang bawa Islam sebenar, sokong parti lain berdosa.

Love story, Naxalite struggle and state corruption

By 4 Comments

 

“When Faith Turned Red” is the translation of the Hindi novel, Ujale ki Talash written by Sharad Pagare. Published by Rupa Publications India in 2011. The novel which was based on South India told a story about prostitution in the name of religion, Naxalite revolution and widespread state corruption.

In the background introduction, Pagare highlighted the mistake made by Pt Jawahalal Nehru, who was a supporter of British Fabian Socialism. Pagare argued that unlike European countries which already modernized and industrialized, India is still an agrarian nation with population deprived of education. He criticized the effort to embraced western-style socio-political system in poor and uneducated India. This step he believes only served corrupt politician and business class, while general population remain poor and caught in the middle of flawed democracy.

Pagare also created a character such as Prof. Venkatesh who struggle to climb the social ladder. From poor ordinary boy to a professorial career in the university. He conveys a message on how, one should always struggle to make life better, silencing critic not by fighting, but by working very hard and let the hard work and success speak for themselves.

The novel tells a story of how Surendran and Latika, who were born in rich families with high social status, came to understand the meaningless life they were living. They came to contact with Naxalite comrades and saw, how these poor people with no food or cloth fighting for the betterment of their community. The Naxalite gave them meaning, and a cause to pursue. They explain that life has a higher meaning, not just for food, drinks, and sexual pleasure, but a fight to end corruption and alleviate the poor and the oppressed. They even willing to give their life for the struggle. Bhushnam, the Naxalite leader said “Remember one thing, instead of living a long meaningless life, it is better to lead a life for the oppressed, exploited and crushed people even if it’s short. I think it is more meaningful and virtuous.”

Bhushnam character is one of the most interesting. Bhushnam, who went to the university, recruited the students to join their struggle. He is depicted as knowledgeable in Marxist and Leninist ideology. But Bhushnam, did not recruit the student merely on a theoretical basis, he brought them deep into the forest, so they can see for themselves, feel for themselves, the life and suffering of the oppressed tribal people, the Adivasi.

The novel was filled with more plot twist, when Srini, a boy raised to become a priest, suddenly caught up in the middle of the Naxalite struggle. The poor people used to give their daughters to the temple to marry the goddess and became devadasi – girl dedicated to serving God in the temple. This tradition, however, was exploited by the priest and created a network of prostitution. Realizing this corruption, Srini began asking the divinity of the idol and oppression in the name of religion.

Overall, the novel gave some good exposure to readers who are not familiar with Indian culture. The novel was full of Hindi vocabulary on traditional clothing, cuisine, and local terminology. It plays with readers emotion as they dive into family conflicts, love, the struggle for social justice and the fight over state corruption.

Picture credit: The Guardian

 

Life as a Hibakusha

By Leave a Comment

World War II, after the explosion of the atom bomb in August 1945, Hiroshima, Japan. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images)

This article is a book review of Hiroshima written by John Hersey published by Penguin Modern Classic in 2001. The book was first published by New Yorker in August 1946.

The book started with the flashing light from the bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The book told the stories of the six survivors, what they are doing before the bomb fell, and where they are at the exact time the bomb went off. The first was Miss Toshiko Sasaki, a clerk. The second was Dr. Masakazu Fujii, a doctor who owns a private hospital. Third, Mrs. Hatsuyo Nakamura, a mother of three. Forth, Father Wilhelm Kleinsorge, a German priest. Fifth, Dr. Terufumi Sasaki, a young doctor. And the sixth, was Reverend Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a pastor.

Hersey vividly wrote about the devastation on the ground after US bomber dropped the world first atomic bomb. The clueless population beneath that immediately dead and slowly died. The burnt suffered by many of the resident, and how the survivors experience radiation sickness starting with vomiting and hair loss. After the war was over, Hersey described how the occupying force trying to conceal the information about the atomic bomb, despite the advancement of knowledge of the Japanese physicist.

The survivors of the atomic bomb were called “hibakusha” literally means ‘explosion-affected person’. Many of the hibakushas did not hold any agitation on the use of the nuclear bomb. It is widely accepted as unavoidable consequences of war. Many of them influenced by Buddhism which believed resignation leads to clear vision and a feeling of powerlessness against state authority. Over time, in the aftermath, they received Health Book which gave them free medical care. They also received monthly allowances from the state.

Hersey also wrote about reflection that Miss Sasaki had, she felt that too much focus was given to hibakusha (even though she was a hibakusha herself), whilst the root cause of the problem has not been addressed, which is the evil of war. The war that forced young American and Japanese to kill each other in a war that they did not understand. She later devoted her life to become a nun. Many hibakushas sustained Keloid scars after the bombing. Some left with an ugly face. Pastor Tanimoto later toured America to collect fund to build back his church and sponsored some girls a plastic surgery. Some were successful, but there are also some which ended with death.

The book overall was light and easy to understand. It gave a human detail behind the worlds first atomic military experiment. Hersey tells stories on how a normal human being later become a record in human history. A normal human being turned into hibakusha, and how their lives played out in the end. A collection of a human price that been paid for unnecessary war.

 

The Other Side of The Coin

By 2 Comments

This book is written by two authors, Ameen Misran and Aiman Azlan. It captures diverse topics ranging from mental health up to marriage. The book offers fresh thought from the perspective of two Malaysian youth, their take on a wide range of issues. The book was more like a collection of short articles, so its good for people who like micro-reading (read for 3-5 minutes).

I especially like the notion of treating women with respect, giving them flexibility and also the roles of the husband in sharing house chores. I think our culture still value women as domestic helpers, but the trend seems slowly open up especially for younger generations. This echoed what was written by Sheryl Sandberg in her phenomenal book ‘Lean In’, that if you want to encourage women to be more involved in the workforce, men should be more involved doing laundry and taking care of children.

The book also touches on how we should live in the present, stop and feel the winds, be more conscious of nature and of our surrounding. This is very true, quoting Eckhart Tolle mantra “Live in the Now, not in the future or the past”. Human minds are exceptionally complex, they create things which later perceived as reality, but its turn out it’s not. We always held by our past and worry about the future, the truth is, nothing much we can do about it, what we can do is what we can do now.

I also want to offer some criticism of the book. Some of the writing has a very poor reasoning, some of them sound like a regular religious sermon and offering nothing new, some sounds more like authors whining (especially the part about boredom).

Of course, it’s not fair to compare the book with others, as every book have their own uniqueness. Overall, it still packs with fresh thinking and advises which we can always ponder and reflect.

Correcting Trade Deficit in the Balance of Payment

By Leave a Comment

The balance of trade (BOT) is the difference between the value of country’s import and exports for a given time period. The balance of trade is a component of a country’s balance of payments (BOP), which is used by the economist to measure the strength of a country economy. A trade deficit occurs when a country import more than it exports, which is also known as the negative balance of trade.

One way of correcting trade deficit is by the devaluation of a home currency. This is an official lowering of the value of a country’s currency within a fixed exchange rate system. Low currency value will make export less expensive for foreign consumers. This will help foreign consumers to buy locally produced goods, which will help domestic business and encourage exports. It also will make it more expensive for the local consumer to buy foreign imported goods, which in turns will lower import. This measure will increase export and decrease import, which will finally reduce or eliminate the trade deficit.

Growth-friendly policies will also help decrease trade deficit. One of such policy is on taxation. By increasing import duty or tax, imported goods will become more expensive and less attractive to local consumers. They in turns will shift to locally produced products. Government policies such as tax incentives and exemption to local exporting industries will also help correct trade deficit. Tax incentives will also attract foreign companies to open their manufacturing plant in the home country and boost export.

Home country global competitiveness will also help reduced trade deficit by attracting more foreign business. Beside tax regime, competitiveness can be encouraged by supplying the industries with a skilled labor force. Global competitiveness can also be enhanced by upgrading local transportation infrastructure, increase local connectivity and mobility, which will support exporting industries. Efficient ports, well-connected railways, faster and high-end telecommunication infrastructure will all positively helps the home country to become more competitive.

To encourage export of goods, the home country also can introduce export subsidy, this can take many forms such as direct payments, cheap loans, and tax-relief exporter. Measure to reduce the cost of production also will encourage export, such measures include lowering cost of raw materials, cost of labor and also rental rates.

Adopting protectionism policy will further suppress import and help boost the local economy. This can be achieved by imposing a tariff on certain imported goods, which is a form of taxation. For example, the United States in 2002 imposed 30% tariff on a variety of imported steel products. Tariff, however, should be exercised with caution to avoid disputes and trade war.

Finally, a concerted national industrialization development programmes will increase foreign exchange earnings. This strategy can be done by shifting local industries to embrace modern industries. China is a very good example. China’s Open Door Policy in 1978 modernized China’s industry and turning it into ‘The World’s Factory’. Special Economic Zones (SEZ) were set up to attract capital and business which led to trade expansion.

#UndiRosak Tidak Haram Bahkan Rahmat

By Leave a Comment

 

 

Mufti Perlis, Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin ada menyebut:

“Agama tidak berpihak pada ustaz tidak berpihak pada mufti tidak berpihak pada parti tidak berpihak pada mazhab. Agama berasaskan Al-Qur’an dan Sunnah. Kalau orang bawah bangkit berdiri dia bagi hujah betul, sekali pun mufti, salah tetap salah” (1)

Di atas asas ini saya ingin berbeza pendapat dengan Fatwa Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan dalam Bayan Linnas Siri Ke-126 (2) berkenaan dengan hukum undi rosak. Saya hormati institusi mufti, dan merasakan dalam banyak perkara Mufti Wilayah banyak terkedepan membantu membina pendapat yang adil bagi ummat Islam di Malaysia. Namun, untuk isu ini, saya mohon berbeza pendapat.

Pertamanya berkenaan dengan undi bukan merupakan satu hak ia adalah tanggungjawab untuk melaksanakan perlembagaan dan undang-undang. Hujah ini agak pelik kerana ia bercanggah dengan kenyataan peguam yang kepakarannya adalah dalam perlembagaan. Peguam perlembagaan, Syahredzan Johan dalam kenyataannya kepada The Star (3) berkata undi rosak adalah sebahagian daripada proses demokrasi. Malah beliau menambah tiada undang-undang yang menghalangnya.

Kemudian fatwa tersebut berbincang berkenaan dengan kewajipan memilih pemerintah. Namun pendapat-pendapat yang dipilih dalam penghujahan hanya menyentuh hukum memilih pemerintah secara umum. Kita menerima pandangan ini, bahawa ia wajib. Namun, ia tidak membincangkan adakah hukum yang sama terpakai jika pemimpin yang hendak dipilih itu korup, kleptokrat, anti-Islam, atau bekas diktator. Adakah hukum yang sama terpakai? Beliau memetik fatwa Dr Yusuf al-Qaradhawi. Namun apa yang tidak disebut adalah Dr Yusuf al-Qaradhawi pernah mengharamkan pilihanraya ketika rakyat tidak diberi pilihan pemimpin yang baik. Beliau pernah mengeluarkan pendapat agar rakyat Mesir tidak keluar mengundi jika pilihannya hanyalah pemimpin yang menindas rakyat. (4)

Dr Rajab Abu Malih pensyarah di Universiti Insaniah pernah menyebut “Dalam isu politik syariah, tidak ada satu kaedah yang terbina atas ke’tsabit’an (hukum yang tiada perbezaan pendapat), tetapi berdasarkan maqasid atau maslahat”. Jadi dalam isu pengharaman undi rosak ini, ia tidaklah haram secara qat’ei tapi haram mengikut ijtihad mufti wilayah sahaja. Perbezaan pendapat adalah dibenarkan.

Dalam Al-Qur’an sendiri ada kisah-kisah seperti kisah Ashabul Kahfi (5), yang mana segolongan pemuda mengasingkan diri apabila mereka tidak mampu mengubah pemimpin yang zalim. Maka ketika rakyat tidak mempunyai pilihan yang baik, ruang untuk berkecuali perlulah dibuka, tidak wajar di haramkan. Dalam sejarah Islam juga, ketika berlaku fitnah dan kekeliruan di kalangan pemimpin semasa Perang Jamal dan Perang Siffin, ada dalam kalangan para sahabat yang berkecuali, tidak mahu menyokong mana-mana pihak seperti Abdullah ibn Umar dan Abdullah bin Abbas (6). Maka apakah mereka berdosa dan telah melakukan perkara yang haram kerana tidak menyokong mana-mana pemimpin? Semestinya tidak. Berkecuali adalah ruang yang diperuntukkan oleh Islam. Dalam beberapa situasi ia lebih sejahtera.

Apa yang menarik ialah apabila sistem yang melantik pemimpin-pemimpin yang bermasalah ini terancam. Semua organ propaganda di gembleng untuk memaksa rakyat menerima pilihan yang diberikan. Seolah-olah rakyat mempunyai pilihan. Kesemua parti, kecuali mungkin PSM, keluar membuat sidang media, mengeluarkan kenyataan untuk menyelamatkan sistem ini. Semua instrumen propaganda digunakan, baik media, NGO, pihak agama, agar rakyat terus memelihara sistem ini dan mengekalkan kuasa mereka. Dalam situasi rakyat tidak punyai pilihan, dipaksa memilih antara pilihan-pilihan yang intinya sama hanya bendera yang berbeza, maka untuk berkecuali, tidak mengundi atau membuat undi rosak bukanlah sesuatu yang haram bahkan ia rahmat.

 

Rujukan:

(1)  Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin. Bahaya guna Islam sebagai alat parti politik. 25 Julai 2017. Link

(2) Zulkifli bin Mohamad al-Bakri. Bayan Linnas Siri Ke-126 : Hukum merosakkan undi. 12 Febuari 2018. Link

(3) Spoiling votes part and parcel of democratic process, say lawyer. The Star, 24 Januari 2018. Link

(4) Influential cleric Qaradawi urges Egyptians to boycott elections. Reuters, 25 Mei 2014. Link

(5) Al-Qur’an. Surah Al-Kahfi: Ayat 10-29. Link

(6) Ustaz Fathul Bari Mat Jahya. Meluruskan sejarah pertelingkahan para sahabat: Perang Jamal & Perang Siffin (Bahagian 3). 2 April 2013 Link

Sabda Politik dan Apparatus Propaganda

By Leave a Comment

 

Milton Friedman adalah ahli ekonomi yang membantu membuka negara lain untuk menerima teori ekonomi open market, yang membolehkan syarikat Amerika masuk ke negara-negara lain. Antara aksiom Friedman dalam teori perubahan adalah keperluan kepada krisis atau ‘shock’. Hanya krisis, sama ada benar-benar terjadi ataupun hanya persepsi akan membawa perubahan dalam masyarakat.

Malaysia hampir mencapai tahap krisis yang boleh mengubah kerajaan dengan skandal korup 1MDB. Tetapi perubahan berjaya di elakkan, dan ramai yang kecewa. Antara sebab ia gagal adalah kepantasan kerajaan untuk mengawal persepsi, merombak kabinet dan mencantas sesiapa yang berupaya mencipta perubahan. Ia adalah antara applikasi teori asas klasik dalam mengekalkan kuasa seperti mana yang ditulis oleh Machiavelli dimana ‘rebellion’ perlu dikawal pada permulaan dan tidak boleh dibiarkan merebak.

Sebab kedua pada kira saya adalah kerana kegagalan pembangkang mencipta ‘persepsi’ dalam masyarakat bahawa ia adalah krisis. Skandal 1MDB sememangnya contoh salah urus yang memalukan, tetapi ia tidak mencapai tahap dimana ia menjadi krisis atau negara boleh bankrap. Ini adalah pendapat kebanyakan ahli ekonomi terhadap keadaan makro-ekonomi negara. Namun ekonomi Malaysia tidaklah sempurna, dari segi mikro-ekonomi, kita masih bermasalah. Sebab itu kita masih ada orang miskin, tak cukup makan, walaupun statistik GDP meningkat. Jadi retorik dan propaganda negara mahu bankrap sukar dipertahankan ketika keadaan makro-ekonomi sedang pesat dan berkembang. Yang patut diketengahkan dan di-propagandakan adalah mikro-ekonomi seperti pembahagian kekayaan.

Agenda propaganda pembangkang juga bermasalah dengan penamaan calon perdana menteri. Dari sudut pandang keberkesanan propaganda, ia adalah strategi yang tidak strategik. Pembangkang terpaksa berubah dari offensive kepada defensive, tenaga kerja yang sedikit terpaksa digunakan untuk mempertahankan diri daripada menerangkan pelan pemerintahan alternatif. Apparatus propaganda kerajaan yang lebih besar mudah menggunakan peluang ini.

Dalam usaha mempertahankan diri, pembangkang kini mempunyai lompong besar dalam usaha berhujah dengan logik intelektual dan rasional. Rata-rata diskusi dan ceramah cuba menafikan nilai sejarah. Dipujuk rakyat supaya tidak dikenang sejarah tetapi perlu pandang ke depan. Argumen ini sangat lemah kerana sejarah merupakan pengalaman kolektif masyarakat yang penting untuk membuat keputusan di masa hadapan. Howard Zinn dalam tulisannya mengibaratkan masyarakat yang tidak belajar dari sejarah ibarat bayi yang baru lahir, tidak mempunyai memori dan mudah ditipu.

Jika dahulu kita dengar hanya pihak kerajaan yang menggunakan penjawat agama sebagai alat untuk memberi cop halal kepada tindak tanduk mereka. Namun hari ini kita melihat kem pembangkang menggunakan sabda-sabda yang sama. Seorang ustaz dari pantai timur dilantik menjadi pegawai penerangan agama di sebuah negeri mula mengeluarkan sabda-sabda nya mengkritik parti Islam yang tidak secocok dengan kem mereka. Dahulu dituduh sebelah pihak menggunakan agama, kini mereka juga tiada bezanya. Menggunakan agama sebagai alat politik dan percaturan kuasa bukan lah perkara baru, ia adalah praktis dalam sejarah yang panjang. Kita membaca buku Graham E. Fuller bekas agent CIA yang menulis buku ‘A World Without Islam’, dimana beliau menganalisis bagaimana perang dan pergelutan politik tetap akan berlaku sekiranya agama dikeluarkan dari equation perebutan kuasa. Sebab itu tidak pelik jika sabda politik mengharamkan sesuatu hari ini dan menghalalkan nya semula esok.

Dikala kita berenang merentasi sabda politik dan propaganda ini, kita akhirnya sampai ke satu titik dimana kita dipaksa membuat pilihan. Ramai dikalangan rakyat yang termakan dengan apa yang disuap kepada mereka tidak kira dari kem mana sekalipun. Mereka akhirnya keliru dan berputus asa, mereka akhirnya menerima bahawa politik tetap politik dan kita perlu memilih mudharat yang lebih kecil. Kita tidak ada pilihan kecuali menjatuhkan rejim dan menaikkan rejim baru yang berwajah berbeza dengan isi yang sama.

Namun masih ada segelintir rakyat yang masih waras. Mereka faham bahawa politik bukanlah hanya tentang parti apa yang dipilih, politik bukan hanya bermakna pilihan raya, dan tanggungjawab rakyat bukan sekadar mengundi. Di kala minda mereka disuap dengan pelbagai propaganda dan sabda-sabda politik, mereka sedar bahawa tugas mereka di kala tiada pilihan yang benar-benar mampu membawa perubahan, bukan dengan menyerah kalah dan akur mengikut sistem. Tetapi meneruskan perjuangan panjang mendidik masyarakat, bahawa politik lebih dari sekadar individu-individu yang perlu kita berikan undi. Mereka percaya bahawa nafas baru masih ada, dan mereka enggan tunduk dan memberi undi. Biar apa pun kata-kata yang dihambur pada mereka, mereka terus kekal dalam keazaman meninggalkan propaganda politik lama.

The First Month of World War 1

By 2 Comments

This article is a review of Barbara W. Tuchman monumental book ‘The Guns of August’.

This book is an account of the first month of the World War 1 ( WW1) which was in August 1914. Barbara W. Tuchman was not an academician, but she was no stranger when it comes to world politics, her grandfather, Henry Morgenthau was Ambassador to Turkey during WW1. The book started with the funeral of Edward VII of England in 1910 which was a special occasion where many of Europe’s monarch convene peacefully before they went to war with each other.

The book was divided into 3 parts – plans, outbreak, and battle. The German’s plan was called The Schlieffen’n Plan the brainchild of Count Alfred Von Schlieffen. The plan from the start has been made clear, in case of war with France, Germany will violate Belgium’s neutrality. Schlieffen’s concentrate major German’s force toward France, only one-eighth of her force will hold her eastern front against Russia, as he calculated that Russia with its vastness and meager railroad will take 6 weeks to mobilize, by which France will already beaten and the army can be shifted east. Germany also believed that railways were key to war, the best military brain went to rail planning, Germany has mastered the art of logistics, which tuned to be very crucial and effective.

The French plan called Plan 17 centered on the doctrine of an offensive war, which was taught at the War College by General Ferdinand Foch. France has been weary of been defensive all the time. The plan was thought with the spirit of France to win the war, this spirit was called an ‘elan’. The doctrine however soon proven to be hard to sustain under heavy German’s shelling.

The Russian after a shameful defeat in the Russo-Japanese War began to reform its military. Corruption, weak leadership and clinging to obsolete theories, however, have hampered the reforms. Czar Nicholas was said to be uneducated in statecraft, instead, the real government was run by a class of bureaucrat called Tchinovniki, while the secret police dealt with the revolutionaries and guarded the monarch to stay in power.

The outbreak of the war came when Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir of Austria was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist on June 28. Austria with the backing of Germany declared war on Serbia and bombarded Belgrade. Prompted Russia to mobilize her army to defend her natural ally, Germany declared war on Russia. France having under obligation in a treaty with Russia began her mobilization to attack Germany, while the British, although were hesitant all the way, entered the war after Germany had violated Belgium’s neutrality.

Turkey which was crucial for Germans to ensure that their supply route through the narrow strait, hesitate to pick a side in the conflict. British betrayal, however, seizing 2 ships built in Britain that were already paid by the Turks pushed them to ally with Germany. Churchill was described in the book as “violently anti-Turk”. Eventually, Germans sold 2 of their battleships ‘Goeben’ and ‘Breslau’ to Turkey. German’s Admiral Souchon then used these ships now manned by the Turks to shell Odessa, Sevastopol, and Feodosia which caused Russia, Britain, and France declared war on Turkey.

The book ends with the battle of the Marne where the Germans were pushed back although it does not end the war that would continue for years. Overall the book dealt with the dilemma faced by the commanders and generals, how they made their decision and also the issue of strategy versus necessity.