Respect and Celebrate Differing Histories
As civil society organisations, we are extremely disturbed by the increasing racism and communal politics in the country with the recent harassment of a community based organisation, the Penang Arts Education Society (Arts-Ed).
The systematic intimidation and attack on Arts-Ed , whose sole purpose is to promote arts education, especially among Penang children and youths , have alarmed Penangites in particular as well as fellow Malaysians.
A number of us and our children have attended the arts and crafts exhibitions; enjoyed music, dance and dramatic performances; and appreciated the workshops and showcases that Arts-Ed has conducted over the past decade to make Penangites more aware of its cultural heritage and local history.
It is disturbing to note how Arts-Ed's recently published newsletter myBalikpulau has been politicised and used for racial-mongering by unscrupulous politicians and irresponsible NGOs.
MyBalikpulau is an oral history project that showcases the collective efforts of children and Arts-Ed facilitators who interviewed the elders in Balik Pulau, Penang and presented their version of the history of Balik Pulau and its residents in a most interesting manner.
Anyone who has read myBalikpulau would be impressed by the achievements of the team who must have worked hard to unearth such important historical facts about the local community. For us, this newsletter makes history come alive unlike most History text books.
We are therefore appalled that some politicians have stooped so low as to racialise a children's project into a political tool so as to cause divisions in our community.Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad had accused Arts Ed of deliberately twisting history and insulting the Malays in Penang. Worse, the issue was quickly politicised resulting in acrimonious exchanges, unnecessarily heightening ethnic tensions for many who had not even seen or read myBalikpulau.
In the heat of these exchanges, several NGOs have accused Arts-Ed of insulting Malays, and have since lodged 15 police reports against the organisation. The accusations range from the use of particular words to the appropriateness of the drawings in the newsletter.
From our viewpoint, these are minute details in a newsletter which is very inclusive and multiethnic in its overall content and presentation. myBalikpulau, should be regarded as a praiseworthy effort on the part of young people in Penang to recover Balik Pulau's historical and cultural heritage.
In this regard, it is disappointing that the Penang State government was more concerned about clarifying that it was the previous State government and even the federal Ministry of Tourism that had sponsored the project.
The systematic intimidation and attack on Arts-Ed , whose sole purpose is to promote arts education, especially among Penang children and youths , have alarmed Penangites in particular as well as fellow Malaysians.
A number of us and our children have attended the arts and crafts exhibitions; enjoyed music, dance and dramatic performances; and appreciated the workshops and showcases that Arts-Ed has conducted over the past decade to make Penangites more aware of its cultural heritage and local history.
It is disturbing to note how Arts-Ed's recently published newsletter myBalikpulau has been politicised and used for racial-mongering by unscrupulous politicians and irresponsible NGOs.
MyBalikpulau is an oral history project that showcases the collective efforts of children and Arts-Ed facilitators who interviewed the elders in Balik Pulau, Penang and presented their version of the history of Balik Pulau and its residents in a most interesting manner.
Anyone who has read myBalikpulau would be impressed by the achievements of the team who must have worked hard to unearth such important historical facts about the local community. For us, this newsletter makes history come alive unlike most History text books.
We are therefore appalled that some politicians have stooped so low as to racialise a children's project into a political tool so as to cause divisions in our community.Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad had accused Arts Ed of deliberately twisting history and insulting the Malays in Penang. Worse, the issue was quickly politicised resulting in acrimonious exchanges, unnecessarily heightening ethnic tensions for many who had not even seen or read myBalikpulau.
In the heat of these exchanges, several NGOs have accused Arts-Ed of insulting Malays, and have since lodged 15 police reports against the organisation. The accusations range from the use of particular words to the appropriateness of the drawings in the newsletter.
From our viewpoint, these are minute details in a newsletter which is very inclusive and multiethnic in its overall content and presentation. myBalikpulau, should be regarded as a praiseworthy effort on the part of young people in Penang to recover Balik Pulau's historical and cultural heritage.
In this regard, it is disappointing that the Penang State government was more concerned about clarifying that it was the previous State government and even the federal Ministry of Tourism that had sponsored the project.
It should have taken the time to read myBalikpulau and discover what a commendable and inclusive product it is and come to the defense of Penang's children and youths.
We regret that myBalikpulau has been politicised and appeal for the immediate halt of harassment of Arts-Ed. Leaders and politicians must be working towards promoting harmony and multi-ethnicity for all Malaysians instead of inciting racialised politics.
We regret that myBalikpulau has been politicised and appeal for the immediate halt of harassment of Arts-Ed. Leaders and politicians must be working towards promoting harmony and multi-ethnicity for all Malaysians instead of inciting racialised politics.
There must be respect for the civil society organisations who are doing their best to celebrate the diversity of our history and heritage through varying artistic expressions of histories.
The following are 32 civil society organisations and arts groups which have endorsed the above statement:Hormati dan Raikan Kepelbagaian Sejarah
Sebagai organisasi-organisasi masyarakat sivil, kami berasa sangat terganggu dengan politik racisme yang sedang meningkat baru-baru ini dengan berlakunya serangan yang bersifat perkauman tehadap sebuah pertubuhan komuniti, Persatuan Pendidikan Seni Pulau Pinang (Arts-Ed).
Penghinaan dan serangan terhadap Arts-Ed, sebuah pertubuhan yang mempromosikan pendidikan seni, khususnya kepada kanak-kanak dan belia, telah membimbangkan semua rakyat Malaysia khususnya rakyat Negeri Pulau Pinang.
Pameran kesenian dan kraftangan, menikmati muzik, tarian, dan persembahan drama, serta bengkel-bengkel yang dianjurkan oleh Arts-Ed untuk rakyat Negeri Pulau Pinang adalah bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kesedaran terhadap warisan budaya dan sejarah tempatan sejak tahun 1999 ini.
Risalah “myBalikpulau” yang diterbit oleh Arts-Ed telah dipolitikkan dan digunakan oleh ahli politik yang tidak prihatin dan organisasi-organisasi yang tidak bertanggungjawab. “myBalikpulau” adalah sebuah projek sejarah lisan yang memaparkan usaha kolektif daripada kanak-kanak yang telah mewawancara warga tua di Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang. Kanak-kanak muda ini telah membentangkan sejarah Balik Pulau versi mereka dengan cara yang lebih menarik. Sesiapa yang pernah membaca “myBalikpulau” akan berasa kagum dengan pencapaian kanak-kanak di mana mereka telah bekerja kuat untuk mendapatkan fakta-fakta sejarah yang penting tentang komuniti tempatan mereka. Bagi pihak kami, risalah ini telah menjadikan sejarah lebih menarik berbanding dengan buku teks sejarah.
Oleh itu, kami amat terkilan dengan tindakan beberapa ahli politik yang sanggup menggunakan projek anak-anak muda ini sebagai alat politik, serta bertujuan menimbulkan perbalahan dalam masyarakat kita. Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Pulau Betong Muhammad Farid Saad menuduh Arts-Ed sengaja memutarbelitkan sejarah dan menghina orang Melayu di Pulau Pinang. Lebih membimbangkan ialah tindakan-tindakan ini dengan cepatnya meningkatkan ketegangan etnik antara mereka yang belum pernah melihat atau membaca “myBalikpulau”.
Beberapa pertubuhan ekstremis telah menuduh Arts-Ed menghina Melayu, dan telah membuat 15 laporan polis terhadap organisasi tersebut. Tuduhan-tuduhan termasuk kesesuaian perkataan-perkataan yang telah digunapakai dalam gambar-gambar risalah tersebut. Pada pandangan kami, kesemua tuduhan tersebut hanyalah butiran-butiran kecil dalam isi kandungan risalah yang sememangnya menyeluruh dan mencerminkan masyarakat yang pelbagai etnik. “myBalikpulau” harus dianggap sebagai usaha terpuji bagi kanak-kanak dan belia untuk memulihkan sejarah dan budaya warisan Balik Pulau.
Mengenai perkara ini, kami amat kecewa terhadap Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang yang lebih cenderung untuk menjelaskan projek ini ditaja oleh bekas Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang dan Kementerian Pelancongan. Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang sepatutnya meluangkan masa membaca dan meneliti risalah “myBalikpulau” yang sememangnya satu produk menyeluruh yang patut dipuji serta turut mempertahankan anak-anak muda dan kanak-kanak Negeri Pulau Pinang.
Kami kesal “myBalikpulau” telah dipolitikkan dan ingin gangguan terhadap Arts-Ed dihentikan. Para pemimpin dan ahli politik seharusnya bekerja ke arah mempromosikan keharmonian dan multi-etnik untuk semua rakyat Malaysia dan bukan memainkan politik perkauman. Kita haruslah menghormati organisasi masyarakat sivil yang berusaha meraikan budaya warisan dan sejarah kita melalui pelbagai medium seni dalam pembentangan sejarah.
尊重与接受不同的历史呈献方式
针对最近槟城艺术教育协会(Arts-Ed)所受到的骚扰，我们身为公民组织，对日益猖獗的种族主义及种族政治深感不安。
槟城艺术教育协会(Arts-Ed)是一个以促进艺术教育为主的组织, 尤其是对槟城青少年及儿童 。 然而，近日该组织所受到的恐吓和骚扰，让槟州人民，甚至马来西亚大众敲响了警钟。
过去十年来，槟城艺术教育协会(Arts-Ed) 不停地在提升槟城人对文化古迹 和本地历 史 的了解和醒觉方面耕耘，其中更曾举办多场的艺术和手工艺品展览、音乐、舞蹈、戏剧表演、
工作坊等，吸引了不少儿童和各阶人士参与。
令人不安的是，槟城艺术教育协会(Arts-Ed)最近出版的《我的浮罗山背》刊物被某些寡廉鲜耻的政客和不负责任的非政府组织政治化并被利用为散播种族情绪的工具。事实上，《我的浮罗山背》仅仅是一个由儿童和槟城艺术教育协会(Arts-Ed)主持人透过向身边长辈收集口述历史的计划。也因为这样，这些儿童能够以更有趣的方式呈献浮罗山背和其居民的历史。相信有幸阅读《我的浮罗山背》的人士都会为这些儿童对当地社区的历史演变认真探讨和追究的精神感到动容。对我们而言，这样的刊物比死板板的历史教科书来得有生气多了！
对于某些政客竟然利用儿童的计划为政治工具，鼓吹仇外心里的手段，的确为我们投了一枚震撼炸弹。浮罗勿洞区州议员莫哈末法力指控槟城艺术教育协会 (Arts-Ed) 有意图地扭曲历史及侮辱槟州巫裔。这个指控迅速地被政治化和掀起激烈的舆论，造成种族紧张，进一步误导不曾翻阅《我的浮罗山背》的人士。
紧接着，几个极端的非政府组织同样指控槟城艺术教育协会(Arts-Ed)侮辱巫裔，更向警方 举报15宗相关警报。至于举报的内容，则从针对用词，插图方面着手。对我们而言，《我的浮罗山背》是一本具包容性和多元种族性的刊物, 因此大众更应该对儿童与青少年还原浮罗山背的历史及文化古迹上的努力表示赞扬。
另一方面，我们也对槟州政府急着澄清有关计划的赞助单位是前州政府以及旅游部的举动感到失望。槟州政府更应该花时间阅读有关刊物，发掘它值得赞许和包容性的地方，与我们一同捍卫槟州儿童与青少年的刊物。
我们为《我的浮罗山背》被政治化感到遗憾，并吁请马上停止对槟城艺术教育协会(Arts-Ed)的骚扰。身为领导者或政治工作者，应该塑造和谐与多元种族的社会，而不是炒作种族政治。请赋予以艺术呈献历史的公民社会组织该有的尊重。
Berikut adalah 32 organisasi-organisasi yang menyokong kenyataan di atas:
联署的32 个公民社会组织如下：
1. 528 Media Action Group2. Aliran
3. All Women's Action Society (AWAM)
4. Badan Warisan Malaysia
5. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia
6. Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI)
7. Civil Rights Committee of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (CRC-KLSCAH)
8. Coalition of Good Governance, Penang
9. Community Action Network (CAN)
10. Diskopi Penang
11. Friends of Penang Botanic Gardens Society
12. JERIT
13. Kumpulan Daya Tindakan Wanita Sabah (SAWO)
14. LLG Cultural Development Centre, Penang
15. Lost Generation Gallery
16. Ombak ombak ARTStudio
17. Penang Chinese Independent Schools' Education Society
18. Penang Heritage Trust
19. Persatuan Penduduk Taman Desa Baru
20. Persatuan Bahasa Tionghua USM
21. Persatuan Belia Graduan Pulau Pinang
22. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor (PSWS)
23. Pertubuhan Wartawan dan Jurugambar Akhbar Cina Pulau Pinang (Pewaju)
24. Project Connect
25. Reka Art Space
26. Sembang-Sembang
27. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)
28. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
29. Tanjong Bunga Residents' Association
30. Tenaganita
31. Women's Aid Organisation (WAO)
32. Women's Centre for Change (WCC), Penang
This statement came in as Letter to Editor in
MALAYSIAKINI on 9 March 2011
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/158165
