Dear Government,

I read the headlines this morning with an incredulous stare of disbelief. The entire nation is being driven nearer and nearer towards poverty, and you're talking about decreasing the entertainment allowance and the paid holidays of your ministers! You've got to be kidding, really.

Who pays for our holidays? And who sponsors our entertainment?

Eradicate all these entertainment allowances and paid holidays totally, then maybe you can keep the prices of petrol at an affordable rate for those of us who need petrol to actually get to work.

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Thinkativity :

I had a weird dream last night. I dreamed that Mahathir, our previous Prime Minister, was asked to leave Petronas. How strange is that?! I think this recent hike in the price of petrol must be taking its toll on me.

Posted by SK at 6:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Yup, it's up to RM2.70 now, I know, I know...

Were you busy behaving like a cheapo yesterday evening after receiving the SMS that petrol prices would be taking a hike at midnight? I know I'd have been behaving like one if it had not been for the fact that I was too exhausted after an entire day's appointments.

If you've been living beyond your financial budget, you're probably feeling suicidal now. If you've been living just right within your budget, you're probably over your budget now. The only people who wouldn't be feeling too much of a pinch in seasons like this would be those who've exercised the discipline of living way below their means.

I went to the petrol station this morning - where the cars were frantically queuing up last night - and found they were desserted. I paid RM100 to have my tank three quarters filled up. And I got back a freaking change of RM3! Three bucks!

I need a bicycle.

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Excerpt from the Star Online:

KUANTAN: Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob has given a tip on how one can climb up the political and corporate ladders - by apple polishing (bodek).

``If I did not `bodek' (apple polish), I would not be where I am now - a Mentri Besar.

Gosh.

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So the general election of Malaysia is over, and the Cabinet has been appointed.

There you have it, the people you have chosen now sit in the offices to which they have been appointed.

After this political tsunami, what's next? Tricia Yeoh, Director for Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS), expresses her hopeful observation that

...Malaysians are now pointed in the direction of democratisation, an equitable society, social justice, principled governance (over and above race-based politics), public accountability, and freedom of expression.

How may Christian individuals in Malaysia participate in this struggle?

What might be some appropriate theological responses to these issues confronting Malaysia?

What sort of spirituality can Malaysian Christians embrace in the light of these realitise?

Topic:
Blessings Amidst Blunders... A Contextual Liberation Theology for Malaysia

Resident Instructor:
Revd Dr Jojo Fung, SJ

Invited Speaker:
Sherman Kuek

Venue:
Sacred Heart Cathedral,
Taman Sri Tebrau,
Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Date/Time:
22 April (Tuesday) @ 8 pm

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Dear Friends,

Below is a commentary on the results of the 12th Malaysian General Elections which took place last month. This commentary is written by Tricia Yeoh on behalf of RoH Malaysia.

In several months' time, RoH Malaysia aims to publish a book consisting of various papers written by the members of our Team. This book will contain a fuller assessment of where we think Malaysia is now in her journey towards a mature society. Complementing this assessment will be our theological, pastoral, and spiritual responses towards these observed Malaysian realities.

For now, here's a foretaste...

Commentary on Malaysia’s 12th General Elections 2008
For Revolution of Hope (RoH Malaysia)

by Tricia Yeoh
April 2008

Tricia is currently the Director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies, at which she engages in national socio-economic issues through research, analysis and fostering policy dialogue. This covers a wide range of issues, dealing for example, with inter-faith dialogue and economic policies. Her work involves interacting closely with the country's socio-political environment. She hopes to work constructively toward a matured and united Malaysia, and envisions faith and vocation as one, as we seek common goals and platforms in the long-term nation-building process. She blogs on www.egalitaria.wordpress.com.

For those who have toiled many years fighting injustice in Malaysia, the results of the 12th General Election was considered vindication. Growing frustration with the administration led to what has been called a “political tsunami”, leading to the stronghold Barisan Nasional coalition losing its two-thirds majority at Parliament level. More shocking was its loss of four states, leaving the loose Opposition coalition to lead five State Governments in total, also unprecedented since Malaysia’s independence in 1957.

There were certainly a host of factors leading to this watershed event. Touted very much as an elections in which people exercised punishment votes, the percentage of popular vote for the coalition Government fell from 63% in 2004 to 51.2% in 2008, showing only slightly more than half of Malaysia’s voting population showing support for the present administration. These “push” variables have been charted out in analytic terms, listed in simple order as state corruption, inflation, displeasure with the New Economic Policy and its accompanying preferential policies for the Bumiputera community (made up of Malays and natives of the land) resulting in gross intra-ethnic socio economic disparity, issues of religious freedom, the economy, and the general perception of institutional and structural failures (the judiciary and police are two in particular).

One of the more significant “pull” factors was Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s ex-Deputy Prime Minister, who, after his recent release from seven-year imprisonment, went on massive rounds all across the country to rally for candidates in his party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat, originally formed on the premise of highlighting political injustice that was served him in 1998). Anwar’s ambition is to shoot for power, namely as head honcho of the state, and observers see these results as steadily laying the bricks in that very direction. The fact that the nation’s ex-Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed (arch enemy of Anwar), launched a series of strong criticism against the present Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi added fuel to the fire.

In a complexity of sorts, Malaysians had a plethora of issues and platforms to choose from, in voting against Barisan Nasional. All seemed to work in favour of the opposition, even if this was not considered a viable alternative. If one were not necessarily an Anwar supporter, one would weigh carefully the once-considered-wisdom of Dr Mahathir. If one were not necessarily an advocate for human rights and social justice, one would cite the dwindling economy as a reason to awaken the seemingly slackening Government. In either corner one turned, one was hit smack in the face with endless issues 360 degrees all around. The degrees and complexities to which each issue lent itself to the fabric of dissatisfaction remains to be explored. Some, for example, have argued that the Government’s last-minute decision to withdraw the use of indelible ink (earlier promised tooth and nail to enhance transparent election processes) was the straw that broke the camel’s back, proving the insincerity and potential fraudulence of the system.

As results streamed in steadily on a late Saturday night, into an early Sunday on March the 9th, Malaysians awoke to a new dawn. This new Malaysia was one characterised by an empowerment that although ironically belonged to the people, was also unrecognisable. For so long had frustrations simmered silently, until no longer could a storm in a teacup remain still. Despite initial hiccups, political instability within the opposition groups (PKR, DAP, PAS) and Government (UMNO, MCA, MIC, and others), this momentous event marks a positive step for Malaysia’s democratisation process as a whole. People now acknowledge their role as participatory citizens in the future of the nation, the very element necessary in any democracy.

Perseverance and longsuffering take on a new meaning in light of this new Malaysia. Many strived towards achieving a goal, although this goal was nowhere near in sight. Underlying this was a belief, real or imagined, that someday their work would reap good fruit. Now, whether or not these results would have been harvested in one’s lifetime is irrelevant, since dedication to a cause (for social, economic and political justice) should not be influenced by one’s belief in its ease of attainment. No, many should (and would) have continued working anyway, in creating a better society, whether or not the Elections resulted in opposition obtaining zero or 82 Parliamentary seats.

The point is, sweet victory was tasted and it is a welcome reminder that little “kingdoms on earth” can be exemplified right here, right now. Why the results of the Elections are considered a victory is not because Barisan Nasional lost numerous seats, nor was it because the Opposition control five out of 13 state Governments, a fivefold achievement. It is because Malaysians are now pointed in the direction of democratisation, an equitable society, social justice, principled governance (over and above race-based politics), public accountability, and freedom of expression. For all political parties to recognise this is a giant step for the country. Now begins the actual work in putting rhetoric into practice. Malaysians are holding their breath, but they acknowledge this. That this outcome has been a blessing of the most extraordinary kind.

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The following is a brief analysis from Fr Jojo M. Fung, SJ:

The political tsunami has hit and hit hard, with Kedah, Kelantan, Perak, Selangor and Penang delivered to the oppositions by Malaysians who believe in a multiparty democracy where there is check and balance, leaving the incumbents defeated and dazed. All deserved what they sowed or not sowed. Malaysians have come of age in being more political astute and critical. The struggle for a pro-people democracy is worth it, and the struggle for greater democratic space and a violent-free society for ALL who live in Malaysia, migrants, refugees and citizens must continue in the next four years.

May all who love this nation be inspired by the words of the Asian Bishops: Instrumentum Laboris, no. 51 (Working Document before the 1999 Special Synod of Asia Bishops in Rome). The Asian bishops exhort:

The Church’s contribution to human promotion includes vocally denouncing injustices, supporting victims in their just causes, caring for the marginalized and suffering, joining together with all persons of good will who seek to build a more just and humane society, engaging in the analysis of the given situation in order to arrive at the root causes of poverty and injustice, and faith reflection on pastoral action...

In Asian countries, the Church has been active in pro-democracy movements aimed at establishing participatory democracies and humane government, in monitoring elections, in working for legislation against graft and corruption, in efforts at reconciliation after communal clashes, and in establishing peace in regions torn by civil war.

While the Church in Asia strives to oppose forces which threaten the unity and well-being of the individual, she also works to encourage people to form a better society.

Posted by SK at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's ruling coalition on Saturday suffered its biggest electoral upset ever, losing control of four state governments and failing to win the crucial two-thirds majority in parliament.

It is Barisan Nasional (BN)'s worst performance in a general election since independence in 1957.

Click here to read more.

Anil Netto prays:

Almighty God/Allah, thank you for an amazing night. You are a God of Justice, Truth and Compassion. You love especially the poor, the meek, the marginalised and the overburdened. You want your people to be ruled with Justice and Peace. Thank you for taking us a major step further in this direction. Thank you for making all of us more aware of the importance of the struggle for Justice and Truth. Let your Justice flow like a mighty river in our land. Thank you, Lord. Amen/Amin.

Likewise, as a Christian, I can say "Amen" to that prayer.

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Here's something of crucial consideration for the upcoming elections.

The Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) has released three Policy Factsheets with relevant statistics and facts pertaining to various vital issues in aid of the rakyat's decision-making endeavour for the coming elections.

If you're a registered voter and desire to exercise a responsible say as to whom should be governing your nation, please have a look at the documents found here.

Posted by SK at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Some humour is too good to be dismissed. Check this one out:

While walking down the street one day a Malaysian Boleh Minister is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem.

We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the man.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven.

Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really, I have made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Yang Berhormat

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules," says St Peter. And with that, St Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course.

In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and dressed in the finest batik there is.

They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then indulge themselves on lobsters, caviar and the most expensive food there is.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St Peter is waiting for him.

"Now it' s time to visit heaven." So, 24 hours pass with the Yang Berhormat joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing.

They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and StPeter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The Yang Berhormat reflects for a minute, then he answers:

"Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I am better off in hell."

So St Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder.

"I don't understand," stammers the Yang Berhormat.

"Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time.

Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil looks at him, smiles and says,

"Yesterday we were campaigning."

"Today you voted."

Editor's Note: What?? It's a joke lah!

Posted by SK at 9:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

In the past one year, Christian leaders in Malaysia have been encouraging responsible citizenship by instructing Christians that they should vote. Voting is the responsible exercise of one’s right as a citizen, they say.

So here we are at the brink of the major elections. Of course no one knows when exactly the date will be. But how effective the exhortation of the Christian leaders to the Christians in the nation has been remains to be seen through the response of the grassroots Christians themselves at the election event.

Because the message has been so resoundingly transmitted again and again that “to be a responsible citizen is to vote at the election”, I’ve been pondering over this message very intensely. Something in me hasn’t quite vibed with this message as yet. And then I realised why:

When you cast a vote, you’re not just casting a vote to choose the people you think are to be the deserving leaders of the nation. Anyone who casts a vote actually casts a double vote. You are not just casting a vote for a particular leader, but you’re also casting a vote of confidence in the electoral process itself! It matters not who you vote for; just by turning up to vote is itself a reflection of your confidence in the electoral process. In this sense, your vote is a double vote.

Let’s face it, if we didn’t think that our votes actually mattered, we wouldn’t have shown up to vote, would we? And if you think that your vote actually matters, then it’s an indication of your confidence in the electoral process. The fact that you actually show up to vote means you’re placing your vote, not just for the leader you choose, but also a vote of confidence in the electoral process itself.

So here’s my question: what if being a responsible citizen may also mean casting a vote of non-confidence in the electoral process by not turning up to vote?

Posted by SK at 8:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

The following report (on the Merdeka 2007: A Revolution of Hope event held on 25 November 2007) is adapted and edited from Alwyn's weblog. Nobody does reports on events like he does. Thanks, Al! **hat tip**

It was a tiring Sunday afternoon. But Jojo, Sherman, Tricia, Veronica and Sivin gave the 34 of us folks more than a few things to ponder on at the first RoH public gathering, Merdeka 2007: A Revolution of Hope.

One theme which resounded strongly throughout was the reign of God as a world/other-redeeming project cum phenomenon which the church has unwittingly turned "on its head" into a post-world/self-focused endeavour.

According to Sivin, the church is the sign and instrument of the kingdom of God, i.e. the societal/communal expression and implementation of the fact that God so loved the world that He gave Himself for it.

When the world is the mission, as a methodological starting point, therefore, the world’s unchallenged diversity of contexts and disciplines must find its way into our theologising; hence, RoH’s emphasis on drawing upon the social sciences as dialogue partners with theology (the spiritual science?) The people’s disciplines is a key ingredient in constructing a theology for the people, with the people, by the people.

Sherman also made it clear that he did not believe there was any right or wrong way to do [this kind of] theological reflection. What he probably meant was that it wouldn’t help to limit theological reflection to only one absolute right way, as he did point out a wrong way: a theology without imagination (a fascinating area to look further into, surely).

God made and loved the world. We are called to impart true humanity to this world, fallen and craving to be all that it could have been. This impartation is one done via listening, discerning, understanding, imagining, recognising and embracing all that God has already done in every culture and people-group.

For example, Sherman shared about his Muslim friend many years back who stopped his daily prayer to answer his mother’s call. When Sherman asked why he did that, the reply was that his faith taught that heaven was at the mother's feet (syurga di telapak kaki ibu), an eye-opening albeit not uncontroversial Hadith. The point is that God has not left Himself without witness (Acts 14:17), not least in traditional folk wisdom and religion, and the act of discernment must learn to reap such glorious - if quiet - nuggets of His truth.

To use an awkward but obvious analogy, God has lazed the targets - are we locking on? A people’s theology is a contextual theology done from the ground up, beginning with experience, using all available resources by and/or with those who’s sweat and tears have fallen on it.

Perhaps this is the intellectual component of a willingness to suffer for a particular community. And presumably only a suffering theology can be a prophetic one?

Where there are people, there is politics. Sunday’s session had a huge plus-point over against the recent one in October (note: not RoH), where one (and unfortunately only one) message was clear i.e. that Christians should get involved. Tricia supplied the how. Her helpful clarification of the issues in Malaysian socio-politics served to more clearly conceptualise the players, the problems and the possible steps we could take (including the nurture of an active civil society - surely we’ll be hearing more in days to come).

It’s worth repeating Tricia’s remarks that, in response to the political situation:

* only a tenth of Malaysians would opt to march and protest;
* another third would leave the country; and
* the remaining 60% would do nothing, content in the bosom of government.

These rough statistics belie the goal of keeping government in fear of the people instead of vice-versa. I wonder, though, about people who are far from feeling content at their life’s lot, but can neither raise their fist against the country nor flee it . They can only hope.

Which brings us to what must be a RoH distinctive (over against other theologically reflective movements in Malaysia): a heart for the marginalised and voiceless communities, the poorest of the poor. I reckon no ROH session would be (or should be) complete without some light shed on the status of these people.

A sample of their stories was brought out by Veronica, whose jouney from rags-to-riches to enriching-the-ragged, was the sober highlight of the afternoon: women in their 50s’ protecting grandchildren from their abusive parents; 14-year-olds heading their parentless families; boys seeking out abandoned objects for sale; women etching out a living in the midst of mother- and widow-hood. Veronica herself lived through a time and place of bread lines and poverty which included low-rent accomodation in a haunted house.

According to Jojo, these are telltale signs that Malaysians and the church have largely abandoned the social contract. By this he meant more or less two things, in the context of Malaysia:

1. We must ensure that all people-groups in the country are afforded equal access to the basic necessities of life and the means of improving life, i.e. education, technology, etc.

2. We must uphold the sacredness of the Federal Constitution.

And why must we? Because, to put a covenantal spin on the whole thing, this is God’s arrangement for our country.

A people’s theology is a covenantal theology, one which calls us to be faithful to the deal we have been graciously given or the story we’re part of. This (Gospel) story, when told and lived and shared, is the vehicle of God’s restoration of our personhood.

Embodying change and sharing God’s tender and aggressively compassionate life is a crucial step in changing mindsets - this is the trumpet call of RoH, which seeks to help people realise their true humanity. For isn’t the virtue which never dies also the same one which always guards the needs of others? (1 Cor. 13:7-8)

A people’s theology is also a protective theology of the watchful love of God.

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Alwyn is wise to foresee questions regarding RoH, which he advanced through email.

I've attempted to reply these questions, although my reply is not officially representative of the RoH Team's position. Given the ethos of these beautiful people with me on the team, however, I'm quite sure they'd be rather happy with my approach in tackling these answers. So here's my reply:

1. What sets RoH apart from, say, Friends In Conversation/Emergent and Agora?

Agora is a local church-based effort to engage society from a rather explicitly Reformed perspective. It is an admirable effort although thoroughly Western and unapologetically Evangelical in its approach (but they certainly believe in apologetics, haha).

Friends in Conversation was exactly what it spells - a conversation - as is Emergent. And out of that conversation was birthed a shared dream by a small group of thinkers to rise beyond Western categories in its response towards societal realities in Malaysia.

One main difference between Agora's approach and RoH's approach is the language used. I think Agora would be quite happy to rest with high-sounding theological language, whereas ROH will represent an express effort to articulate in the language of the people.

Also, Agora uses already pre-established Western theological categories in responding to societal realities, whereas RoH seeks to not do that.

Finally, Agora has, in a way engaged much of the social-scientific arena; but RoH is attempting to do that much more seriously by engaging the wisdom of sisters like Tricia, Veron, and Rachel in our theological interactions.

By the way, may I add, it's of no coincidence that they are sisters, not brothers - the demographics of the team has been very carefully configured.

2. What is your doctrinal statement (if any)?

There is no necessity for a doctrinal statement in this effort, because we are constructing theologies as Malaysian Christians, not Protestant or Roman Catholic (which are in themselves Western realities).

The one thing that has brought us together and which holds us together is our being Malaysian and Christian. As Malaysian Christians, there must be things we can articulate in common without splitting hairs on our Western historical realities and their resulting positions.

But this does not mean we are planning to evade all the differences we may have. RoH represents an ecumenical effort. In an ecumenical effort, there is an implicit understanding that no single individual is expected to compromise his doctrinal positions as we all enter into an effort in a spirit of dialogue. But yet, there is also an implicit understanding of humility in our dialogue, which means that our position is open to constructive challenge and positive shifts.

One most crucial attitude in this effort is that of listening to the other with open hearts before we respond with discontention towards anything we're unfamiliar with.

3. What is your view of the differences between Protestants and Roman Catholics?

We have vast differences. But far more similarities than differences.

Within the Great Tradition, there is a common stream, a very broad stream, that runs throughout Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. That alone provides us with ample space to move together in like-heartedness and single-mindedness in this effort.

The issues of the papacy or the veneration of the saints are too far removed from the realities of Malaysian society for us to even want to discuss at this point of time. Issues like Islam Hadhari, the Federal Constitution as opposed to Syariah Law, the poor and marginalised in our nation, children at risk, the Orang Asli, besides others, are things we hold closer to our hearts as Malaysian Christians.

Besides, we have Protestants (like me) who hold the Holy Father in higher regard than most Protestant bishops we know, and who are very happy to practise iconography (which includes something of the veneration of the saints).

What I'm saying is that we are Christians who are willing to cross over. Recently, Veron (one of the RoH Team members) kindly conceded to come over to [the seminary I teach in] to share what it means to her that she's Catholic and ecumenical in her faith. Something extremely beautiful was birthed from that conversation.

The spirit in which we are working together in RoH is rather idealistic, admittedly. We are trying to embody an eschatological oneness which probably has yet to truly exist in our various ecclesiastical contexts; but it is only because the Roh who is orchestrating this effort is the eschatological Spirit of God himself... and we're foolish enough to flow along.

Posted by SK at 7:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

This is the day. The 50th Anniversary of Malaysia marks the official launching of R.O.H, an effort recently inaugurated for the purpose of writing local theologies for the Malaysian context.

A MANIFESTO FOR A REVOLUTION OF HOPE (R.O.H)

Roh is a Malay word which means “spirit” and yet phonetically sounds like ruach, the Hebrew word for God’s Creative Spirit hovering over the world, and through the Incarnation is now in us, amongst us and through the Resurrection is all in all.

1. BACKGROUND
We live in a world that is being dominated by neo-liberal globalisation which has at the same time imperialised the rest of the world, including erasing national boundaries and local traditional cultures. Now, a timely moment has arisen (kairos) when the Kin-dom movement summons the emergence of a countercultural movement of believers in religion. This calls for Christian believers, especially intellectuals (in the sense of critical thinkers with professional and academic qualifications) to band together and think more concertedly within our Malaysian context so that we may imagine more globally while we act more locally. This comes in the light of the Asian understanding of knowledge and the local cultural wisdom of our people in Asia-Malaysia, not to mention the untold sufferings inflicted on the marginal communities in our midst (the many poor of the various religions and cultures).

To begin the ripple effect of a countercultural movement, a sizable group of Christian activists-strategists needs to come together on a platform that enables theological reflection (emergent contextual theologies). This is to encourage a critical interface between faith (religion) and society, fostering a rich interaction between theology and the social sciences with the clear goal of analysing pertinent issues affecting our nation/society. And thereafter, these thinkers need to articulate a theological response so that critical thinking Christians are guided (as a church emerging) in their lives. Such a theological response would have a societal impact on public policies, mindsets, worldviews and values of fellow Malaysians in their workplaces and neighbourhood.

Such critical analyses and theological responses must be “translatable” into effective and concrete efforts that command the attention of diverse stakeholders in our nation. “Stakeholders” here refers to the government with its multiple ministries and other agencies in civil society; so that together we move our nation forward in a manner that is Kin-dom-centred. This is aimed towards the greater good of all in Malaysia, especially the marginal communities.[1]

Such interdisciplinary, intercultural and inter-religious efforts can be seen as our cooperation with God in transforming our nation into the “playground” where Malaysia becomes a more harmonious society wherein all in Malaysia begin to live more and more as equal disciples and equal persons before God.

Ultimately, R.O.H’s hallmark is its sensitivity to the voice of the Spirit and its capacity to be the dynamism, the sap, the force within that sustains an emergent Malaysia. Out of R.O.H, there emerges too a host of theologies borne of a Gospel Faith that speaks together with the social sciences so that the Church emerging is seen and heard to be speaking into the joys and sorrows of fellow Malaysians and the wider society.

2. RESPONSE
a. Level-One Response (The Core Team)
The team devoted to this effort we call R.O.H comprises six people. Our primary goal in the configuration of this team is to reflect an adequate representation of both genders, both the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions, and both the social-scientific and theological disciplines in interaction with each other. We have come to participate in this effort propelled by various collective motivations and reasons:

• Integrating local spiritualities into our understanding;
• Learning from people working with real socio-political issues to feed into theology;
• Finding like-minded people to write together and form theologies together (writing theology can be a lonely journey);
• Tying in faith and life together;
• Translating words into action on the ground, ensuring people at the grassroots level are defended;
• Western-driven theology that has caused us to think about the need for an Asian-driven theology, a local contextual theology;
• Disillusionment with Western-centric theology;
• Growth into self-identity;
• Creating a tradition for the future generations.

The R.O.H Team consists of the following personnel:

Tricia Yeoh Su-Wern
BBusComm Econometrics and Marketing (Monash, Malaysia);
MSc in Research Methods in Psychology (Warwick, UK).

Tricia is currently Senior Research Analyst at the Centre for Public Policy Studies, at which she engages in national socio-economic issues through research, analysis and fostering policy dialogue. This covers a wide range of issues, dealing for example, with inter-faith dialogue and economic policies. Her work involves interacting closely with the country's socio-political environment. She hopes to work constructively toward a matured and united Malaysia, and envisions faith and vocation as one, as we seek common goals and platforms in the long-term nation-building process.

Veronica Anne Retnam
BSc in Resource Economics (UPM, Malaysia);
MEd in Educational Psychology (Cardiff, Wales).

Veronica started off with working with out-of-school youth and was then responsible for the formation of Catholic undergraduates in Malaysia. Then for nearly 18 years she was an economics lecturer at UiTM (previously Institut Technologi MARA). Her concerns are about reaching out effectively to poor communities and working with them in empowering partnerships. Her interest is also developmental psychology with a focus on research for policy change. She is currently starting off with training and development for low income communities through her own business enterprise.

Rachel Samuel
BSocSc in Development Studies (USM, Malaysia);
MSocSc in Development Studies (USM, Malaysia);
PhD candidate in Management (USM, Malaysia).

Rachel worked with the Consumers Association of Penang for three years on issues pertaining to the rural sector and health and safety issues. She took up the Bukit Merah people's case against the radioactive company and worked closely with them throughout the period of their legal struggle. She has also worked among drug dependents (women and HIV carriers) and been involved with the AIDS Hotline, the Community Clinic and the One Stop Crisis Centre. Rachel co-authored Women and Drugs, Domestic Violence in Penang, and Shame, Secrecy and Silence: A Study on Rape. She is currently involved with Women In Action in Melaka, Education and Research Association in Kuala Lumpur, the Melaka-Johor Office of Human Development, and the Counselling Ministry of the Melaka-Johor Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church.

Jojo M. Fung, SJ
MA in Theology (LST, Manila);
MA in Social Anthropology (London, UK);
STL (Berkeley);
Doctorate in Contextual Theology (CTU, Chicago).

The Reverend Father Jojo Fung is an ordained priest in the Society of Jesus, an order of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the Director of the Campus Ministry, the Orang Asli Ministry, and the Ministry of Eumenism and Interreligious Dialogue in the Diocese of Melaka-Johore. He is also the Coordinator of I.N.T.R.Asia and Co-editor of the Arrupe Papers. Father Jojo is a prolific writer on issues pertaining to the gospel as it relates to local contextual issues.

Sivin Kit
BTh (STM, Malaysia);
MTheo candidate (SEAGST).

The Reverend Sivin Kit is a minister of the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore (LCMS) and pastor of Bangsar Lutheran Church. Sivin is primarily concerned about ecclesiastical interactions with local social-political realities and desires to see the emergence of more contextual responses towards these realities. He brings with him a wealth of pastoral and missional perspectives in contribution to this conversation so as to ensure that our constructions are based on realistic observations.

Sherman Y.L. Kuek, OSL
BSc Management (Bradford, UK);
MDiv (Trinity, Singapore);
DTh candidate in Contextual Theology (Trinity, Singapore).

Sherman is an Adjunct Lecturer in Systematic and Contextual Theology at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia. His primary areas of interest are contextual theological methodologies and the recovery of the Great Tradition in the theological thought of the Christian community. It is therefore natural that Sherman also has a concern for ecumenics. He is presently completing his doctoral thesis on a theological critique of modernity in Asia.

The direction of the R.O.H. Team is guided by several individual Patrons who have kindly agreed to endorse our effort and be our guiding wisdom:

Revd Dr Hwa Yung
Bishop, Methodist Church of Malaysia

Among his various other involvements besides being Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia, Bishop Hwa Yung is the Honorary Secretary of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) and the Chairman of the STM Council. On the international scene Bishop Hwa Yung is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS), Oxford; the Vice-Chairman of the Asian Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (ALCWE); a member of the Executive Committee of the World Methodist Council and an Executive Committee Member of the International Association of Mission Studies (IAMS).

Rt Revd Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing, SJ
Roman Catholic Bishop of Melaka-Johor
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur

Besides having been the Bishop of the Melaka-Johor Diocese since May 2003, Bishop Paul is the Chairman of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) and the Vice-Chairman of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism & Taoism (MCCBCHST).

Revd Dr Simon Chan
Ernest Lau Professor of Systematic Theology,
Trinity Theological College Singapore

Dr Simon Chan is a renowned Asian theologian. He is the author of Liturgical Theology; Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life; Man and Sin; and Pentecostal Theology and the Christian Spiritual Tradition. He is also an ordained minister of the Assemblies of God in Singapore.

b. Level-Two Response (Friends)
The effort also seeks to be a platform for the coming together of other like-minded Christians in Malaysia to share in the dream together. It will simultaneously create a voice for other scattered Christians who in their individual capacities have begun to, or desire to, make a change in Malaysian society. This is akin to causing minute but significant ripples.

Therefore, the next layer of involvement in this R.O.H effort consists of others who may be equally interested in this initiative and committed to its cause. We seek to draw upon their experiences and resources, and will endeavour to receive their contributions seriously, through personal conversations, writings, and organised gatherings. Where appropriate, their concerns will find their way into our constructive efforts.

3. OUR COMMITMENTS
a. Our Commitment to the Neighbourology Principle
The neighbourology principle expresses the deepest motivation for our contextual engagements with the local contexts. It is important to begin with how we see people in our nation firstly as neighbours, and what this involves. Authentic love for the neighbour involves a “kin-dom” mentality (based on an idea of “kinship”, which is very consistent with the Asian paradigm of societal life).

Two crucial features of the neighbourology principle are:

• that we must ensure our ultimate goal is for the long term. Critiques although necessary will be driven purely for the sake of achieving desirable results for the nation in the long run. Loving the country necessitates honest criticism at times. And we critique the country because we believe she is worth critiquing.

  
  

• the objective of building bridges. This involves healing wounds between different races, religions and any other factors that have since divided the Malaysian society.
  

b. Our Linguistic Commitment to the Target Audience
While we intend for our audience to be largely urban and educated in nature, this necessitates an inclusivity of experiences from the bottom up, including the marginalised and grassroot communities. Formal English will be used but care will be given to ensure it is not necessarily academic or technical to ensure laymen comprehension.

Because the Malaysian church has a long way to be exposed to such local contextual theologies, we will be targeting the church primarily and only at a later stage speak to society at large. In other words, our primary concern relates to what it means to be “the church in the world”.

In regard to our use of language for the communication of our theological constructions, we will make it a point to employ the language of social scientists and other relevant disciplines in the midst of our theological articulations. This is to ensure that our articulations are not found dislocated from a proactive interaction with the language of other disciplines. Yet, our articulations should also reflect the language of the intended audience as afore described. Whilst social-scientific and theological jargon may be an inevitable, the employment of such jargon has to be unpacked and written in a manner understood by our readers.

c. Our Commitment to Holistic Reflections
We are not in favour of our articulations constituting knee-jerk reactions towards unexpected occurrences in the life of the nation. Much of the Christian community’s statements and positions on socio-political issues in Malaysia is reactionary in nature. These statements and positions are issued only upon an urgent need to do so, and are seldom undertaken with sufficient theological reflection given to the purpose. It is hoped that we will provide holistic reflections upon local Malaysian issues, as opposed to the mere knee-jerk reactions in response to perceived external threats.

d. Our Commitment to Basic Governing Principles
There are generally five key principles that the group considers essential in governing our local theological constructions:

• Socio-Political Context. This will include crucial issues which will be identified in our subsequent meetings to develop a proper contextual framework for our theological reflections. It is important that this framework must include a concern for marginal communities.

  
  

• Social-Scientific Disciplines. Our theologies will be dislocated from reality if we do not seriously engage the findings and analyses of the social-scientific disciplines in our society. The role of the social-scientific thinkers in our team is therefore crucial.

  
  

• Local Cultural Wisdom. The cultural paradigmatic realities of the society in which our theology is entrenched must be accounted for in our theological constructions. This is also known as the principle of inculturation, wherein local epistemologies are taken seriously.

  
  

• Christian Tradition. The approach we are taking herein is an ecumenical one. Our joint concern is for the wellbeing of our neighbours, our nation, and not the disagreement on our respective distinctives. In fact, in deep appreciation of how our distinctive traditions may contribute positively to this conversation, we take the guiding voice of the Great Tradition as a non-negotiable in our constructions.

  
  

• The Gospel. This principle is not necessarily separate from the fourth, but accentuates a point of importance. Our theology must come to terms with the heart of the gospel, which essentially speaks of the ultimate and full establishment of God’s reign in the world.
  

e. Our Commitment to Various Levels of Socio-political Involvement
There are three possible levels of socio-political involvement by the Christian community: i) writing, ii) helping immediate needs (e.g., helping the poor and alleviating immediate suffering), and iii) effecting structural change. Historically, Christians in the Protestant Malaysian Church have been active within the first layer but little else has been done in either of the other two. It is noted that the situation is not very far different for the Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia.

The objectives and strategies of R.O.H. will be in attempting to achieve all layers of socio-political involvement. This however is an incremental and dynamic cultivation and change, as the process is subject to growth and alterations in time.

f. Our Commitment to the Dissemination of Our Ideas
We are committed to the dissemination of our social scientific analyses together with the accompanying theological constructions in various forms of publications. This may involve web publications, books and monographs, journal articles, and sporadic articles in newsletter.

In time to come, there is also a great possibility that we may organise events involving relatively small clusters of young thinkers who share in our concerns and who would be keen to participate in conversations pertaining to these concerns.

The R.O.H. Team
31 August 2007
Malaysia’s 50th Anniversary

Endnotes
[1] These marginal communities include the poor, the Orang Asli, women, persons with disabilities, plantation and factory workers, migrants and refugees, and children at risk, among others.

Log onto the R.O.H Malaysia Blog. Click here.

Posted by SK at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

What you see above is a silhoutte... a reflection of things to come.

It's something Malaysia has needed, and which some Malaysians have been waiting for. For years.

The mystery will be revealed in its fullness this coming National Day (31 August).

Watch out.

Posted by SK at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Recently, it seems that the physical punishment of school students by their teachers is forbidden. Increasingly, cases like this and this seem to be reported.

Sure, there is a level at which punishment takes on an excessive form and results in abuse, or at least potential abuse. But it does also seem that parents nowadays are protective of their children to an extent that can be quite baffling. They seem to get upset at the slightest stroke of the cane or some other form of physical punishment administered upon their children in school.

Some years ago, I used to hear of such sensitivities in a neighbouring country. But now, I’m hearing of this in my own country. And it somewhat puzzles me.

I’m not saying if this is right or wrong. But it is somewhat alien to me to see things like this bordering on the sensitivities of the people.

As a primary school child, I was caned quite a lot. For one thing, I was terribly naughty. For another thing, my parents gave the school the permission to cane me.

I remember how humiliating it felt to be caned. I was asked to put my two arms on the table so my butt would face upwards. And BAM, three strokes of the cane successively landed on my behind.

When I went home, mum looked at me and said, “You deserved it. Tomorrow, go and apologise to the teacher (who caned you) for being naughty, and thank him for teaching you to be good.” So today I get caned, and tomorrow I still have to go back to apologise for my misbehaviour and thank the teacher for caning me! And that’s exactly what I did.

No complaints. No police reports. No press statements.

So for parents today, I do quite wonder, what’s the deal? Like I said, no value judgement on my part. I'm just quite amused at the sensitivity I'm seeing.

Posted by SK at 12:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

This post is thick-skinnedly ciplaked (a colloquial Malay expression for "pirated") from Jonzz's entry:

If you are a Malaysian and have not been living under a nutshell for past week, you would have been aware of the tragic and cruel murder of a little girl by the name of Ooi Ying Ying, who perished at the very hands of the same people who were entrusted with her care and protection.

It's scary how low the depths to which our human nature can really sink to.

What were the motives behind the deed? I guess only God and the accused will ever know.

What we know is but the bits and pieces of information packaged for us by the media.

Which brings me to my second observation.

Nestled between the many headlines, was one that caught my attention:

Teacher: Ying Ying was the cutest in class

Pardon my self-righteous talk, but I observe a second but no less greater injustice looming behind this seemingly innocent headline.

Among my friends and peers, I have heard this statement being uttered and I'm pretty sure you might have as well, "How can they kill such a little girl? Look at her. She is so cute."

My concern is this: Why does cuteness even have to come into the picture at all?

But then again, if the victim had been someone ugly or less prominent, do you think they would have garnered as much attention?

I am sure there are many more murders that have taken place but look at the murder "personalities" that get prominence and front page photos in the newspapers.

Is this our value system these days? A handsome or pretty face is better or is worth more than a normal or plain looking face?

Well, I admit I am equally guilty of this.

Guess learning not to judge a book by its cover is easier said than done.

Jonzz is so right. Media people, with no particular reference to any one, sometimes have little sense of propriety in terms of the message they're transmitting. It often looks like it's all about what news sells. Even if the values portray rubbish.

Posted by SK at 6:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Below is a letter sent through Malaysiakini from Dr Sheela Moorthy:

Dr Sheela Moorthy
May 2, 07 2:52pm

I am a Malaysian currently living in the USA. I am supporting the education of my sister who is enrolled at CalPoly, California.

The reason I am writing this letter is to express my disgust and anger regarding comments passed by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Jamaludin Jarjis during a working visit to California recently.

He was present at a gathering organised by the Malaysian Consulate for the students to meet him. The purpose of this meeting was for them to address any concerns or queries they had. Being away from home, we all know that we love to meet our fellow-countrymen regardless of what color or creed they may be.

And being brought up in the true Malaysian way, we were thought to respect each other and look beyond the shallowness of skin color.

This was not the case with our minister. He made several derogatory remarks about Indians in general, about how they were brought in as 'buruh kasar' and at one point asked my sister about how many Indians were in her batch of students.

My sister answered him saying there were two of them. The other Indian student was fair-skinned and was actually sitting at the same table as the minister.

He did not realize that this student was also an Indian and went on saying that he must be a 'high class’ Indian and then pointed at my sister and said that she must be a ‘low class’ Indian as she was darker skinned.

I am appalled that we have people like this sitting at the helm and trying to run a multi-racial country. I urge all Malaysian to stand together and voice out against weeds like this who give our country a bad image.

I demand an apology from him and I want him to take responsibility for his words and I believe that malaysiakini is one of the venues to voice my dissatisfaction.

Posted by SK at 5:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A political by-election is going on in Malaysia at the moment, in a little town called Ijok. Of this particular by-election, I have nothing much to say other than that seeing campaigning politicians delivering wheel chairs to the disabled and handing out cash assistance to the needy are a common political exercise here.

On a more general note, it somewhat captures my attention – in political elections – that the campaigning parties consisting of ruling governments usually possess the publicity capacity. They never fail to get their messages across through the various media at their disposal: the newspapers, the television, the radio, and the internet, among other possible avenues of publicity.

On the other hand, the publicity messages and endeavours of the competing parties and candidates are usually all too easily thwarted. They never get to really say things they want to say, and mistakes they make in speech and action are speedily amplified, and their credibility eroded thereby. They’re projected as the pathetically miserable people who’re fighting a losing battle and who can’t deliver (usually, they’re not allowed the opportune privilege to deliver anyway).

Now… before we become too quick to pass the political arena off as a corrupt and dishonest engagement, let’s consider the possibility that perhaps all of life is a political arena. And perhaps, the politics of a nation are just a heightened hyperbolic representation of what happens in the everyday life of its people.

Think about it: isn’t it true that our social engagements are all about power and dominance? The powerful have access to various forms of communication, for they have the social influence and the wealth to sustain the cost of employing these avenues. Their voices are heard. The weak, they have a voice, but too soft and insignificant because it cannot be projected; and no corporate company deems it of any benefit to project these voices except maybe for self-promoting, emotion-appealing, and tax-exempting purposes. So they never truly get to say what they want to say except when their valuable voices are exploitable by the powerful.

This is the way it is with life, isn’t it?

So I wouldn’t so much blame the political entities for playing their political games in such a manner; they’re just playing the game according to societal rules, letting out a bait they know we’d bite.

So go, vote your integrity’s worth.

Posted by SK at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Link: Holy Friday for Malaysians

To our friends in the West, this article somewhat explains why you'll never be able to truly understand the plethora of paradigmatic confusions we live with and why our theology will never truly be systematic the way you often seem to expect it to be.

Posted by SK at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a little girl who becomes so bedazzled by the mascot of a telecommunications company she keeps talking about him day and night, searching for him in unlikely places, writing him a letter without truly knowing if he might receive it, and never ceasing in her amusement at the mascot.

And then this gigantic telecommunications company receives the letter because the little girl’s mother posts it to them on her behalf, and they unexpectedly feel that the secret wish, the little desire, of this child means the world to her. And they fulfil it by sending the mascot over to meet with her and to take her to school one morning.

The Kingdom of God enters into the world of those – such as these little children – whose secret wishes no one typically bothers to care about and whose insignificant dreams go unnoticed.

There are little Rachels all around the world whose desires dissipate into oblivion and whose dreams remain ignored, because their voices are too small and their inspirations of no consequences to the scheme of things in the present world. The Kingdom-people are those who go to these Rachels, that their voices may be heard and their dreams fulfilled with dignity and honour.

And boy, watch how they scream and squeal and hop and dance when the Kingdom is brought to them. Only these can do justice to the the gift of the Kingdom by their sheer delight, for they know what best to value. The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.

The Kingdom of God is where silliness is taken seriously.

Posted by SK at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dear Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs,

What is the value of a human person?

In the first place, how do you define personhood?

Or have you ever even attempted to define that which constitutes personhood that you could even so much as consider emerging with an idea like this?

Have you seen how many foreign workers are (mis)treated by their employers (your local citizens)? It's bad enough that their treatment of a foreign human life betrays their attitudes towards the worth of the human person. And now, you're affirming that they should do worse.

Think.

If what I've read is true, as a Malaysian citizen, today I'm quite speechless. And as a citizen of the world, I hang down my head in shame.

Posted by SK at 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Dear Malaysia,

I've often wondered how I should perceive you. You've often been spoken of as if you were an entity in yourself. I've tried hard to give shape to this entity in my mind, and to my utter dismay, I can't help but attribute a specific culture, colour and worldview to this entity. It brings dismay because this specific culture, colour and worldview blatantly excludes me.

You have taught me much. You have taught me that being excluded is no excuse for being defeated. This lesson was reinforced over and over again by those who raised me. I have learned, through the environment you've so freely provided, that the lack of privileges (which were freely accorded to some of my other friends) shouldn't lead to a fateful resignation in my life. You've taught me to strive and to fight not for my rights, but rather, despite the absence of rights. I've emerged stronger and become a better person than those who've grown up feeding on servings of rights laid on brass tables.

I've been yonder and have tasted the affluence of the land there offered to those who might have worked hard for it; even to the foreign people among them. Of course, I never truly felt that I belonged there, but I do wonder if I might have perhaps gradually become "one of them" had I stayed on. And I could have stayed on.

But I returned. I have returned to you not because I think I owe you anything, but because I have relational attachments to some people here. I have returned also because my conscience dictates the need for me to identify with the struggle of the several millions here who, like me, feel excluded.

I won't teach them to fight. But I'll teach them the virtue of striving despite an absence of rights. And I'll keep re-telling the stories that I've been told by generations past for as long as the stories remain true to my experience and the experience of my friends. I'll teach them how to survive and triumph in an environment that ignores our existence.

You have trained me well, and for this, I thank you. I will survive, and I will teach others to survive... others who, like me, have lived and will continue to live with a longing to be true children of the nation.

Dear Malaysia, happy birthday.

Keranamu Malaysia,
Faithful Citizen

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