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Malaysia: A shot in the arm for
reformasi
By Anil Netto
PENANG, Malaysia - The last two of six political
activists detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA)
were finally released on Thursday, fueling speculation
about the effects their freedom would have on Malaysia's
sputtering reform movement.
Badrulamin Bahron
and Lokman Adam were the last of a group of detainees
known as the "Reformasi Six" to be released after their
two-year detention orders expired this month.
Another charismatic opposition politician, Ezam
Mohd Noor, was released on Tuesday pending an appeal
against his conviction under the Official Secrets Act,
for which he was serving a two-year prison jail term.
The six secured their release from ISA detention
in stages beginning on June 1. Almost all of them,
however, will later have to navigate through a host of
other charges in court mainly relating to "illegal
assembly".
They were among the main
crowd-pullers at the height of peaceful reformasi
demonstrations in 1998-2001 to protest the government's
treatment of jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar was ousted from government in 1998, arrested and
beaten in custody, and then jailed for a total of 15
years.
The arrest of the reformasi
activists in April 2001 and a ban on public rallies,
however, crippled the reformasi movement and
handicapped Anwar's fledgling National Justice Party
(Keadilan).
Reformasi flagged even more as
Malaysians grew wary of the unknown after September 11,
2001, and the United States' ensuing "war on terror".
Cracks within the opposition alliance emerged over
Islamic party PAS's ideological push for an Islamic
state, prompting the opposition Chinese-based Democratic
Action Party to pull out.
The re-entry of the
Reformasi Six on the political scene is likely to
provide a fillip for the reformasi movement and
change the political equation.
Last Sunday, some
30,000 people thronged the kampong of Cherok Tok Kun in
the northern state of Penang in a de facto
reformasi event. The size of the crowd, including
noticeable numbers of ethnic Chinese and Indian
Malaysians, attending a traditional Malay village
wedding reception suggested that reformasi cannot
be written off.
But then this was no ordinary
reception. It was the return to Anwar's home village of
his newly married daughter, Nurul Izzah, 23, and her
husband, Raja Ahmad Shahrir Iskandar, 26, both attired
in the deep-sky-blue trademark color of Keadilan.
An added draw was the presence of two of the
three recently freed reformasi activists: Tian
Chua, the vice president of Keadilan and victim of
multiple assaults in custody, and Saari Sungib, a party
supreme council member.
"I am so happy" with the
huge turnout, Nurul, referred to in reformasi
circles as Puteri Reformasi (Reformasi's Princess), told
Asia Times Online as she took a break from acknowledging
a never-ending line of guests. "It shows that it
[reformasi] is still an issue. I only wish my
father was here today."
The authorities had
allowed Anwar to give away the bride under heavy
security during a two-hour religious ceremony on May 9.
He was, however, refused permission to attend the
receptions that followed.
Instead, Tian Chua and
Saari flanked the newlyweds. All four - representing the
younger face of reformasi - sat on a raised porch
outside Galeri Pejuang (Freedom Fighters' Gallery)
facing Anwar's old wooden family home.
They
watched a spirited silat (traditional Malay
martial arts) performance in the courtyard below.
Exponents somersaulted over a heap of bodies crouched on
the ground, a couple of them hurtling forward and upward
on to the porch. Kneeling and clasping their hands
before the newlyweds, they paid tribute in traditional
Malay court style.
Inside the gallery, an
exhibition showcased some of the highlights of
reformasi, the clamor for reforms and political
change that erupted in September 1998. Crowds pored over
newspaper cuttings, letters from the detainees to their
families and familiar photographs of the anti-ISA
campaign.
Outside, cries of "reformasi!"
rang out - but much of the rancor was missing as the
mood was celebratory.
Both Tian and Saari
Sungib, his hair tied back in a trendy ponytail, vowed
to press on with the anti-ISA struggle. Saari, the
founding president of Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM), a
registered Islamic missionary group (not to be confused
with Jemaah Islamiyah, the alleged regional terrorist
network), was one of the key organizers of the huge
reformasi gatherings before his arrest.
The reformasi activists were accused in
April 2001 of plotting to overthrow the government using
militant means - an allegation that was never proven
throughout their more than two years in detention. There
are over 100 ISA detainees - including suspected Muslim
militants - still being held. None has been brought to
court to face charges.
Much of the discussion at
the reception centered on the reasons for the detainees'
unexpected release. Sure the two-year detention orders
had expired, but the government did have the option of
renewing the orders if it wanted to.
Most
analysts agree that the intense campaigning pressure
both from inside and outside the country had piled on
the pressure. That kind of heat could have turned the
detentions into a pivotal issue in the coming general
election due by the end of 2004.
The fact that
establishment institutions had expressed concern also
played a major role. The Federal Court had ruled last
year that the ISA arrests had been made in bad faith;
the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia had recommended
the repeal of the ISA, and the ISA Advisory Board had
twice recommended the release of the reformasi
detainees. Not wanting to be seen to be bowing to
mounting pressure, the authorities waited right until
the expiry of the two-year detention orders before
releasing the activists.
Some felt that Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad wants to leave the scene in
October without leaving this festering issue unresolved.
Others saw the release as a clear sign that a general
election, due by the end of 2004, could be held much
earlier.
Inevitably the discussion turned to
Anwar's fate. Speculation is growing that Anwar too
could be released if not before Mahathir leaves, perhaps
soon after. One Keadilan official suggested that Anwar's
release would remove a stumbling block in regaining
investors' confidence in Malaysia. Upon his release,
Anwar would then be whisked for spinal surgery abroad,
he suggested.
There are two routes for Anwar's
release: a successful bail application or a successful
appeal to the Federal Court. Otherwise, he could be in
jail until 2009. The Court of Appeal has fixed July 14
to continue hearing Anwar's lawyers' arguments relating
to his bail application.
His release, however,
could throw the ruling United Malays National
Organization (UMNO) into turmoil. Anwar and Abdullah,
his successor as deputy premier, are both from Penang
and have a long-standing rivalry.
UMNO is also
due to hold its party elections next year, probably
after the general election. Some analysts speculate that
Abdullah could face a leadership challenge then from
within UMNO. Others wonder if Abdullah's position as
heir apparent to Mahathir can be taken for granted.
Mahathir has thus far indicated that Abdullah would
succeed him.
It will not be easy for the six to
revive the reformasi movement. The economy has
recovered from the crisis in 1998. The political climate
too has changed, with Mahathir's planned departure
diffusing one of the movement's principal demands,
"Mahathir Undur" (Mahathir, step down).
The six would also have to facilitate the
impending merger between the National Justice Party and
the smaller left-leaning Malaysian People's Party (PRM),
which has been bogged down. The rifts among the
opposition parties will also need mending and the ruling
coalition can be expected to use PAS's Islamic state
goal to frighten off non-Muslims from the opposition.
Whatever the case, the reformasi movement
has been boosted by the release of the six. Expect the
political situation to become more fluid in the next six
months and calls for Anwar's release to grow
louder.
(Copyright 2003 Asia Times Online Co,
Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact content@atimes.com for
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