#Malaysian politics

[misspeppermint2003]

⭐️ Weekly Fandom Vote (Round 6) ⭐️

[dailyanarchistposts]

Let us learn from our past struggles, in the USA and in Malaysia. May Day should be an occasion to reflect not jubilate, to engage not agonize, to demand not relent, and to organise, not complain. We need systemic change that can guarantee equality, fraternity, self-management and socialisation of the commonwealth, guided by a bottom–up approach to decision making. We need a labour movement that is multicultural and international, feminist, active in urban and rural struggles, and that prizes reason over superstition, justice over hierarchy, self-management over state power, international solidarity over nationalism. We need to fight for a universal human community, not parochialism and separatism. The organisational power and strategic location of the Malaysian union movement provides an excellent point of departure for building this counter-movement. This is our appeal and message as we celebrate this May Day, on the eve of dark days in which the storm clouds gather over humanity – but in which the light of hope of a better future can break through, if we arm ourselves with the correct ideas and approaches. May Day began as an example of globalisation-from-below. Let us rally to it. Let us take back its original vision: liberty, equality, unity.

May Day, popularly known as international workers day, started with a historic fight for decent working hours that culminated in the execution of four trade unionists in Chicago, United States, in November 1887. This was a decisive moment in the struggle for a just society through militant trade unionism. May Day was globalised from 1889 by the workers’ movement, being held in China from 1919, and in Malaysia from 1921. Today it remains a key day of reference – but its roots and aims are often forgotten.

May Day commemorations can be a platform to harness the power of the working class and poor into a counter-movement for social protection and changed society. Ordinary people worldwide face ecological problems, economic crisis, massive unemployment, low wages, denials of right to freedom of association, vulnerable, informal work and sub-contracting, suffering as immigrants– all in the context of destructive market competition and the rule of self-serving politicians and bosses.

Solutions do not lie in reformed capitalism or in the free market: the problems humanity faces have gotten worse. Capitalism adversely affects working class communities and their livelihoods; states act to enforce these horrors with laws and guns.

In Malaysia, this destruction is manifested in an ecological crisis expressed in disasters such as flooding that displaces tens of thousands, police brutality against picketing workers (like the National Union of Tobacco Industry), and a massive gap between rich and poor, powerful and powerless. Unions need to be central to the fight to win social protection floors, decent conditions and a better future for the Malaysian working family.

This article draws attention to the alternative: the “anarchist” ethos of firstly, building a working and poor people’s counter-culture to unravel the dominant class culture in society; and secondly, building a counter-power from below, that draws its energy from the trade unions and workers, the unemployed, the poor and the peasantry (small farmers), to fight to change the world for the better.

Let us start by looking at what the “Chicago Martyrs” died for – and then at the historical role and the future potential of Malaysian trade unions in the fight for justice and equality.

[thenatcromancer]

Local Democracy? In my Malaysia? It's more likely than you think!

The current "Madani" unity government led by PM Anwar Ibrahim could immediately make local elections possible by pushing through an amendment of Sections 10 & 15 of the Local Government Act 1976, namely"

[1] Remove "to be appointed" from (1) and all of (2) from Section 10

[2] Remove entirety of 15(1) (Local election provisions have no effect)

George Town and KL were the first places to have local elections in Malaya and local governments defined democracy in Malaya. George Town was the beating heart of labour activism in Malaya and a stronghold of the opposition Labour Party of Malaya. Her first elected Mayor, D.S. Ramanathan, hailed from the organized labour movement. Local elections in Kuala Lumpur, won by the nascent Alliance Party, led to Merdeka and parliamentary democracy in Malaya, building the foundation of Malaysian democracy. By returning the power to the people, PH (The left-leaning coalition) will demonstrate that it is acting on is reform promises. This will have a short term sting in reduced majorities in states where they hold power (Then again anything less than 100% of seats would be a reduced majority) but will gain long term support and goodwill from PH-leaning voters. In states where PH is in the minority statewide but wins large majorities in major cities (Ipoh and Taiping in Perak, Bandar Melaka in Malacca), this will mean that residents can vote for local representatives that they actually want rather than being appointed by a state government they didn't vote for (This goes doubly for Perak left-leaning coalitions won the popular vote twice but lost the state assembly).

On top of that, this is a great opportunity for smaller parties like PSM to build a sustainable base of electoral support for higher office. The party is well known for its hardwork and dedication to the most marginalized segments of the community but currently have no representatives. With local elections, they can win city, municipal, and district races. Their focus on on-the-ground work can prove to be a big asset for local races. Because this will only entail amending the existing law to allow for states to enact local elections should they wish it, this won't be a U-turn from their previous decision to not focus on local elections, but a continuation of it. The federal government can (for lack of a better term) wash their hands of this and hand it over to be done by the states should they so please. It will no longer be a federal priority, but a state one

I really hope this is some that the more progressive and social democratic minded MPs in PH can push for.

It would just take a simple majority and is something that can get an easy sell from all parties who want some representation in areas dominated by any one coalition/party.

[writtenonbone]

So basically in malaysia the younger voters have voted more conservatively than people predicted and some are theorising its bc of the rise of right wing content on tiktok. Disappointed but not surprised.

[vganimefanatic]

If you haven't been following Malaysia's GE15 results here is what has happened and is happening.

Right now PH has more seats than the other coalitions but not the majority amount needed to form the government (need 112 or more). PN has the 2nd most seats while BN has a few and GTA had none. Rest went to solo parties or independent candidates.

In order to form a new government PH and PN will have to negotiate with BN and/or any other party that has at least 30 seats. PH says they have found parties/independents who are willing to work with them and that they therefore have the majority needed to form the govt provided the Agong recognises the alliance. PN says PH is bluffing and that they have the majority because they are allies with GPS and BN.

Both parties are going to submit their evidence/claims to the Agong today. Many Malaysians are afraid that despite PH leading in terms of sheer number of votes (indicating that despite having only 70+ seats due to jerry-mandering they are the people's choice) that PH will lose to PN.

[rojakartist]

Malaysia's film censorship board is stagnating the growth of local film industry

There's a misconception about Finas, (film development corporation) that it is responsible for the censorship of films in Malaysia.

In fact, the film censorship board and film development board are 2 seperate entities placed under seperate ministries.

Finas, The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia

Malaysia film censorship board

That being said, Finas, which oversees the development of Malaysian film industry, is placed under the directory of the Communications ministry.

Meanwhile, the film censorship board is placed under the Home ministry. The rational behind this is that the Home ministry monitors security risks that might instigate violence in our civic space.

Security risks include discussion of topics relating to race and religion in cinema. My honest question is that if there's no discussion of such topics at the first place, when will there be acceptance and understanding of our differences?

I assume that either this is a colonial legacy or a product of Mei 13 racial riots.

Like what a good friend of mine said, 'masyarakat diperbodohkan oleh kerajaan'. It's a strange phenomenon for Malaysia that the film censorship board is placed under the Home ministry. In other nations, film censorship is under the directory of more relevant minstries that respect the creative vision of film makers.

If the Madani government could go extra lengths to create a dedicate ministry for communications for the first time ever in Malaysia history, I don't understand how they can turn a blind eye to structural issues affecting the growth of Malaysian films. The conflict of interest between Finas and the censorship board is causing mass confusion. REFORMASI my ass!

Instead we now have a actor-turned politician who became a spokesperson/ puppet of Anwar Ibrahim!

[snsl0530]

Do memes (as it is popular in Malaysian politics) provide a useful way of understanding politics?

Hey there! In today's digital age, memes have become a super important part of our online culture! Memes are awesome! They’re these funny and sometimes sarcastic images or videos that can grab the attention of so many people in no time. And guess what? They’re also a popular way to express political opinions. The word "meme," meaning a "social gene," was coined by evolutionary scientist and author Richard Dawkins in his book The Selfish Gene (Kumar, 2023).  In this blog post, we're going to dive into the fascinating world of memes in Malaysian politics. We'll take a closer look at how they play a role and see if they can help us understand the political climate in the country. So, let's get started and explore this interesting topic together!

Understanding Memes as Political Tools:

Memes have come a long way from just being entertaining. They now play a significant role in social and political commentary. Memes were a fun way to express ourselves through sarcastic writings, visuals, and performances! They allow people to share their thoughts clearly and imaginatively, helping everyone understand complicated political ideas. Researchers have shown that young people, especially those raised in the digital age, respond positively to exposure to political memes and that this exposure aids in their understanding of political topics (Kulkarni, 2017). In the world of Malaysian politics, memes have become quite popular, reflecting the current state of the country's political scene. Humor has always been a valuable tool when discussing political issues in society. It draws in politically engaged individuals and those who want to stay on the sidelines, where they may better establish their beliefs (Kulkarni, 2017). According to G. De Leon and Ballesteros-Lintao (2021), because of the way they are structured linguistically and visually, memes may be used to generate and simplify intricate political narratives, particularly those that include elements from the Shops, Text, and Stacked Stills categories.

Memes as a Reflection of Popular Sentiment:

Malaysia's political scene is full of life, with a diverse range of parties, ideologies, and issues. Memes provide a fun and creative way for people to share their thoughts and opinions about political figures, policies, and events. Understanding the political leanings and hopes of the Malaysian public may be gleaned from an examination of the nation's internet memes (Lee, 2020). By taking a closer look at the memes that are being shared online, we can get a better understanding of how Malaysians are feeling and what they care about when it comes to politics. It's a fun and interesting way to gain insights into their thoughts and aspirations! The meme below reflects how Malaysians feel about Tun Mahathir dramatically change political party.

Memes and Political Awareness:

Memes have the power to spark political awareness, especially among young people! They can help educate people about political issues, start conversations, and bring attention to important but often ignored topics. Memes are awesome because they spread like wildfire and reach so many people! This helps get more people involved in politics and encourages them to stay informed and participate. Panjaitan (2015) states that a set of digital products that share qualities of content, form, and/or position; that were developed with knowledge of each other; and that were shared, replicated, and/or modified over the internet by numerous users, as defined by MIT academic Limor Shifman in 2014. Since memes may reflect societal attitudes, governments can use this phenomenon to their advantage by using memes to gather information about what the public wants and how they feel about certain topics. (Panjaitan, 2015)

The Impact and Limitations of Meme Culture:

Memes are a fun and unique way to explore politics, but it's important to remember that they do have their limitations. Hey there! Memes, being sarcastic in nature, can sometimes oversimplify or misrepresent complicated problems, which can lead to some misinterpretation.

Memes, when not taken seriously, can sometimes spread harmful stereotypes or false information. According to Kumar (2023), being exposed to terrible material that creates unpleasant sentiments has a carryover influence in real life and makes understanding facial emotions more complex. So it's always a good idea to be cautious and double-check information before jumping to conclusions based solely on memes.

Memes and Political Discourse:

Memes can have a big impact on public opinion and political discussions too! Groups can bring people together, inspire support, encourage critical thinking, and hold politicians accountable to the public. Memes are great because they can bring people of all ages and cultural backgrounds together for fun conversations! People's political leanings and goals can be better understood by examining the memes that are becoming viral on the internet. (Tenove, 2019)

Memes are a fun and creative method for Malaysians to express their opinions, discuss politics, and mobilize support. Memes are cool because they represent political sentiment. They can even engage individuals in politics. They're not everything, but they contribute! It's crucial to view memes critically, considering their limitations and the danger of disinformation. In the big picture, memes can provide some insight into politics, but policies, historical settings, and other perspectives must also be examined.

Reference:

G. De Leon. FM & Ballesteros-Lintao, R 2021, “The Rise of Meme Culture: Internet Political Memes as Tools for Analysing Philippine Propaganda,” Journal of Critical Studies in Language and Literature, vol. 2, no. 4, Global Talent Academy, pp. 1–13, accessed <http://dx.doi.org/10.46809/jcsll.v2i4.70>.

Kumar. S 2023, “The Psychology Behind Memes and Their Impacts”, accessed 2023 October 20, <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/psychology-behind-memes-impacts-sudipti-kumar>.

Kulkarni, A 2017, “Internet Meme and Political Discourse: A Study on the Impact of Internet Meme as a Tool in Communicating Political Satire,” SSRN Electronic Journal, Elsevier BV, accessed 2023 October 20, <http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3501366>.

Lee. Y. J 2020, “10 Memes That Helped Malaysians Get Through This Crazy Year”, Says, accessed 2023 November 23, <https://says.com/my/fun/10-memes-2020-that-helped-malaysians-get-through-this-crazy-year>.

Panjaitan. R. P 2015, “Meme culture: A tool of reflection and empowerment,” The Jakarta Post, accessed 2023 November 11, <https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/11/29/meme-culture-a-tool-reflection-and-empowerment.html>.

Tenove, C 2019, “The meme-ification of politics: Politicians & their ‘lit’ memes,” The Conversation, accessed 2023 October 18, <https://theconversation.com/the-meme-ification-of-politics-politicians-and-their-lit-memes-110017>.

[selvarajasomiahposts]

A Visit to Musa's new Tenom

In October 7, 2003, when the Sabah economy was going through turmoil, Musa Aman took charge of Sabah as the Chief Minister. Turn to March 2008 Barisan National and Musa Aman in Sabah is stronger than ever. BN had swept the polls in Sabah retaining power with more than two-thirds majority winning 59 out of 60 seats contested. In this age of fragmented polity where getting a majority seems unreal,…

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Malaysia's Petronas wins Agua Marinha exploration block in Brazil

Malaysia's state energy firm Petronas (PETR.UL) said on Tuesday it had won the Agua Marinha exploration block in the Campos Basin during Brazil's bid round.

Petronas said in a statement it won the block during the first cycle of Brazil's open acreage under a production sharing regime bid held in Rio de Janeiro.

Its subsidiary Petróleo Brasil Ltda (PPBL) will hold a 20% participating interest in the block, Petronas said. Petrobas, as the operator will hold 30% share, TotalEnergies will hold 30%, and QatarEnergy 20%.

Continue reading.

[themariotheme]

if anyone needs a good laugh google malaysian general election 2022 cos i feel like a clown rn and this is truly the circus

[reverietruecrime]

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In 1993, Mazlan Idris, a Batu Talam state assemblyman, craved to be more powerful and successful as a politician. He went to a bomoh, another name for a Malaysian Shaman, who was a former wanna-be pop diva named Mona Fandey. He wanted a black magic ritual performed on him. Mona promised that after the ritual, he would get everything he desired. Although, during the ritual, his life came to a brutal end.

[misspeppermint2003]

⭐️ Weekly Fandom Vote (Round 19) ⭐️

[dailyanarchistposts]

CONCLUSION: WORKING CLASS POWER FOR A BETTER WORLD

The organisational power and strategic location of the Malaysian union movement provides an excellent point of departure for building a counter-movement. The strength of the Malaysian working class, both in white and blue collar jobs, can and should be translated into a viable political and social movement that has a clear agenda for change – and provide an alternative to the current, ruinous state system. A movement that should exemplify a counter-culture, counter-power and practice that is bottom-up, democratic, based on solidarity, participation and accountability, that refuses to rely on politicians and leaders and that fights for a world that goes beyond both capitalism and neo-liberalism and statism and parliaments.

To struggle to fix the current state system would be an exercise in futility: even the best politicians are powerless to change the state. We dare not tinker with reform that always fails. Rather, we need systemic change that can guarantee equality, fraternity, self-management and socialisation of the commonwealth, guided by a bottom–up approach to decision making. We need a labour movement that is multicultural and international, feminist, active in urban and rural struggles, and that prizes reason over superstition, justice over hierarchy, self-management over state power, international solidarity over nationalism. We need to fight for a universal human community, not parochialism and separatism.

This is our appeal and message as we celebrate this May Day, on the eve of dark days in which the storm clouds gather over humanity – but in which the light of hope of a better future can break through, if we arm ourselves with the correct ideas and approaches.

May Day began as an example of globalisation-from-below. And it continues to be a rallying point for workers everywhere, 120 years on. Let us rally to it. Let us take back its original vision: liberty, equality, unity.

Hence, May Day should be an occasion to reflect not jubilate, to engage not agonize, to demand not relent, and to organise, not complain.

REFERENCES

On Malaysian anarchist history: Datuk Khoo Kay Kim and Ranjit Singh Malhl, “Malaysia: Chinese anarchists started trade unions”, ‘The Sunday Star,’ 12 September 1993.

[handweavers]

malaysia having a considerable indian minority isn't something i necessarily expect westerners to be aware of, especially considering it's something that other malaysians also enjoy forgetting (don't even get me started) but christ it is annoying

[waru-chan8]

SpeedUP Stories 10.11.2023