opinion

features

about us

About Che Guevara

Welcome to the new Socialist Malaysia website, with information about socialism and issues related to the Malaysian political scene.

We believe socialism is the best way for Malaysia. So, we are not associated with any political party although we do give our critical support to the Socialist Party of Malaysia, as long as they stay true to socialism, equality, democracy, freedom and secularism.

We believe socialism is the best answer for the people of Malaysia. Our brand of socialism is the one that ensures there is equality, democracy, freedom and secularism in the country.

We reject any form extremism, either in the name of race or religion. We neither subscribe to the simplistic idea that Malaysia will be a peaceful and harmonious country if Dr Mahathir Mohamad is kicked out from the government nor a dangerous suggestion that justice will prevail if the country is run by groups of ulamaks, clerics or monks of any religion or belief, or by a bunch of racists proclaiming dominance of one race over the others.

We reject violence, even in the name of revolutionary violence and any form of authoritarian control.

We believe in the electoral process but at the same time we want Malaysians to work towards genuine change, and not just an empty cry of reform without any substance.

Having said that, we believe the current system has almost eliminated real democracy in our political life. Such a situation has led to most political and non-political leaders to behave in an undemocratic ways. Just because they are against the government does not mean they can behave exactly like the people they are opposing.

Therefore, if democracy is to be real, we accept the fact that differences among people, such as race and religion, must not be allowed to oppress them. If everyone has what she or he needs, then people can talk to one another as equals.

Our stand is that all people must have the basic rights to adequate food, safe and clean housing, health care, education, affordable public transportation and effective participation in both the political and economic lives of our country.




THE LUNAS
LUNACY

By dotcommissar

between the ideal and the ideologue is a gulf of difference. the lunas by-election is a good example of that with the racist idealists in parti keadilan nasional triumphing over the ageing ideologues of the democratic action party.

november 29 2000, exactly a year after the 10th general elections in 1999, will determine whether keadilan's choice of candidate will boost their coalition's efforts to rub further insult to prime minister mahathir mohamad's ruling coalition.

with ideology thrown to the wind, and with it the democratic action party, both coalitions are seeking to win over the hearts and minds of the lunas voter - each for their own ends.

for mahathir, its to retain the two-thirds majority in the kedah state assembly, and for the full moon coalition of parti islam se-malaysia, parti keadilan nasional, democratic action party and parti rakyat malaysia - to maintain their momentum of people's disgust and disquiet over anwar ibrahim's sacking in september 1998.

it has been that long.

but the lunacy of lunas will remain. voters have a choice of two evils - a coalition that has been in power for so long that it has taken things for granted and is being taken for granted or a coalition that takes it for granted people's support due to disquiet over government policies.

lunas, as scribes and sages say, means to settle debts in bahasa malaysia. will mahathir's coalition settle its debts to the people, bringing in physical development to entice voters, or will the full moon coalition settle its debts for racial insults - disenfranchising indian malaysians from standing for public office.

its a pity that after forty-odd years of nationhood, the choice of standing for public office boils down not to qualifications but as the locals would say, kulitifications.

and our socialist siblings in democratic action party can forget about ever fighting for a malaysian malaysia as their partners are obviously not interested in that concept.

the liberals in parti keadilan nasional and parti rakyat malaysia can make all the right noises but it rings hollow and they sound like empty barrels with empty promises.

this happens, of course, because there is not an iota idealogy in these political parties. at least, if they had an ideology, one could respect their stand, no matter how racist or fundamentalist they are.

and of course, mahathir's coalition's ideology is just for an increase of power and profits.

we renew our call again. time for socialism!

vote socialism!

quotable quotes

the internationale

Stand up, all victims of oppression
For the tyrants fear your might
Don't cling so hard to your possessions
For you have nothing, if you have no rights
Let racist ignorance be ended
For respect makes the empires fall
Freedom is merely privilege extended
Unless enjoyed by one and all.

chorus:

So come brothers and sisters
For the struggle carries on
The Internationale
Unites the world in song
So comrades come rally
For this is the time and place
The international ideal
Unites the human race

Let no one build walls to divide us
Walls of hatred nor walls of stone
Come greet the dawn and stand beside us
We'll live together or we'll die alone
In our world poisoned by exploitation
Those who have taken, now they must give
And end the vanity of nations
We've one but one Earth on which to live

And so begins the final drama
In the streets and in the fields
We stand unbowed before their armour
We defy their guns and shields
When we fight, provoked by their aggression
Let us be inspired by life and love
For though they offer us concessions
Change will not come from above.

- billy bragg, circa 1990

the story behind this song: bragg complained that the traditional lyrics to the internationale were somewhat dated. pete seeger said: why don't you write new ones? so bragg did.

Search within this site!

announcement

for those of you who think socialism (hopefully not the hero-worship type of communism) is the best (or at least one of the best) solution to racially divided malaysia, please feel free to submit your articles to us.

sorry! no remuneration.

for those of you who think socialism is crap, please forward your stuff to any one of those misguided reformasi websites, berita e-umno, pas or harakah and other authoritarian belief websites. (no reason for us to even help you get there.)

no apologies, thank you.

for those of you who are in the dark, well, switch on the lights please. socialism is fun, socialism is boring, socialism is good, socialism is evil.

who cares...


"These are my principles, and if you don't like them... I have others."
- Groucho Marx -

© 1998-2000 socialistmalaysia. All queries to the webcomrade.

"If you are a devoted capitalist who is somehow offended by this page, well…what do you expect from socialists."