Book Launch and Panel Discussion: “How Can Malaysians Overcome Our Prevailing Cynicism Surrounding Politics and Politicians?
Date: 27 November 2020, Friday
Time: 8:00PM - 9:30PM
Streaming on Facebook Live (Bersih 2.0). Please follow this link: facebook.com/BERSIH2.0
“History has often shown that those in power will not willingly surrender their monopoly on the control of appropriating resources. That power has to be wrenched from their clenched fists, a little at a time, until they fall. Fall they will, because no political ruling class can rule forever…” Sim Kwang Yang
How can Malaysians overcome the prevailing cynicism regarding politicians and politics? To answer this question, perhaps we can look at the life’s work of Sim Kwang Yang. He wrote for Malaysiakini, The Nut Graph, Sin Chew Jit Poh, Nanyang Siang Pau, etc. and died in 2014, with few possessions, in a modest rented terrace house in Kajang. He never sold out to money politics and he never gave up on spreading political idealism. In his time, he was among the most idealistic politicians of his generation, along with individuals like Dr Kua, YB Chee How, Dr Jeyakumar, YB Kasthuri, and Kasthuri’s late father P Patto.A collection of his works will be launched online this month. It will be officiated by Dr Kua Kia Soong, advisor to Suaram and former MP for Petaling Jaya, and moderated by Nalini Elumalai, National Programme Officer at ARTICLE 19. It features:
- Mahirah Marzuki (Sabah Human Rights Centre and UndiSabah)
- Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj (Chairperson, PSM and former two-term MP for Sungai Siput, Perak)
- Thomas Fann (Chairperson, Bersih 2.0 and ENGAGE)
- See Chee How, second term state assemblyperson for Batu Lintang, Kuching, Sarawak
- Kasthuri Patto, second term MP for Batu Kawan, Penang (Democratic Action Party)
- Dr Wong Chin Huat (Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development)
Co-hosted by Bersih 2.0 and Gerakbudaya. Each panellist will speak for 10 minutes, followed by half an hour of discussion and questions from the public.