Berani dalam Benar: Public peaceful gathering, down memory lane

- Dzulkifli Abdul Razak,

July 28, 2025

Waking up on July 26th, one could sense some sort of a deja vu in the air. It goes back to a little more than a quarter of a century. Those who are 40 years today might recall some aspects of the event then. They were still in school then and may not fully understand what the entire incident is all about. Compared to the more senior ones, especially those who proudly identify themselves as "kupai" - almost a cult-like support group of "reformist" die-hards! Their battle cry was "UNDUR" - literally "retreat" - posed to a leader dubbed as worse than the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt! Why the Pharaohs is uncertain - perhaps to match the perceived power that he yielded, and the wealth he owned, known to his people as god-like, an intermediary between the gods and the people.

In the same vein, the Pharaohs were ruthless in keeping the people under their control, rewarding those who conformed - their version of the "kupai." Otherwise, they could be exterminated and ostracised. The reformist calls to "UNDUR" was of course unmatched with what was related to us by Pharaoh's tales. However, the similarities directed to the ancient Egyptian period added much fervour to the slogan!

To understand this further is to go back even to the early 1970s. Particularly in 1974. Here we are referring to those in their late 60s and beyond. The Pharaoh's imagery was absent then. Neither was the "kupai" necessary. Still there were reasons to be "revolting" - a different one, with Baling, an isolated rural location in Kedah, became the clarion call.

Students, staff and community joined hands to undertake a "starvation march" making the government accountable for resolving it within a few days. But in vain. As a result, the numbers of protesters swelled by the day to tens of thousands. As it turned out, the gathering became the epitome of student activism for the longest time. Thousands of them from various universities (no more than 5 then) gathered in Baling to empathise with the community wallowing in rampant poverty across the country. Baling stole the show as there was an alleged "death" caused by the consumption of a toxic local species of yam - said to be "ubi gadong" - due to the lack of food in the midst of an economic decline, not unlike today. The rainy weather added to the plight as most were unable to tap rubber to make ends meet. Meanwhile, prices reportedly skyrocketed, leading to even higher cost of living - being unaffordable for the greater population of the poor. Malaysia, though known as the largest natural rubber producer globally, in reality the beneficiaries were mainly the British giant rubber companies like Guthrie, Sime Darby and Harrison & Crossfield, to name a few. This has been a genuine cause of concern among the students who collectively shared the miseries of the people, untainted by any polarised barriers, starkly different from what is often experienced today.

Nov 19 saw the beginning of the “real” protest, with 1,000 farmers taking to the streets. In the next two days, more than 10,000 were claimed to be protesting – and counting with each passing moment. No social media is necessary. Still the unity among them created an awesome power that later gave reasons for the draconian amendments of the University and University College Act (AUKU) 1971, that prevails and remains enforced until today. Since then, numerous empty and unfulfilled promises to repeal it were conveniently spewed now and again by practically all governments of the day and the relevant ministries. Only to push it aside at some point, which no doubt, acts as one of the major factors as to why universities (despite their multi-folds in numbers currently) are truly reform-adverse and resistant! Glaringly overshadowed by long-term trust deficit embedded in a culture of fear developed and promoted over decades, the situation has worsened! Although of late, one university ambiguously announced its intention to go autonomous completely, but to date, the progress is still wanting. Allegedly, the aim is to govern independently while reducing its reliance on the government. The university vice-chancellor was quoted as saying “that the pioneering, bold, and radical approach” would enable the university “to gain full independence in governance, student admissions, finance, and academics, without compromising its corporate social responsibility.” This would mean that the top executive should voluntarily step down first so as to allow for a new and fully autonomous election to kick start the process of (re)establishing an autonomous institution! Otherwise, no go! Indeed, in 2008, when the one and only APEX university programme was announced, the promise for a fully autonomous university is still stuck in the thin air somewhere!

In short, demonstrations are nothing new in the clamour for democracy and human rights! So too the hypocritical attitudes of not walking the talk in order to hold on to power by all means. I vividly recalled a pantun read by a fellow vice-chancellor then, in his public speech: Siakap, senohong, gelama, ikan duri. Bercakap bohong, lama-lama jadi menteri. As we listened to the stories of what demonstrations were decades ago, led by those of them who are now in the government, the pantun cannot be more apt. By now the word menteri has been expanded to several others in their various capacities with little or no ethical-moral qualms in exposing their double standards before the world at large! Should this continue unchecked, it is tempted to ask:

Will there be another "Baling" in waiting?

It always seems impossible until it is done Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)