One of the challenges facing the newly emerging social movement in Malaysia is manifested in the tight control over the dissemination of information and the arbitrary manipulation of the media by the ruling power, which often take the following forms:
1) Muzzling the press and freedom of opinion through legislations such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Official Secrets Act and Sedition Act etc.
2) Self-censorship exercised by the media themselves as a result of political control;
3) Direct control of the media through political influence and party ownership; and
4) Political intimidation against printers, distributors and retailers of newspapers.
Needless to say, the immediate effect of this tight control and manipulation of information and the media is reflected in the decades-long set thought patterns and the various traditional, outmoded concepts that conform to the ideology of the current establishment. The society is inundated with lies and false appearances, while truth and facts are distorted and even buried. People are misled in their thinking, which is detrimental to the development of a new trend of thought.
In view of the above challenges, one of the important tasks facing the new social movement is to gradually break into the grip on the media and the dissemination of information of the ruling party. This will include concrete programs as follows:
1) Initiating political reform and expanding democratic space in conjunction with the new forces of change within the society;
2) Instituting a system of checks on the mainstream media and pushing for greater space for dissenting voices;
3) Establishing an alternative media channel with a view to facilitating the free flow of information;
4) Changing traditional social concepts and developing new thought patterns and notions that are relevant to the current age.
The Dissemination of Information and Social Education
In accordance with our own circumstances, the Strategic Info Research Development has identified itself with these pressing challenges and has shouldered the uphill task by involving itself in the movement. We are a group of intellectual youths who form the core component of the centre and will co-operate with external sources for better operation. As well as conducting fieldworks, organising seminars, forum and group discussions, through editing, publishing, distributing books, we seek to engage in social study analysis and research, while at the same time mobilising the nation's youths, students, as well as other members of the general public to participate in social affairs, so that they too can contribute to the critical analysis of social phenomena and realities. All this we believe is conducive to the development and consolidation of the notions of civil liberty and democracy.
SIRD was founded in January 2000 with a small capital, and is operated as a commercial
entity. We are not associated with any state institution or non-governmental organisation of any kind, and stand for self-reliance and independence. Therefore, we are blessed with greater flexibility and freedom in decision-making and operation. It is undeniable that we are also confronted with financial restraints, and are thus carrying out our work through thrift and strict frugality, while looking towards the future with full confidence and optimism.
We have been working relentlessly to edit, publish and distribute critical publications, including books, pamphlets, periodicals and investigative research studies, all of which are aimed at creating an alternative channel of information without the mainstream media. The forces of change within the society cannot be ignored; we therefore work closely with them in sharing the resources, which we hope will lead to the eventual establishment of a media system that is non-partisan or alternative in nature.
In doing all this, we are indeed treading a very fine line, providing alternative information to the general public while paying heed to the many constraints imposed by the state. The limited democratic space notwithstanding, we will persist in our effort to make some strategic impact on society, work hand in hand with the newly born social movement, and hope to deconstruct the current establishment and initiate changes in the outdated social notions in the long run.
Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual country. Owing to historical and political reasons, especially the experience with colonial rule, narrow post-colonial nationalism and non-democratic governance, the country continues to be laden with divisions, contradictions and conflicts as a result of social engineering that is monolithic in nature. Social interaction as well as integration is conspicuously absent from the supposedly pluralistic Malaysia. To make things worse, the ruling elite has been exploiting the fragmented elements of the country to weaken the resistance forces within the society, in the course of which its decades-long authoritarian rule has also been strengthened and even legitimised, successfully taking the wind out of the sails of the social movements.
Our role is to bridge the gap between the pluralistic society and the top-down monolithic force, facilitate exchanges of views, enhance mutual understanding, and promote interactions. We also aspire to do away with the divisions, contradictions and conflicts within the society, and expose to the people the shameful manoeuvres of the oligarchy to create divisions among the communities and consolidate its own rule.
The minority intellectuals should not be given the monopoly on truths. We are therefore attempting to popularise theory and learning, and to make them widely available to the ordinary folks, for we believe that these should not remain the sole right of the academia. In aligning ourselves with the lower-middle classes of the society and combining forces with the social movements, it is our hope that the man in the street will be able to tell truth from lie, and to come to grips with reality behind falsehoods. No longer bound by outdated beliefs and the myriad myths, the people will then be free to form a brand new set of social concepts and move the new social movements forward, while helping to realise the notions of democracy and civil society.
Pragmatism: Between Our Aspirations and Difficulties
In terms of manpower and financial capabilities, SIRD as a small group is clearly inadequate in all respects. We operate within a limited space and with simple facilities; our regular tasks would include editing, publishing and distributing alternative as well as critical books, which focus mainly on social and current affairs, politics and economics. This aside, we also generate income from our design, publication and printing services, so as to support a full-time staff team of four, as well as to cover other expenses.
To enable the general public to access new and critical information through a new media channel in addition to that provided by the mainstream media, and to expand our sales so as to generate greater revenues, we have set our marketing strategies as follows:
1. Sales through general and conventional business agencies such as bookstores, large and small alike;
2. Nationwide direct sales by providing mobile bookstalls in conjunction with events or functions held by social groups or non-governmental
organisations;
3. Recruiting subscribers from across the country, who will then be given the opportunity to pre-order books at will. This is a long-term and ambitious plan, which is still at an initial stage. If successful, we would be able to create a regular reader-cum-purchaser bank, with a substantial number of subscribers. By then, we would expect our social influence to have been deeply consolidated among the grassroots people on a massive scale.
4. To make good use of our social connections. We have built up connections as well as sales networks with various universities and colleges, and together we organise activities, facilitate information interchange and publish books for the benefit of all. We have also begun our efforts in building up relations with local associations across Malaysia in order to accomplish our tasks and objectives set out above.
By getting involve in the publication and distribution of alternative, critical books and information, and organising seminars, discussions and forums, it is our wish to provide the general public with a platform to conduct deeper and high-quality studies on political, economic, and social as well as intellectual issues. Through the dissemination of the latest information and thoughts, we hope to critically assess the old concepts still dominant in the society. Slowly but steadily, we have been building up our own image that is appealing to and appreciated by the masses. We will continue in our endeavour to encourage various social groups and the ordinary folk to engage in the new social movement, and to forge a massive force that would help bring about a strong and vibrant civil society in Malaysia.
Having said that, we are however fully aware of the unenviable position that we are in. Not only are we entangled by political and legal constraints; we are also confronted with non-statist cultural hegemony, outmoded social notions, as well as the old influence prevalent among the people. All this only serves to aggravate the difficulties we are already facing and hinder our progress. Nevertheless, we are confident of making a breakthrough and creating a brave new world out of the current situation.
As part of the link in the newly emerging social movement, we function within a sphere that we are already familiar with, and exert our influence wherever and whenever possible. We have been working closely with other non-governmental groups and organisations in the country, as well as co-operating with individuals who share similar ideals with us, though not necessarily within the same field. We therefore do not hesitate to mobilise any existing human and material resources. Recognising the new generation as the backbone force behind the movement, we have been making every effort to have the youths participate in our work, for they truly are the ones who can propel the society forward.
On top of that, we also seek to build up international as well as regional networks with friends from outside the country, especially those in the Asia-Pacific nations. Given that most of the Asian countries belong to the developing world, sharing many similarities in terms of social development and reform movement, it is therefore desirable for the democratic forces and the new social movements of these countries to foster greater ties, learn from one another, and extend mutual assistance. Regrettably, nothing is farther from such an ideal scenario than the reality, as solidarity on the many issues affecting the countries in the region is nowhere to be found. In today's hostile environment of capitalism and globalisation, any issue, be it labour, women, youth, indigenous groups, environmental protection, human rights, or democratisation, can no longer be regarded as an issue peculiar to the people of a certain country, and is bound to affect us all. Simply put, all these issues have been internationalised, hence the pressing need for the people of various countries to unite in concerted action in order to stand up to the political power on the domestic front, and to face off the capitalist hegemony which comes in the form of globalisation. Therefore, we very much hope to establish ourselves as a Malaysia-based information centre in respect of social movement.
下一頁