Anwar <3 Zahid?

~ The Koboi Project

Given the news of the dropping of 47 corruption and other charges against Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi, Murray Hunter seems to have been spot on when, in December 2022 ,he wrote, “There is no doubt a new attorney general and public prosecutor, will either drop the charges, or in ‘sandiwara’ (roleplay) manner argue Zahid’s prosecution poorly enough to force an acquittal. What is important here was that High Court Judge Yazid Mustafa in Zahid’s recent case, ruled the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Zahid.” 
 
My own take on this is that, in collaborating with UMNO to form his Unity Government, Anwar, arguably, crossed over to take leadership (by proxy no doubt) of the Party that had kicked him out under the auspices of his nemesis, Mahathir Mohamed. Now, with Zahid on the tight leash of the DNAA (discharge not amounting to an acquittal ), there may be a strong incentive for his UMNO to conform to Anwar’s imperatives. With reference to Mariam Moktar’s scathing critique of his Malaysia Madani agenda, this news makes it seem that Anwar Ibrahim has moved on, leaving his Reformasi and Harapan fellows reeling and blinking in the dust whipped up in his wake. Alternatively, he is just moving forward pragmatically, with the imperative of securing the prevailing Multi-ethnic Malaysian governance paradigm, in the face of an impending Green Tsunami led by PAS, as outlined by none other than the same Mariam Mokhtar.

See also –

Ke Mana Malaysia Kita? 11

Ke Mana Malaysia Kita? 13

Ke Mana Malaysia Kita? 14

Ke Mana Malaysia Kita? 15

IMAGE: https://cilisos.my/in-1998-zahid-hamidi-was-part-of-the-reformasi-now-he-may-be-on-anwars-side-again/?amp

https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/678035


https://www.eurasiareview.com/10122022-malaysia-the-anwar-and-zahid-relationship-analysis/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdALaDezBv8

Merdeka 3

~ The Koboi Project

Mariam Mokhtar makes a scathing criticism of Anwar Ibrahim’s Madani agenda. While I completely agree with her in terms of the ideals of the liberal democratic nation-state, I must point out that the liberal secular state is not the only legitimate outcome of the democratic process. Generally, a liberal democracy will exhibit the following characteristics – governance based on a constitution, universal suffrage, regular elections, multiple political parties, the separation of powers, the rule of law, the freedom of information, and the equal protection of human rights for all members of the nation. There is a further expectation of a liberal democracy to exhibit these additional traits, it should be a market economy, enshrine private property and practice secularism. While I believe that Malaysia must remain a democracy, and while I personally would prefer that we tend towards the ‘liberal’ form of governance, there are many variations of democracy in the world. These forms tend towards diverse poles including collectivism, ethnocentricity, and theocracy. We might wish for a more liberal democracy, but we must, nevertheless, acknowledge that even a less liberal democracy can still fulfill the essential requirements of that form of governance. Indeed, I believe that demographic trends and the consequential machinations of opportunistic party politics will likely conspire to take Malaysia towards more exotic forms of government in the future. However, in the meantime, Anwar should heed Mariam’s list of criticisms –

1. Non-Malays fear the Green Wave, so they will fully support Anwar Ibrahim but he has not bothered to hide his Islamic credentials.

2. Anwar claims he is a reformer but there have been no reforms, especially in the areas of the cost-of-living crisis and religious extremism.

3. Anwar will have been a disappointment if he delays reforms.

4. The Hadith Module will impinge on non-Muslim students and even Muslims will loose out in terms of time for science, technology an IT.

5. Anwar himself has said he would focus on needs-based rather than race-based quotas for University entrance and so he should be more respectful of those who raise questions on this matter.

6. The Malay population is badly divided in terms of access to the purported Malay privilege, particularly in the area of education.

7. Madani, Hadhari and all other forms of political Islam, particularly the more extreme versions of PAS and Perikatan Nasional are empty slogans that confuse the people and fail to further a true Islam.

8.Contrary to his purported liberal and multicultural agenda, Anwar has given more money to JAKIM and wants them to be involved in policy.

9. Anwar’s bid to harmonize sharia and civil law is troubling as constitutionally, Sharia law only relates to “family matters” for Muslims.

10 Freedom of speech is being restricted blatantly, as when the Minister of Communications issued a threat that the police would knock on our doors if we criticized the administration.

11. When a bumiputera company fails, taxpayers should not have to bail them out.

12. Anwar has been slow to criticize PAS for their outrageous claim that Muslims must vote for PAS, or else they will go to hell.

Thangarajoo RIP

~ The Koboi Project

I was saddened to hear of the passing of my friend and fellow Malaysian Indian artist Kanniah Tangarajoo on Malaysia’s 66th National day, a few days before his own 66th birthday. I only got to know Raj well late in his career but had the honour of being asked to officiate his solo show, ‘The Pulse of Creation’ at the NSTP Gallery in January 2016. The above image is the prized gift he gave me to mark the occasion. While my own approach as an artist involves conceptualism and more indirect forms of expression, my early drawings and paintings were rooted in the same vitalism and mind-body connection that I saw in Raj’s work. I felt a deep empathy but, more significantly, I saw in the exhibition, the fruits of a lifelong commitment to developing a graphic expression of an inner impulse – an impulse so deeply set that the resultant drawings (the works were mainly rendered in line) seemed to visualize vast expanses of the cosmos and the inner workings of matter itself. I was deeply moved by his vision and extremely happy to deliver the opening address. Rest in Peace Thangarajoo.

Wayang Lemah

~ The Koboi Project

The panggung (theatre/stage) for the Pokok Pauh Janggi performance was denoted by a tikar sengkuang (seashore pandan mat) and 2 cushions to mark the positions of the ersatz Dalang (puppet master) and the Pawang (shaman). The traditional Wayang Kulit batang pisang (banana stem) constituted the ibu pertiwi (mother earth) of the panggung and at each end of this ‘ground’ was inserted a bamboo rod, stating the vertical plane and marking the left and right boundaries of the proscenium. Wayang Kulit normally takes place in the dark so the shadows of the puppets can be starkly delineated on the kelir (screen), which is the ultimate site or interface of the performance. The Pokok Pauh Janggi performance was not, however, the presentation of a shadow play but, rather, the sharing of the sacred or magical upacara (rites) of Malay Wayang Kulit. The performance took place just before dusk, while there was still enough light for the buang badi rusa (dispelling of the mischief of the deer) and the invocation of the jambalang wayang (spirit of the puppets) could be observed by the audience. There could of course be no screen, and this led to practical problems with regard to support for the puppets and focusing the space of the performance.

To help delineate the proscenium and to order the space of the ritual, some devices were borrowed from the Balinese Wayang Lemah which also traditionally takes place in daylight without the mediation of a screen. In the presentation of Wayang Lemah, an intertwined cord of three threads known as the tukelan is tied across the vertical posts of the proscenium. The taught, straight tukelan signifies akasa (sky) and dharma (righteousness). At either end of the tukelan is strung an Uang Kepeng (pierced Chinese coin) that was the medium of exchange in the traditional Balinese economy, and which is said to symbolize balance between the Bhuana Agung (macrocosm) and Bhuana Alit (microcosm). While the incorporation of these elements of Wayang Lemah constitutes a deviation from the Kelantan tradition, it was apropos to the mechanics, optics, and metaphysics of the daylight performance of Pokok Pauh Janggi and, most importantly, it brought a broader Nusantara perspective to the proceedings.

“The Philosophical Meaning of Elements of the Balinese Lemah Leather Puppet Performance” written by I Putu Ardiyasa

Thanks to my friend and Vancouver based Tok Dalang Mark Parlett for guiding me towards the realization of this important aspect of the Pokok Pauh Janggi performance.

Pokok Pauh Janggi performance and installation by Niranjan Rajah runs from 5th Aug – 30th Sept 2023.

Merdeka 2

~ The Koboi Project

Taniah kepada Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim sempena pertama kali menyambut Hari Merdeka sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia selepas perjuangan selama 25 tahun. Selamat menyambut 66 tahun Merdeka – 31hb Ogos 2023.

Wayang Kulit Puppets 2

~ The Koboi Project

The puppets were made by Greta Burley from deer hide using a laser cutter. It was decided that the Pokok Pauh Janggi should be 27.5″ in height, (69cm) and the Ketam Gergasi would be scaled proportionately based on the original photograph. A key issue in determining the size of the puppets was the dimension of the largest art portfolio that would conform to the 62in dimension limit for checked baggage on international flights. Greta first I cut a small shape out of the deer hide to determine the nature and extent of the cut. She found a setting that worked fairly well although the laser did burn some of the material around the edges. Colour was applied using leather dyes.

Pokok Pauh Janggi exhibition by Niranjan Rajah runs from 5th Aug – 30th Sept 2023.

https://www.facebook.com/gretaburleydesign

Wayang Kulit Puppets

~ The Koboi Project

For the Pokok Pauh Janggi performance at Kapallorek Artspace, I worked with Greta Burley to remake two Kelantan Wayang Kulit puppets that seem to be known only from a photograph in Walter William Skeat‘s Malay Magic. The Pokok Pauh Janggi and the Ketam Gergasi puppets were collected by  Skeat in the late 19th Century. The new puppets were made in Vancouver from deerhide using a laser cutter.

Pokok Pauh Janggi performance and installation by Niranjan Rajah runs from 5th Aug – 30th Sept 2023.

https://www.facebook.com/gretaburleydesign