I was a gig by The Observatory, last Friday, at No Black Tie in KL.
The night became more interesting when one of the lead vocal introduce one of the song in their new album, "Dark Folke". She said that the song used to have a controversial name, it was known as "RPK", which they later changed to "Blood Rising", because, according to her, not many people from other regions would know the meaning of RPK. But I thought, it would be cool if they stick to its original name though. Anyway, I think the name, "Blood Rising" sounds fitting too. :) RPK = Blood Rising. (hehehe)
The Obvervatory is a Singaporean band, with only one Malaysian member, Dharma - who studied and currently working in Singapore. Dharma was the one who first came out with the music of "Blood Rising", and later the whole band begun to modify and arrange the music, and the lyrics was written by their lyricist Leslie Low.
After the gig, I couldn't help it but to walk up to Dharma and asked him about the song. He told me that he was following the Malaysia Today very closely before the March 08 tsunami, and could feel the whole movement of change coming to Malaysia. He was very hopeful about what was happening then. He came home to vote, and it was his first time voting, despite of being able to do so long long time ago. When asked why they change the name to "Blood Rising", he said that when Leslie came up with the lyrics, it feels like it could fit a generation of those who are rising up for change, who decide to take the road least traveled. Hence, the name change. Nonetheless, it was a song inspired by YOU! :D
Dharma told me that Leslie wrote these lyrics when you wrote "It's time to storm the Bastille" while he came up with the chords when you were at the Sungai Buloh prison for a couple of days around May '08.
We later exchanged name, and he asked if I had a blog cos my name sounds familiar and I said yes, I have and I was in KT with you and the Barisan Rakyat bloggers. And he said he remembered visiting my blog that time! I was like... WAHHHHHH..... *gasp*
Told him that it would be really cool if you ever know of this song, and he said yeah, he would love to have you hear it. :)
Here's the lyrics:
Blood Rising by The Observatory
Give it all Your salary Your prime Your lease Your seed Your sanity Your right Your peace of mind I'd never be ruled By lies The lies Feeding your mind Feeding your eyes Cheating you blind You rise up The sun loves everything The land in need of reckoning
From the dark Walk the folk Their eyes are no longer prisons They rise too Feel the rage in you All that's in me, in you We cease to be quiet Our uprising
*** I thought this song came as a timely reminder in the midst of a sea of crisis that's happening in Malaysia now, that...
"we should never be ruled by the lies that are feeding our eyes, our mind, and cheating us blind, we shall therefore rise up from the dark and feel the rage in us, hence, cease to be quiet and join the uprising!"
Last year, so many of us, Malaysians gathered together in protest of your unwarranted detention under ISA on your birthday.
This year, thank God you're not spending this day alone in solidarity confinement. Wherever you are, I hope that you're happy and safe with your loved ones!
The trouble with our understanding of RPK is that his iconic stature is built on what we’ve seen of him from when Malaysia Today came on the scene. We’ve missed out on understanding his past, his experience, his history.
By Suflan Shamsuddin
As a Malay, it is easy to misunderstand RPK’s rhetoric.
He comes down hard on us… He tells us to break our addiction to the NEP, to not tolerate corruption and patronage, to embrace universal values, and to understand that what UMNO does is to keep us in a never ending cycle of insecurity for their own political gains. He’ll whack us when he thinks Muslims behave despicably; even when to do so gets him in trouble with the law.
If, as a Malay, you do not understand the context in which RPK makes these arguments, you’d think that he was doing it to pander to the non-Malays. You’d think he had sold out his race. You’d think he was a traitor.
Malays need to realize, RPK is NOT the enemy. He is NOT a traitor.
The trouble with our understanding of RPK is that his iconic stature is built on what we’ve seen of him from when Malaysia Today came on the scene. We’ve missed out on understanding his past, his experience, his history.
If you actually look back at what RPK has done before his life as a blogger, you will realize this man has probably personally done more to help the Malays, with his own blood, sweat and tears, than most UMNO politicians would have ever have done in their whole political career. Sure, it is easy for any politician to give gifts, and promise to build hospitals and schools, when it isn’t his money.
RPK’s past contribution to helping the Malays, especially in his many years in Kuala Terengganu, has included speaking up for the Malays, breaking his back for the Malays, and spending his own personal wealth to help them, without the benefit or support of UMNO. He has helped to build schools for underprivileged Malays and to ensure that they have an opportunity to have Islamic education. He has fought in the past to ensure that the Malays are not overwhelmed by the challenge to survive without any support, by making his voice heard at various forums and meetings with cabinet leadership, in his capacity as a senior member of the Malay Chamber of Commerce. He has served as chairman to many mosque committees and been an active member of the PTA of schools whose students are overwhelmingly Malay. He has gone to jail in the name of protecting the values of Islam which he felt was being de-based by the acts of those who pretend to speak and act with authority over Islamic matters. The list goes on.
To me, he has earned his right to speak his views. And as much as it sometimes stings to hear what he has to say, I have to accept that he has shown by his deeds where his heart is. Believe it or not ... he speaks to us like a loving Uncle, who will not hesitate to kick you up your backside when he thinks you need it ... because he loves you, he wants what’s best for you … because he’s done a lot to help you, and will continue to do so. He also knows that it is his duty to hit you with doses of realism, for your sake and to wake you up from your slumber.
He reminds us that we must live together with others harmoniously if Malays are to succeed as a society, and to compete on equal terms if we are to truly be emancipated. He tells us that our capacity to be a good Malay, and a good Muslim, is down to having a firm moral compass, being able to accept criticism and personal accountability, and to be willing to be the master of your own fate, and not be the slave of the ruling political elites.
Perhaps Malays need to find out what else he’s done, and ask themselves what they have themselves done for the Malays, before talking so rudely about him.
We are all entitled to our opinions in a debate about the future of our country, whether as Malaysians or as a member of any community. But just because RPK and others like him choose to challenge the conventional rhetoric of UMNO, whether it be with regards to Ketuanan Melayu, NEP, or anything else, it does not make him a traitor to the Malays. On the contrary, he is nothing short of being a Malay champion.
We owe it to our ourselves not to dismiss the views of those who speak with our best welfare at heart, and that of all others and the nation, no matter how hard he may at times, come across.
It breaks my heart to think that RPK will be sent back to Kamunting after this Monday.
Anyhow, we may not be able to change the verdict that most probably has already been made.
RPK doesn't have to be there, suffering in the ISA detention camp. There's no reason for him to.
He's there because of us.
He's fighting for us, for our future generations.
One thing that we could do is to heed his call "to stand tall and proud on the steps of the Palace of Injustice in Putrajaya and scream at the top of your lungs: IT'S NOT OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER. And I will scream the same thing in the police van as I journey to Kamunting: IT'S NOT OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER."
Please, please, please, be there to stand tall and be counted, this Monday in the Palace of Injustice, Putrajaya.
Let's show the power that be THAT we, the people, are all behind RPK!
I left the "palace of justice" yesterday, with a sense of hopelessness and a heavy heart...
If you were there, you would feel the same too. Even though the hearing was postponed to Monday, most of us who were in the courtroom already knew the verdict.
It was so obvious, just by the words and actions of the persons who are supposed to hear the case impartially.....
No biasness? I beg to differ!
I thought Malik Imtiaz's arguments on the recusal of Justice Augustine from RPK's ISA trial were brilliant! He was so eloquent and efficient!
For a moment, I almost thought that the application would get through...
I almost sensed hope..
But I forgot....of late, justice hardly prevail..... especially here....
The hearing itself, to begin with was unconstitutional as the federal court of Malaysia MUST be heard before a panel of minimum 3 judges, but Justice Augustine recused himself from the hearing BEFORE the proceeding was officially started.
" Normally cases before the Federal Court of Malaysia are heard and disposed of by a full Court comprising of three judges. However, in certain special cases, for example one which involves interpretation of the Constitution or a principle of law of major public importance, the Chief Justice may convene a bigger panel of five or even seven judges to deal with the matter. In fact the Federal Court sat as a seven-men Bench for the first time on February 5, 1996 to decide on the law governing the standard of proof required of the prosecution in criminal cases." - Operation of Court
This was of course, argued by Malik Imtiaz, however, the other 2 judges dismissed it and called for the proceeding to start, and be heard before only the two of them...
"It is for them that we're doing this, isn't it?" Marina said and smiled as she shook the hands of the children that were present at the candle light vigil in Padang Timur yesterday.
I stood still after hearing that. It didn't really occur to me that, it is for these younger ones that we're fighting for: A renewed Malaysia, where every race and religion is treated with due respect. A place where every Malaysian can call home. :)
Yesterday, Malaysians demonstrated that they are willing to step out of their comfort zone and make a stand. It is not only a stand to call for the abolishment of ISA or to Free RPK and the rest of the ISA detainees, it's also a sign that many Malaysian are begining to embrace the new generation of being Anak Bangsa Malaysia. :)
We were all there, regardless of race, religion, age and profession. We were united under one cause.
I met one of those who inspired me with this new hope, the making of Anak Bangsa Malaysia. ;)
