Two recent events occurred without much celebration in Malaysia. The first was World Media Freedom Day on May 3. This was subsequently followed by Star Wars Day on May 4. For myself, both hold almost equal value.
With the recent detainment of The Malaysian Insider editors and senior staff, we can all expect yet another tumble down the media freedom ranking next year. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad may have penned the poem of Malays forgetting easily, but the media fraternity is an exclusion; it never forgets.
To this day, you will still find people who went through the license withdrawal of The Star. These thoughts and trauma were brought back with the temporary suspension of The Heat's license as well as the continued threat of lawsuits against media for publishing news as well as opinions columns.
Both writers such as Malaysiakini's Susan Loone and even Malaysian Insider's Anisah Shurfa have seen themselves questioned at one time or another, with the former even being threatened with sedition in Penang.
Others, such as the teams in ABN News, and even Bernama and Radio Televisyen Malaysia or RTM have seen their pay docked, nonexistent or worse, their jobs altogether wiped out due to mismanagement or missing profits.
This is a horrible time for media, and it will not get easier. I will tell you all why.
Those of us who are die hard geeks of Star Wars fandom can draw parallels to Malaysian politics on way or the other. The recent political calling in Malaysia for a vote of no confidence against the current prime minister is akin to the political occurrence in Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
It is through the vote of no confidence in the galactic senate in the Star Wars universe that gives rise to the power of Senator Palpatine to become Chancellor.
Threats of phantom voters and even clones, as highlighted by a senior citizen in Permatang Pauh today, as well as the vast uncontrolled growth of population in Sabah due to what is dubbed as "Projek IC", is also in the science fiction universe as Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
Malaysia had undergone Episode III: Revenge of The Sith, during the period of the 1969 riots, some might deduce. However, that is not the case since Tun Razak gave power back to the people in a democratic election later on.
Instead, the parallel could happen if an emergency is declared in the coming years. And quite frankly, with all the threat of a repeat of the Taman Medan race riots, threats of another May 13 and even threats of a riot if Barisan Nasional loses a general election, you have to wonder if that time will come soon.
Or worse; the growing threat of Islamic extremism goes unchecked to the point of creating a schism in Malaysian politics leading to a threat to the federation. It could be ISIS, or it could be the hudud issue.
Thus creating a need for emergency powers to be granted to the government to counter the uprising.
And with so many ministers stuck with the mental acumen of Jar Jar Binks (even if they graduated with a 3.85 CGPA), it could just happen. Actually, poor Jar Jar might be smarter.
There are many parallels we can draw from science fiction, and the truth is perhaps stranger from time to time. But the truth is, strip away the fiction and you will find it grained in realities, even if romanticised beyond recognition.
Take for instance the history of politics and taxes.
Many draw parallels to how the GST is similar to America's spark in their War of Independence, without actually knowing that the taxes were not even paid for due to smuggled goods. This was not so recent, of course.
Let's consider a more recent one; the late Dame Maggie Thatcher was ousted due to the unpopularity of her want of a poll tax.
In both cases, taxes were the scapegoat that united a nation politically divided, which is also what we are seeing happening in real time Malaysia. Could it be the catalyst that leads to a popular ousting of the 60 plus years of Barisan rule, bringing "A New Hope" (Episode IV)?
Perhaps. Or perhaps it is a yet undetermined bunch who won't compare their leader to Gandhi and Clinton.
And as a closer; I leave the media with this final thought.
Not a single press conference, or reporter, or even journalist ever appeared in the entire course of the Star Wars series.
Either that, or you are all the Jedis and Siths.
With all these thoughts now playing in your head, members of the press fraternity, happy belated World Press Freedom Day, and may the force be with you.
-----------------------------
By Hafidz Baharom
Hafidz Baharom
Fri May 08 2015
Social observer Hafidz Baharom pens a belated thought on World Press Freedom Day.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Khidmat kaunseling diteruskan bergantung keperluan - Noraini
Hasil pemerhatian mendapati waris mangsa masih bersedih, namun kuat semangat untuk menerima kejadian yang menimpa ahli keluarga mereka.
TH tanggung lebih RM350 juta kos tunai haji tahun ini
Lembaga Tabung Haji menanggung lebih RM350 juta membabitkan kos menunaikan haji menerusi Bantuan Kewangan Haji pada tahun ini.
Mesyuarat Khas WEF, Perdana Menteri dan Pemimpin Dunia
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim akan menyampaikan ucapan dalam Sidang Plenari Pembukaan Mesyuarat Khas World Economic Forum (WEF) di Arab Saudi. Ikuti analisis menyeluruh bersama Penganalisis Ekonomi, Fithra Faisal Hastiadi; Ketua Pengarang Astro AWANI, @AshwadIsmail; dan Pengarang Niaga AWANI, @NajibAroff #BuletinAWANIKhas
Hubungan bilateral ASEAN tetap kukuh walaupun mungkin ada perbezaan- Anwar Ibrahim
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkata negara tiada masalah menjalin hubungan dengan anggota ASEAN sebagai satu kumpulan walaupun mungkin terdapat perbezaan. Beliau berkata demikian ketika bercakap di World Economic Forum pada Ahad.
Amang seksual: Inspektor polis akan ditahan kerja
Pegawai polis berpangkat inspektor yang ditahan selepas disyaki melakukan amang seksual fizikal terhadap seorang remaja dikenakan tindakan tahan kerja.
Pelaburan dari negara luar, negara harus menyahut cabaran baharu-Anwar Ibrahim
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang bercakap di World Economic Forum pada Ahad mengakui bahawa dengan pelaburan daripada negara-negara luar, pelbagai cabaran yang baharu Kerajaan Malaysia harus sahut.
Sultan Terengganu kurnia darjah kebesaran kepada 104 individu
Sultan Terengganu berkenan mengurniakan Bintang-bintang Darjah Kebesaran Negeri Terengganu Darul Iman kepada 104 individu di Istana Syarqiyyah, hari ini.
WEF: Piawaian ekonomi mampan harus adil, saksama kepada negara membangun - Tengku Zafrul
Transisi ke arah ekonomi yang mampan harus dilaksanakna secara saksama dan adil, kata Menteri Perdagangam Pelaburan dan Industri Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Raja Permaisuri Agong santuni keluarga Mohammad Amirulfaris
Raja Permaisuri Agong berkenan menyantuni keluarga Allahyarham Mohammad Amirulfaris yang terkorban dalam tragedi dua helikopter terhempas di Lumut.
Polis rampas dadah lebih RM2.3 juta, lelaki tempatan ditahan
Polis Johor merampas dadah bernilai lebih RM2.3 juta dalam dua serbuan berasingan di sekitar kawasan Johor Bahru Selatan pada Rabu lalu.