May 13 is like a ghost. For nearly 4 decades, it has been haunting the people of Malaysia. Together with pengundi hantu (phantom voters), the hantu of May 13 are among the main factors of success for the BN regime.
The book was a product of months of hard labour in London. Dr Kua was supposed to take rest and enjoy a bit of family life in UK last year. Instead he spent long hours in the Achieve to dig up the declassified documents on May 13, 1969.
The book “May 13″ is published by Suaram, and the publisher picked last Sunday May 13 to launch it.
Dr Kua, in his introductory speech, suggested that May 13 was a coup d’état rather than racial riot.
Dr Syed Husin, who was also a panelist, made a small distinction between a coup and coup d’état. In his view, May 13 was only a coup as there was no change of power—the same political party is still in power till today. Dr Syed Husin said that the tragic incident provided an opportunity for one group of elite to seize power from another.
May 13 since then was a tool to impose the culture of fear. Beth Yahp, who was from my generation, spoke about growing up in the atmosphere of May 13 as a taboo. She wrote a piece “In 1969″ which Sek Tim used as a play staged recently in KLPAC.
When we were growing up, May 13 existed in our psyche like a ghost. Today the masses of Malaysia, especially the non-Malays, continue to live in fear for the ghosts of May 13.
I believe the frightening memory of May 13 was constructed. Though most of the young generation today never experienced the events, they are no less fearful. So much so that the people continuously offer votes to Umno in order to appease the monstrous spirit of May 13. The fear is persisted through ignorant of the truth.
We are now approaching 40 years anniversary of May 13. It’s time to exorcise the ghosts.
The way to go is to set up a commission to uncover the truth of May 13 1969. No matter how painful this process might be, the truth must be unveiled.
