The Tomboy Photo Project: Dizzy and Alia

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"
photo by Zatula

The lovely Dizzy (l) and Alia (r), of the poetry and music performance duo, Dizzy & the.

The Tomboy Photo Project-Ashleigh

'we are proud of our women just the way they are!'

I'm Ashleigh, 19 year old feminist and I've been a tomboy since forever - much to my mother's despair of course. Here's to women who defy gender stereotypes!

The Tomboy Photo Project: Christy

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"


Christy Farrah Yow, the fresh-faced model for fashion label Crocodile, cover model for FHM Dec '08 magazine , and songstress.

The Tomboy Photo Project: J

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"


J, 37 yrs old, and her main man Timmy, enjoying their weekly hikes.

To read about Katagender's Tomboy Photo Project, click here.

The Tomboy Photo Project: Justine

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"


Justine, 25, Defender of the Universe (actually, copywriter :P)

To read the post explaining Katagender's Tomboy Photo Project, click here.

The Tomboy Photo Project: Ana A

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"

Ana A, a tomboy for 33 years. Contributor for Malaysian queer community website, Tilted World.
To read the first post explaining Katagender's Tomboy Photo Project, click here.

The Tomboy Photo Project: Juria

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"
Juria, 25. Patents engineer, writer, and theatre / film director.

And apparently, likes dessert.

To visit Juria's blog, click here. To read the first post explaining Katagender's Tomboy Photo Project, click here.

The Tomboy Photo Project: May

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"
May, 25.

Traveller and co-founder of Fortylove.tv, a travelogue and video-cast website of adventures from London and Dubai to "Europe, Middle East, India and everywhere else in between".

The Tomboy Photo Project

'We are proud of our women just the way they are!'

Amira, 18, currently a law student, shah alam

The Tomboy Photo Project: from the Tomboy & Angels Fashion Show

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"

Michelle Gunaselan, editor of Project Malaysia, and Joyce Wong, managing editor of Tongue in Chic (also of Kinky Blue Fairy fame).

Another picture of Joyce, sporting her new hairstyle (all 1mm-height of it).


And Michelle with her rainbow-coloured jacket and a huge "TOMBOY" necklace.

Both were runway models for the "Tomboy and Angels Fashion Show" at Annexe's Art For Grabs, 20th Dec 2008. The show was a celebration of, amongst other things, diversity in gender roles and fashion choices.

To find out more about the show, go to Fridae.com to read the interview they did with co-organiser Jerome Kugan.

To read the first post explaining Katagender's Tomboy Photo Project, click here.

The Tomboy Photo Project: Bella

"We are proud of our women just the way they are!"


Bella, theatre actress, fashionista and so much more.

For more information, refer to the first post on the Tomboy Photo Project

The Tomboy Photo Project

'We are proud of our women just the way they are!'

From Bender Designs - Create your own, create
yourself :)


Regina, age 22, news journalist, Kuala Lumpur.

The Tomboy Photo Project

'We are proud of our women, just the way they are!'



http://www.womeninuniform.eu/index.php?dir=Military%2FMalaysia%2F

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72005934@N00/

The Tomboy Photo Project

'We are proud of our women, just the way they are!'

Gabrielle, at age 6.

The Tomboy Photo Project

'we are proud of our women just the way they are!'

Blue


Ujean

The Tomboy Photo Project

'We are proud of our women just the way they are!'

with all the hype recently over the way women look, should look or what folks think they/we look like; we are now compiling photos of all the women that are perceived as 'tomboys' and putting up on the katagender.blogspot.com ( a secular website that has members of all faiths jotting notes and eating roti canai in cyberspace together). these photos can be of working women, in uniforms, in factory clothings, historical figures, sportswomen, our grandmothers, mothers, ourselves...as long as it is all from Malaysia (whatever you perceive as Malaysian, your grandmother could be from Singapore but now in Malaysia, you know that kind of thing.) Anyway, this campaign shall be lovingly tag, dedicated to the cool 'tomboys' out there as: 'We are proud of our women just the way they are!'

Please email us your photos to kata.gender@gmail.com if you'd like us to put your photos up too! or if you have a photo uploaded already, please tag it 'tomboy photo project' and send us a notice.

please put the info for your photo be credited to ie:
This is my grandmother who was a police officer in 1950.
Jamal, photographer/ice-kacang seller, Pahang.

or just Anon. (if you don't want to be credited or the photo was taken from another source). A small size of not more than 50kb is preferred. (easier for uploading and people won't really want to copy it cos it's so small and will be pixelated if they use it anywhere else).

There is no deadline for sending in the photos but there is a starting line, and it starts now. so what you waiting for? Go ransack some albums!! :)

lovingly
katagender and friends
katagender.blogspot.com
facebook page & group: katagender

How a Feisty Fictional Character Got Out the Vote

Taken from International Museum of Women.

Unless my memory's gone screwy, Toni was still with us when the Mak Bedah campaign started - but already ill (possibly hospitalised - not sure on this one).

Anyway, here's the article:

SEPTEMBER: HER VOTE. HER VOICE?

Malaysia's Star Everywoman
How a Feisty Fictional Character Got Out the Vote

By her own description, Mrs. Bedah looks like your average middle-aged Malaysian "auntie," favoring a headscarf, sunglasses, and a loose-fitting floral print baju kurung. She's not pop star material. So what's she doing on YouTube singing remakes of songs by American pop icons Justin Timberlake and the Pussycat Dolls? And why do Malaysian politicians and voters care what she thinks?

Women's Candidacy Initiative

Mak Bedah sings Bedahlicious with Justin Timeforchange

Women's Candidacy Initiative

Mak Bedah's take on the Pussycat Dolls' Don Cha

Women's Candidacy Initiative

Everywoman "Mak Bedah" creates a stir among the Malaysian public. View Larger >

Mrs. Bedah--Mak Bedah in Malaysian--made her debut in early 2008 in time for the Malaysian General Election. She is the creation of the Women's Candidacy Initiative (WCI), a group committed to increasing the participation of women in politics and government in Malaysia. 

Bold and a little bit brassy, Mak Bedah is the fictional character at the center of a creative voter education campaign that used pop culture references and tools plus a healthy dose of humor to inspire Malaysians --especially younger ones--to participate in civil society and stand up for issues that matter to women.

Initially, WCI planned on backing a standard candidate for parliament, independent Zaitun "Toni" Kasim. Sadly, Kasim fell ill, and passed away from cancer. Unable to find another suitable candidate on short notice, but unwilling to throw in the towel, WCI decided to shift its energy towards challenging the remaining candidates to take a stand on the kinds of issues Kasim would have championed.

They needed a new campaign and a new public face - someone voters could relate to and be inspired by. Enter Mak Bedah. Conceived of as a Malaysian everywoman, Mak Bedah was brave, opinionated, and loud. Better yet, with the help of her signature purple headscarf, any of the women in WCI could play her.

I.M.O.W. spoke with WCI representative J.C.H. Lee to learn more about this feisty fictional character.

In a nutshell, who is Mak Bedah?

Mak Bedah was supposed to represent the average Malaysian woman, one who believed in equality, justice and meaningful democracy. She rejected the uneven expectations placed on men and women, but she was clever enough to turn these expectations around.

So, during the 2008 elections, Mak Bedah went shopping, something women are thought to do well. Equipped with a grocery store shopping cart, she went ‘shopping for a real candidate,' who would work to improve the situation for women and to increase representation of women in parliament and in decision-making positions. Bearing a shopping list of positions that her ideal candidate would take, not one, but several members dressed as Mak Bedahs showed up at the public appearances of candidates from all the major political parties to ask them their stance on issues relating to women's rights.

In “Bedahlicious,” Mak Bedah's music video version of the Fergie hit “Fergilicious,” she sings alongside a Justin Timberlake stand-in named "Justin Timeforchange." How did WCI decide on this lighthearted approach to spreading its serious message?"

To raise awareness of the issues negatively affecting women in Malaysia, we needed to get the attention of the media and to reach the young. We decided that we would need an innovative campaign, something different from the staid campaigns of regular candidates. We also wanted to make the electoral atmosphere a fun and engaging one in which the young also had a stake, to widen the meaning of democracy. So, with the help of a WCI member who is also a filmmaker and a couple very sporting souls, WCI produced (in great haste!) a few music videos which we hoped would both entertain and impart a message.

How did people respond to Mak Bedah?

On the one hand, the political candidates that we engaged with in public largely took us seriously and, for the most part, gave thoughtful responses. Most, I'm happy to report, took our points on board; a few supported us outright.

The general public responded well and were supportive too. While many sheepishly took flyers that were being handed out, and others avoided any contact, many took the opportunity to act on their curiosity and find out what the commotion we were causing was about. People can sometimes be wary of coming into contact with politicians - especially those from opposition parties. I think the fact that there were a few similarly clad and cheerful looking Mak Bedahs made us look harmless.

How would Malaysia be different if Mak Bedah had her way?

Mak Bedah's and WCI's visions are the same: A Malaysia in which men and women are able to participate in life as equals with equal responsibilities and opportunities; A Malaysia in which the law recognizes the difficulties faced by women, as well as members of other marginalized communities, and protects the interests and rights they often have difficulty defending themselves; A democracy accessible to all communities, not just women, which enables everyone's voices to be heard and their needs met. While WCI focuses on advancing women's political place in Malaysia, we understand that true equality goes beyond the male-female divide and must encompass a mosaic of different communities and identities, and we all need to look out for each other. A Malaysia in which this happens, we hope, will be the Malaysia of the future and is, at any rate, the one we are working towards.

---

Cate Conmy contributed to reporting.

The Women's Candidacy Initiative promotes civil society and women's rights in Malaysia.

The Edge Daily: Options Cover Story :Shopping for a real candidate

Cover Story :Shopping for a real candidate

Email us your feedback at fd@bizedge.com

The air is muggy and still in Sungai Siput, Perak. Barely a week into the 12th general election campaign period, banners and posters strung across the Jalong market have worn their festivities to exhaustion. They flap wearily as snatches of breeze from high-powered out-of-town vehicles pass by, and amusingly animated with the passing blare of party propaganda and songs. A steady hum of motorcycle engines vibrate, bringing a steady trickle of visitors to the market despite the afternoon somnolence.

“Hullo..!” A lady waves gaily at a table of men slouching over the weekend newspapers at a coffeeshop by the market. They hesitantly stretch a smile, eyeing her supporters and their placards guardedly. The character in a pink scarf and dark sunglasses smiles, and introduces herself and her friends.

The group, consisting of Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), Sisters in Islam (SIS), All Women’s Action Society (Awam), Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) and Pusat Janadaya (Empower), is on a voter education campaign to raise public awareness of a demand to end sexism in Parliament. With them are the Perak’s Women for Women Society and the Women’s Candidacy Initiative (WCI), to which our pink-scarved Mak Bedah belongs (see page 14).

Mak Bedah is an everyday woman who looks like any aunty off the street save for her similarly dressed posse armed with placards and sheets of manifesto. She and her group travelled three hours from KL with her friends from the Joint Action Group on Gender Equality (JAG). She is a fictional character created by WCI to raise awareness about WCI’s citizen’s manifesto. During the campaigning, between four and six women from WCI take on her personality to the streets to engage the electorates and the candidates in their constituencies.

Women’s Candidacy Initiative
WCI is a collaboration of women and men who believe that the political participation of women at every level of decision-making is vital to advancing and upholding the rights of women to better represent their concerns. The organisation made history in the 1999 general election when it fielded its candidate, Zaitun Kasim, to run on a women’s human rights platform in the Selayang parliamentary seat against the incumbent, Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy (BN). She polled 43% of the vote in the constituency, slashing the winning margin for the incumbent from 38,627 in the 1995 general election to 8,835.

“Women’s lives are governed by social expectations and by laws that are made outside of their consultation. Thanks to the women’s movement (in Malaysia), you learn very quickly that women’s lives are also affected by what happens in political spaces — not political parties, but political processes — it is important to always make this distinction,” Zaitun, also known popularly as Toni, told Options in an interview last month.
Toni has worked in Malaysia for the last 15 years on a wide range of human rights and women’s rights issues. She has been involved in various civil society organisations and movements to work on issues such as sexual harassment, domestic violence, poverty, HIV/AIDS, women’s access to leadership and the impact of religious fundamentalism on people’s lives. Her work is based on the fundamental belief that women and men, and people of all races and religions, should be equal before the law.

“Bridging social activism and political processes comes naturally for most civil society movements,” said Toni, adding that she makes a distinction between a political party and a political process. “We either lobby politicians or decision-makers for our causes or get involved in politics ourselves. There is no viable option. It’s a very clear linkage for most civil society groups and activists.”

She was excited when she was approached by WCI to compete for the Selayang parliamentary seat in the 1999 polls. “I was really thrilled by the idea of running without having any party political affiliations. We had a viable candidacy, but we did not have a candidate. I had a knot in my stomach when WCI approached me,” she said, harbouring doubts about dabbling in politics, which was perceived as “dirty”.

“I still don’t think that politicians are necessarily evil people. It’s almost like saying that you won’t go into a bank because it’s so corrupt. In fact, it’s only as corrupt or as dirty as you make it.

“If you don’t think about how you can get into the system and change it, you’re just as accountable for allowing it to happen. There’s nothing noble in saying that you don’t want to be involved in politics because it’s dirty — that’s a cop-out. Why can’t we celebrate politics, and make it something joyful for us all?”

Even though Toni campaigned on a gender platform, she was not exempt from sexism while on the campaign trail. “I experienced things I’ve only read in theory about women in politics, issues of image and social barriers.

“Female candidates or aspiring politicians have to account for the clothes they wear, for example. Journalists ask questions like, ‘Did your husband allow you to run’, or, ‘How does he feel about this?’ And I will say, ‘Do you ask this of male candidates?’ or ‘Do you ask them how their wives feel about running (for elections)?’ This is the added baggage women have to carry all the bleeding time.”

“I’m not about to change the way I talk just because someone wants me to be more feminine in my speech,” said Toni, getting agitated at the topic. “There’s always an expectation in how you conduct yourself. It’s always a problem if you’re too feminine or too assertive. The measure (in a female politician) is in so many other things except your self worth and your manifesto.

“Is image really the most important measure of a woman? I can’t for a moment imagine that Malaysians are so shallow as to think it is... Is it really what the electorate is thinking, or is it what you think the electorate is thinking?”

She remembers 1999 as one of the highlights of her life. “Winning is not the point. The point is that you fight a good fight, and the fun is in running in it,” she said. “We were novices and are so used to a system that just is not geared to let a viable opposition win, much less an independent. We were caught by surprise when we managed to win 43% of the votes in the constituency.”

WCI’s shopping list
Toni spoke with much enthusiasm during the interview, despite recuperating from a spell of ill health. She confessed to having gone against the doctor’s orders to rest. Before we parted, we joked over a petition on social networking site Facebook, “A holiday for Toni”, which proposed that she should take a few days off for a short break. A week after the interview, the organisation, which had initially announced Toni’s candidacy in the 12th general election, decided to withdraw her candidacy and announced an alternative campaign. The main reason for this was that her health had deteriorated abruptly, and the organisation decided not to burden her further.

The campaign was launched on nomination day at the MBPJ Civic Centre. Mak Bedah, in a bright scarf and sunglasses, was accompanied by a group of supporters shouting, “Vote for equality!” They were wearing T-shirts that said, “Shopping for a Real Candidate”, and in Mak Bedah’s shopping cart was a “shopping list” styled after WCI’s 10-point citizen manifesto.

They approached the candidates to respond to the manifesto, which calls for democracy, a non-discriminatory society, the right to basic freedoms and human rights, a transparent and corruption-free government, a safe and violence-free society, a good and affordable standard of living for all, an end to privatisation of healthcare and basic needs, an end to unfair and oppressive laws, an end to forced evictions, and support for a responsible, sustainable and equitable development.

In the first week of campaigning, Mak Bedah approached candidates competing for parliamentary seats around the Klang Valley, including Hee Loy Sian (PKR), Edward Lee Poh Lin (DAP), Tony Pua (DAP), Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai (MCA), Chew Mei Fun (MCA), and Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR). The responses were varied, from total refusal, to vague responses and total commitment.

Mak Bedah’s ‘shopping list’
I joined five Mak Bedahs on their first trip outside of the Klang Valley. Together with JAG members, we headed to Sungai Siput, Perak. The pink scarves threaded their way casually through the market. Surrounding them were placards that read “WCI’s Shopping List for a Candidate”, “Give Sexist MPs the Red Card”. The locals scrutinise JAG’s tri-lingual leaflets, “Don’t Vote for Sexist MPs” which identify 11 sexist MPs who have been nominated for the 12th general election, including incumbent Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu.

Only one of the three candidates competing for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat turned up for the press conference that afternoon to endorse JAG’s position. Dr D Jeyakumar, the Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) candidate standing on a Party Keadilan Rakyat ticket, answered questions by Mak Bedah on sexism in Parliament, the representation of women in decision-making positions, his support for the sexual harassment Bill and the return of local council elections.

Is the Sungai Siput electorate aware of women issues and would they advocate voting on these issues? Several residents queried expressed dissatisfaction at the sexism and lack of gender sensitivity exhibited in Parliament. However, not all who were approached were aware of the sexist conduct of their elected representatives. A mother of two children, who declined to be named, said that she did not keep up with politics, and her main concern was just making sure her children get sufficient education to see them through their adulthood.

Mak Bedah emphasised the need for voter education campaign to raise public awareness of the fight to end sexism in Parliament. According to Jayakumar, the main concern of women in Sungai Siput was the plight of single mothers, many of whom were from the lower-income bracket earning an average of RM18 a day. He pledged to provide childcare centres in the area with more volunteers if he were elected.

At that same moment, several Mak Bedahs and their supporters attempted to query Samy Vellu, the MIC president, at a separate press conference. According to WCI, they were refused entry, rebuffed and verbally harassed. The sequence of events was relayed to the crowd at Jalong via SMS. It was greeted with disbelief. Spirits dampened. The rest of the day was uneventful. We stopped by the PSM’s Bilik Gerakan and admired the Che Guevara poster on the wall, and later adjourned for lunch before making the three-hour drive back to Petaling Jaya.

Mak Bedah finds Klang taxing
Three days later, another team of five Mak Bedahs and their convoy of cars travelled to Kota Raja in Klang, where PAS candidate Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud would be conducting ceramahs in several locations that night. We missed her at two locations, but eventually caught up with her in front of a row of shophouses on Jalan Kebun.

She greeted Mak Bedah warmly. A brightly lit makeshift tent was set up opposite Kedai Runcit Amin where she addressed a small crowd returning from evening prayers.

While Siti Mariah was speaking to the crowd, one of the Mak Bedahs found herself in the spotlight when she was interviewed by Al Jazeera about her campaign. The crowd slowly grew, as did Mak Bedah’s audience, most of whom stared from a respectful distance.

Siti Mariah was all smiles at Mak Bedah’s shopping list, and gamely answered her questions.

How had her day been? I asked Mak Bedah afterwards over drinks at a nearby Alim Curry House. “Taxing! I have no idea where we are right now… Are we in Klang, or is this Shah Alam?” she asked one of her supporters. “If you had to leave me here, I would… need a bus back, or a taxi,” she chuckled.

“Siti Mariah was a bit hesitant on the question of marital rape but she got around it by saying, ‘Yes, it should be an offence, but simultaneously there must be awareness.’ I can understand her point, because you can’t enforce a law without awareness.
“She also said, ‘I’m educated, I understand that, but there are wives who don’t know that they are not ‘properties’ of their husbands.’ So, yes, that kind of mentality and mindset must change. I understand her when she says it should go hand in hand — education and legislation,” said Mak Bedah.

Would she endorse the candidate? “I don’t know, because I didn’t manage to ask all the questions. I would have wanted to ask her about freedom of religion,” said Mak Bedah. Siti Mariah had apologised before she left, as she had to address another crowd elsewhere.

“She did agree to sexual harassment legislation and on local council elections. She did agree on the minimum 30% representation of women in Parliament, but also said that it should be done in phases. But the target (of 30% representation) was set so long ago — my question is, how many baby steps does it take?”
Over drinks we find out that WCI’s Mak Bedah project was loosely organised, mostly by a mixture of SMSes and an online group with about 60 members. The group intends to extend Mak Bedah’s presence elsewhere in Malaysia, post-elections, but nothing concrete has been decided upon yet.

Shopping in Bangsar
I met five Mak Bedah characters again the next day at a coffee joint in Bangsar Village 1, opposite the Bilik Gerakan for BN’s Lembah Pantai candidate and incumbent Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. Mak Bedah was engrossed with her reading, so I chatted with one of her supporters. We posited that Mak Bedah’s character could be a middle-class Malaysian who loves her skinny soy lattes.

The well-attended ceramah at the Bilik Gerakan comprised VIPs, well-heeled professionals, party loyalists, and a group of young supporters who call themselves “Youth for Shahrizat”. Shahrizat, resplendent in her own red scarf, greeted Mak Bedah and her supporters warmly upon arrival. She promised to let Mak Bedah and her group ask their questions during the ceramah.

Shahrizat spoke to the crowd for more than half an hour, followed by the VIP guest. Mak Bedah and her supporters began to feel restless, as they did not have the opportunity to question the candidate. After a short and private consultation with Shahrizat, Mak Bedah returned to her seat. They were to try their luck and catch Shahrizat before she left for her next appointment.

After negotiating many “last questions” with the candidate’s campaign personnel, Mak Bedah and her supporters finally released their clutches on Shahrizat. As they posed for photo-ops in front of the ceramah venue, a middle-aged Malay man approached them. A friendly exchange ensued, and the man pledged support for Mak Bedah. Everyone left the venue grinning.

We chatted over more cups of coffee, watching the remaining of the ceramah proceedings from across the street. Traffic was crawling from bumper to bumper, large sedans in a struggle for every inch of tarmac. Mak Bedah crossed her legs and leaned back into her chair. She looks tired, but she partook of caffeine in big gulps. “Does anyone know what Carol Chew is doing later?” she wondered, adding that they should meet BN’s candidate for Seputeh that evening, if possible.

“Shahrizat is a born politician and non-committal on certain issues and we are tired of her,” Mak Bedah said of her Bangsar shopping excursion. “We were hoping for something more concrete than that. If I had to shop (for a candidate), I’d be a bit puzzled as to what she’s actually saying. I don’t know her stand on marital rape; she only said, ‘We’ll look into it. It takes time’. What does it mean? How long is this time? When?” Mak Bedah will not know what her answers are.

“I wouldn’t say that our shopping excursion has failed. It’s exciting lah to meet Shahrizat for the first time.”
Mak Bedah tried to defend Shahrizat’s two pecks on her cheek when they were greeted. “But I don’t buy into that. Because while we agree that welfare services are important, as is cuddling [babies], many things have to happen before the cuddling. The cuddling is like the last resort — like if there are really no options or solutions — then cuddle, and comfort. We are hoping that the candidate will try all those options before doing that — cuddling.”

Mak Bedah and her supporters pieced together their report as an evening hue seeped into the coffee chain. Conversations were conducted simultaneously, and I learnt that Mak Bedah was planning to visit the candidates competing in Seputeh and Semenyih before the polling date on Saturday.

There are only two more campaigning days left, I reminded Mak Bedah — have they found a candidate? Will the last two days see Mak Bedah pushing her shopping cart in frenzy at the election hypermarket? “Well, we’ll see. We have found one (candidate), maybe. But Mak Bedah, her undi is rahsia.”
Mak Bedah put a finger to her lips, and said, “Shhhh.”

Marketing Politics Virally Youth 4 Change (Y4C)
The growing concern about Malaysia’s “politically apathetic youth” is not without reason. The median age of the Malaysian population is 24.4, and almost half of Malaysia’s electorate is under the age of 35. A telephone survey conducted by the Merdeka Centre late last year showed that one-third of Malaysians, aged 20 to 35, have not registered as voters. The opinion poll also showed that 52% thought there is little they could do to hold the government accountable between elections.

Youth for Change (Y4C), a youth-led organisation founded in 2006, is actively involved in engaging and encouraging young Malaysians to be more aware of and active in all aspects of the political process, through training, advocacy and exposure programmes. Last year, it organised by-election exposure trips to Ijok and Machap and a Young Voters Campaign in celebration of youth festivities, which also provided registration booths for young eligible voters. It has also organised a series of well-attended talks on social-political issues intended to engage and inform young Malaysians on current issues. This year’s activities also included election exposure trips to Taman Melawati, Batu Caves and Rawang.

The organisation played a series of satirical skits last month, which it says is a response to the civil society’s call for change. Y4C says in a press statement that it is confident that young Malaysians will “take up the challenge for peace and justice”. The four videos were launched on video-sharing site YouTube.com, Setem YB, Ubah Gaya Hidup, romPak lah, YB vs Blogger, which collectively gained 718,475 views in less than a week. Y4C plans to continue releasing videos in the same vein each month after the election.

According to Y4C convener Lee Khai Loon, Y4C supporters and volunteers made these series of videos based on current issues coloured with a sense of humour. “The political culture in Malaysia is very boring and full of fear. There should be an occasion or space to criticise, laugh, and tease (politicians),” he explains.

Lee hopes that the videos will be effective with YouTube. “These videos were made to present a new way of disseminating political messages, to get the young people interested in politics. We hope the viewers will be able to find room for thought and discussion in the presentation of our videos.

“This is an alternative voice to what is expressed in the mainstream media. Alternative views and stories are needed because people need more choices and channels. The interest of the people should be given priority.

“We ended all our videos with ‘Vote for Change’, as we think this is the time for change,” he adds.

Women’s Candidacy Initiative (WCI)
With less hits are the WCI music video parodies released online on YouTube. The three music videos — Democracy Back, Dontcha, and WCI - A tribute to Mak Bedah — cost RM10 to produce, according to producer and director Chi Too.

The lyrics were rewritten by Justin Timeforchange based on Justin Timberlake’s Sexy Back, Pussycat Doll’s Don’t Cha and Amy Search’s Isabella, and performed entirely by a cast of volunteers, including Mak Bedah, Justin Timforchange and Amy is Searchingfordemocracy.

“The music videos are really Mak Bedah’s point of accessibility for the masses because she can’t be everywhere. Using online video to relay our messages is probably the next best thing to public TV. YouTube is probably the most ‘cepat, mesra, dan betul’ medium, especially since we have only 13 days in our campaign period.”

All three videos, including a soon-to-be-released Bedahlicious, took up to four hours to shoot, using the facilities of a production company. “The videos were ultra lo-fi so the editing process was really quick. I pretty much got a free hand to do what I wanted to do,” says Chi Too.

“The music video on YouTube was made specifically for voter education for this general election. I enjoy singing and dancing,” says Mak Bedah, adding that she listens to a potpourri of genres, including dangdut, hip-hop, and R&B. “Leisure? I have no leisure time! Busy lah, picking up the children from tuition, yoga…” Mak Bedah reveals. “Takde-lah, no career in showbiz, I have other pressing things to do. But who knows maybe later if Datuk Siti Nurhaliza sees our video, she may want to join us next time?”

[ Note: click for Youth For Change Youtube videos, and Mak Bedah Youtube videos ]

Mak Bedah on Al Jazeera English: Everywoman Programme.

Malaysian elections

election rallies in Malaysia

At election rallies in Malaysia last week, several women in purple headscarves were spotted at different places simultaneously, elbowing their way to the front of crowds and questioning candidates on their commitments towards women's rights. The women all introduced themselves as Mak Bedah. So who is Mak Bedah? Several women represent this intriguing candidate and one of them joins Everywoman from Kuala Lumpur. Meera Samanther is a lawyer and member of the Women's Candidacy Initiative. She tells Shiulie Ghosh what the women are asking for. Read the 10 principles of the Mak Bedah Manifesto You can watch the programme featuring Mak Bedah on Al-Jazeera English here.

WCI introduces 'Mak Bedah' to Malaysians

From The Sun newspaper:

WCI introduces 'Mak Bedah' to Malaysians
PETALING JAYA (Feb 24, 2008): Injecting a bit of idealism and humour into the general elections, Women's Candidacy Initiative (WCI) formally introduced "Mak Bedah" to Malaysians today.

With a troupe of 30 supporters wearing T-shirts that read "We Are Shopping For A Real Candidate", Mak Bedah went around the nomination centre for Petaling Jaya Selatan with a shopping cart, asking candidates for their response on WCI's 10-point manifesto.

"If you want to buy a pair of shoes, you're not going to let someone just give you a pair and let them tell you that it fits you. You need to shop for it," explained said WCI representative Shanon Shah on why 'Mak Bedah' went 'shopping.

"Mak Bedah" is WCI's brainchild after Zaitun"Toni" Kassim who was supposed to stand as an independent candidate had to withdraw due to a para-typhoid attack on her liver.

"We're doing this because people remember Toni when she ran in 1999, they remember her as someone with a great sense of humour," said Shanon.

"Politics doesn't have to be boring and humourless. The creative strategy is the way to get people interested in issues."

A hypothetical Malay woman in her 40s, "Mak Bedah" is just like any other Malaysian who is curious about the candidates that will be representing her constituency.

"Mak Bedah is here to create awareness about our manifesto - a citizen's manifesto. We are so used to listening about manifestos from political parties, now we want to make our needs known as voters," he said.

In addition to Mak Bedah's introduction to the public in MBPJ today, WCI also launched a music video titled "Democracy Back" on YouTube.

A parody of the song "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake, the song features Justin Timeforchange" and Mak Bedah (http://youtube.com/watch?v=6R0Wsj06jz8).

Mak Bedah's walkabout today drew a lot of curious stares from shoppers and passersby in the area.

"It was strange, people didn't know what to make of us," said Shanon, adding that they were given a very warm reception by DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

"When we got there, we were immediately welcomed into the opposition's area. But when we tried to go to Barisan Nasional (BN)'s area, the police stopped us.

We told them that we are ordinary citizens and that "Mak Bedah" wants to meet all the candidates, but they wouldn't let us in," he said.

At the nomination centre "Mak Bedah" spoke to DAP's Edward Lee (running for Bukit Gasing state seat) and Keadilan's Hee Loy Sian who is running for PJ Selatan's parliamentary seat.

According to Shanon, Lee promised to help push the NGO's issues despite the fact that he was only a state assemblyman.

"He told us that he was well acquainted with our issues and said that he would try his best to help us. He asked us to send him more details on our points.

"Hee, told 'Mak Bedah that he would only be able to help if elected."

"Mak Bedah" was however unable to talk to BN's Datuk Donald Lim who is defending his PJ Selatan's parliamentary seat, whom she was told was busy.

"Instead, they asked us to go for his press conference tomorrow to ask our questions," Shanon said.

Mak Bedah post on Kakiseni

Mak Bedah's the Name, Gender's the Game by Lainie Yeoh

The most interesting personality in the elections this time around wears big sunglasses, matched with a smile and framed by a selendang. She’s a makcik with guts, who manages to confront candidates from both sides of the fence on gender issues, while raising tiga anak angkat on her own. Her fashion accessory? A 10-point manifesto literally taller than her.

Mak Bedah could be real (except for the supersize manifesto perhaps) but actually, she’s a conceptual, non-partisan citizen created by the Women’s Candidacy Iniatiative, in lieu of independent candidate Toni Kassim, who withdrew from this General Elections for health reasons.

The Women's Candidacy Initiative introduced the character of Mak Bedah to the masses on the 24th of February at the nomination centre for PJ Selatan. I was invited to join her retinue as part of KataGender, a collective that has had some experience in the theatre of street demonstrations.

I presumed the feminist-NGO link would lead to an exclusively gynocentric view, but was proven wrong. In fact, Mak Bedah's manifesto reflects WCI's agenda, as explained on its website:

"Our focus on gender does not preclude our commitment to equality and justice for all – regardless of race, religion, financial status, disability, age or sexual identity."

Mak Bedah can be seen at political rallies and pasar malams, talking to politicians and public alike. Several citizens have morphed themselves into Mak Bedah, encapsulating her persona to different degrees of succes. (Proving the point that it takes more than a few good women to fill in the shoes of the inimitable Toni Kassim).


Neutrality not allowed

It was easy to spot the enthusiastic Mak Bedah in PJ State pushing her trolley cart, accompanied by slogan-chanting fans wearing tshirts that said "Shopping for a REAL candidate" and leafleting.

“2-4-6-8 Shopping for our candidate!
A-B-C-D Justice and equality!”

Upon attempting entry into the PJ Selatan nominations centre, we discovered that the police had separated the crowd of supporters into two camps: Barisan Nasional, and the Opposition. We were turned away as we didn't look like pro-BN supporters, and ordered to take the entrance designated for Opposition supporters.

We explained we were a non-partisan group who weren't here to cheer either party on, but merely wanted to ask the candidates some questions. No success. We grudgingly had to make our way as ordered - kind of like taking the back door in, or sitting at the back of the bus, I guess.

Upon our entry with our shopping trolleys, shouting slogans, waving cheap placards, and clattering "tin kosongs" with coins in them, we quickly got to the front of the line. We even had a song:

"Mak Bedah wants real democracy (x2)
She's shopping for our calon
A woman we can count on
Mak Bedah wants real democracy"

(to the tune of She'll be coming round the mountains when she comes)

Having no neutral ground for us to stand on, the Opposition quickly engulfed us, co-opting the slogans, hoisting the WCI banner above their flags. The person acting as Mak Bedah assessed the situation, broke from character and called for a tactical retreat, as we tried to find a space to stand that said "Not Part of Barisan Alternatif".


My flag pole is bigger than your flag pole

From our point of retreat, Mak Bedah was back again, watching the aggressive posturing of both opposition and BN supporters. She remarks "This is like Hari Sukan. My flag is bigger than your flag", then whips back to the crowds, pumping her hand in the air and shouting "Rumah kuning! Rumah kuning!" to the amusement of those who noticed.

After much waiting in the sun without any excitement beyond partisan posturing, Mak Bedah fanned herself - "No wonder they're so happy to see us. It's so boring here".

One Mak Bedah fan watching the other supporters observed "They look ridiculous. They're just shouting at each other". In return, Mak Bedah alternated between being treated as a ludic NGO display and an Opposition supporter, depending on who was doing the treating. Every so often a man in plainclothes standing near the policemen panned a video camera over us.

Eventually the nominees came out. The Democratic Action Party's (DAP) candidate, Edward Lee, was very accommodating, even asking for a copy of WCI's manifesto. Donald Lim of Barisan Nasional (BN) snubbed Mak Bedah, though his PA invited us to his press conference the next day. The women candidates, Munaliza Hamzah (BN) and Haniza Mohd Talha (PKR), made determined beelines towards their supporters, also ignoring Mak Bedah's cries. With that, we left PJ Selatan, disappointed that some candidates had not spoken with us.

Mak Bedah, cannily picking up on the snub from both parties, looked dejected, saying "Hampalah, saya hampa". We walked off, and my friend said "Yeah, Mak Bedah has to go home and jaga anak now".


Mak Bedah does Brickfields

A few days later, I meet the WCI crew again. This time, several other Mak Bedahs are trying to catch PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar's ceramah in Brickfields.

We then had to find a way to approach the candidates at this Nurul Izzah ceramah to talk to them. "You would think it's expected kan, to have Q&A after ceramah? But takde! How to ask them what we need to know?", asked a Mak Bedah who predominantly spoke English with a tinge of a Malay accent. I looked around. Considering the throngs in Brickfields, it would be a task to get to the candidates at all, even with our placards.

Not stopping at merely having our presence acknowledged by Nurul Izzah during her ceramah, I spotted a more proactive Mak Bedah climbing up onstage to talk to her during the next speaker's ceramah. Both had their heads bent together, nodding and gesturing furiously

After the ceremah, this Mak Bedah narrated their conversation over supper. Confronted with the questions "Can I tell the women's groups here that men and women have the right to choose another religion when they do not profess to Islam?", and "Do you endorse the principles of WCI?", Nurul Izzah replied positively. Mak Bedah then laughs and tells us Nurul Izzah’s personal aide anxiously asked Nurul twice if she had read the manifesto, before backing down when she confirmed "Yes, I have!".

Nurul expressed much surprise when informed by Mak Bedah of Badawi's statement in 2007 that a 20% representation of women in parliament is adequate (a statement noticeably unchallenged by Dato' Sri Shahrizat, our Minister of Women, Family and Community). Nurul agreed to push for women to have more than a 30% decision-making role in parliament.

At the end of the discussion, Nurul Izzah asks a question many others have - "What's your real name ah?".

I think this particular Mak Bedah's questions showed fairly more knowledge than the norm, but her biodata does say she was once an "aktivis kampong dan wanita".


Breaking it down

I liked that Mak Bedah directly engaged candidates - It seemed more effective than making the manifesto available online where far fewer candidates (if at all) would read it. At any rate, such encounters have been recorded down (by the press and videographers), and would serve as a point of reference, whoever wins the seat or runs again.

In my eyes, Mak Bedah is made up of different women I know, women who are aware of gender issues. However, she avoids the use of an intellectual vocabulary that can alienate. She takes on a less intimidating– but no less knowledgeable – persona and attempts to address the necessary issues without compromise. With the elections just around the corner, perhaps the efforts of educating voters are too late. Nevertheless, as an experiment, Mak Bedah is proving effective at getting gender into the media space.

More refreshingly, there's a sense of idealism here that I do not usually sense in the activists I meet. Her antics have rejuvenated some of my interest in politics, and even if some candidates seem to be talking to her just for the press coverage. The closer interaction gave me a more human perspective from which to evaluate some of our candidates. I think the public, and even some of our candidates, forget that there shouldn't be such chasam between us and the people who want to represent us.

All in all, it's pleasant to see that not all citizen duties have to be a chore. That we can approach a candidate, expect an answer to the questions we have on what they will do for us, and if the space does not exist, we merely have to climb up their ceramah platforms and stalk them, as Mak Bedah did.

~

To find out more about this national woman of mystery, check out her very amusing bio here. And like any self-respecting celebrity, Mak Bedah has her own groupie blog;

More Mak Bedah music videos!

Bedahlicious:



Mak Bedah teams up with Justin Timeforchange for a second single!

Doncha:



Mak Bedah asked her candidates questions during nomination day

WCI - Mak Bedah Meets Datuk Sharizat Jalil



Watch some Mak Bedahs in action!

And finally, Mak Bedah gets a mention in WCI - A tribute to Mak Bedah, from rocker Amy Search..ingfordemocracy.

Bring Democracy Back! WCI MTV

Bring Democracy Back, by Justin Timeforchange, featuring Mak Bedah Spread the vid-word!

KataGender is lending full support and commitment to Women's Candidacy Initiative. Demam Elections dah mula!

Yesterday, instead of sleeping till noon as how every decent person would on a Sunday, KataGender followed Mak Bedah on her excursion to PJ Civic Centre, to welcome all the 6 candidates nominated to run in Petaling Jaya Selatan: Donald Lim Siang Chai — MCA,

It was an interesting experience. Macam hari sukan sekolah. Inexplicable party loyalty was demonstrably loud, fired by properly coloured and logo-ed flags that flew high in the bomoh-charmed sunny sky. The space was carved into two: one side Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition made up of numerous parties including MCA, MIC, UMNO, PPP etc; and the other side "opposition", made up of mainly DAP and PKR.

As a non-partisan civil society group, we literally didn't have a place to stand. It had to be an "either or". The police shoo-ed us to the "opposition" side since we obviously didn't look very BN, but even the "opposition" group who welcomed Mak Bedah with open arms, shared hailer, air botol & standing place felt that we had to make a stand.

And this is before we had a chance to decide where to pangkah our X on the ballot! Oh well...

KataGender marched with Mak Bedah's group, complete with shopping carts, trolleys & basket, and a huge shopping list with WCI's manifesto, and sibuk with her to ask whichever accessible candidate questions about her/his stand on issues important to our hearts.

Tonight, there will be multiple Mak Bedah sightings at the SS2 Pasar Malam, engaging orang ramai dalam pilihanraya yang tak berbentuk party fanatic.

To be a Mak Bedah fan, check her out at the WCI2 website!

Dirty Laundry II - Come see!

There will be a gig in Annexe on Friday, 8th February 2008 (tomorrow)
further information from Ricecooker: Konsekuensi Pra-Tonton, The Annexe

KataGender is not perfoming at the gig, but a KataGender installation will be put up nearby. Some of you may recognise this image:


(photo by Ezrena Marwan)

So if you'll be in the area, drop by after for the KataGender installation - the provocative Dirty Laundry street exhibition will be making a reappearance there, and flyers will be handed out.

[ Those who will be present, feel free to edit this post ]

queer vids for the straight kids

collated videos potentially useful for 8 feb gig:












Hip hop, sick of homophobia shit.


I'm gay. So what. Don't judge. My butt.

Meeting Results

A Katagender meeting was held tonight, in a dimly lit living room designed not as a meeting point for enthusiastic minds, but for a night of hardcore couch-potatoing. With such a challenge at hand, I declare it impressive that any action plans have been drafted at all for Katagender's 2008 calendar.

As I was not allowed to film the discussion, all I can tentatively recall is that there shall be

1) a follow-up meeting to plan a workshop on sexuality for a gig at Annex
2) an online discussion on women and political processes, in order to figure out an aksi in support of WCI
3) a monthly meet for debates (logistics and willpower may prove otherwise, but we'll see)
4) a focus on the issue of female candidacy in the elections - meritocracy? affirmative action? (see point 2)
5) attempts to raise awareness on aforementioned topics.

Apparently, we should work on our strengths- 3 videographers, an organised activism person, a designer, some writers, a lawyer; and our resources - dirty laundry, plenty of chalk, and our collective poverty that we refer to as "the budget".

Suggestions were made on hugging people while dressed as Care Bears (which will strain "the budget"), ballot boxes / boxers in demonstrations (too obscure / difficult to run away in / requires additional work of poking holes for eyes), making raincoat flags (too seditious), holding workshops, Bjork concert together in Jakarta to raise our spirits, applying for a grant to go to said concert, and so on.

The silliness out of the way, it seems the short term direction of Katagender will be to focus on the role (absence?) of women in politics. I was told about the Women's Candidacy Initiative 2, a name I was mostly unfamiliar with:

The following anecdote is ganked from Sisters in Islam:

The Women's Candidacy Initiative
The Women's Candidacy Initiative is a bridge between political participation as party members and social activism through non-governmental organisations. It is about creating space for women to participate in politics and expanding currently existing opportunities to impact at the political level so that Malaysians have a larger number of politically experienced women, who then could choose where to invest their abilities. Women's Candidacy Initiative is a bridge. We are unable to put up the link but visitors can email Zaitun Kasim for more information.

(it's okay, I didn't read it either)


Some dates and activities were eventually agreed upon. I do not have the dates, my primary function seems to be to update my blog (and now, Katagender's). It's ironic, considering the person elected to relay information is also the one least equipped with the faculties to retain it in the first place.

Those who were present may feel free to edit this post, I'm just starting first cause you wankers never update the blog (look at the last post! That was yonks ago!) (JK: edited some).

If anyone will like to be on the mailing list, email kata.gender@gmail.com.