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MCG Newsletter - Nov 2002

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November sees the launch of the festival season. On the 4th of the month there is Deepavali, "The Festival of Lights", commemorating the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. It is a very joyful social occasion, as those who attended the MCG Deepavali lunch will know.
Early November is also the time when the most enchanting of Buddhists festivals, Loi Krathong, is celebrated at Wat Chetawan, the Thai Temple on Jalan Gasing, in Petaling Jaya. Small floral floats containing a candle and incense sticks are released at the lake behind the temple as an offering to the water spirits and as an appeasement for sins committed during the past year. Being the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, November this year marks the beginning of Ramadan, the month of fasting (sawm) when Muslims comply to the fourth of the five pillars of Islam by abstaining from food and drink during daylight hours. That all these events occur during a four week period indicates the very nature of Malaysia, where it is possible to experience so many cultures. MCG activities for the month are as usual varied and eclectic, thanks to the ever hardworking Events Planning Team. First there is a visit to Angela Hijjas' beautiful home, Rimbun Dahan, where we will have a tour of the grounds and of the Malay kampong house with its Chinese carvings.
The monthly lecture will be a study of the indigenous alternative therapies that are used here in Malaysia. Then crafts will be viewed from two different perspectives. Many of you have probably visited the Craft Complex on Jalan Conlay and seen the number of Malaysian crafts available. Not only does the Malaysian Handicraft Corporation have this showcase to display the finished items but it also runs a training division teaching a variety of crafts, which we are fortunate to be able to visit and to see the workshops in progress. In contrast we will then see an exhibition of Chinese Imperial garments where craft has been elevated to art due to the sheer precision of the artistry.
We will be viewing the film "Guardians of the Forest", which MCG first saw in February 2001. The film is a very moving documentary of the Orang Asli and the conflicts they face in a modern environment. Joining us for this event are the film's producer, director and contributor who will discuss the situation of the villagers portrayed in the film and update us.
Also in November there will be the opportunity to meet the MCG committee at the Newcomer's Coffee Morning (rescheduled from September). This is held at the home of our Librarian Renata Greplova who will be able to introduce members to the MCG Library collection of over 500 books covering a broad range of subjects from "Contemporary Malaysian Art" to "Twilight of the Nyonyas", and a great deal more.
The committee is organised by a team of very dedicated volunteers who give generously of their time and ideas to ensure that both the front of house and backstage activities run smoothly and efficiently. There is an opportunity to join the Committee as the position of Membership Secretary has become vacant due to Sophie having to leave for Singapore.
Members also make significant contributions to the functioning of the MCG in a number of ways from proof reading to offering their home as a venue for an event. Last month, long term member Angie Ng guided the MCG around the Nine Emperor's Temple on Ampang as the Temple celebrated that festival. Thank you Angie for arranging such an informative and enjoyable morning.

Happy Deepavali!

Diana Cooper

REPORTS FROM PREVIOUS EVENTS

MEMORIAL TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN PUTRA - 30 August

Just before Merdeka Day, a group of Malaysian Culture Group members visited the Residency where the first prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra (1903-1990), lived between 1956-1970.
The Residency itself is historical, as it has housed the first British Resident, the first Chief Minister of Malaya and then the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, the two last functions both in the person of 'the Tunku'.
During British rule the Residency was the official home of the British Resident of Selangor. In 1880 it was re-sited from Klang (first capital of Selangor thanks to the presence of tin mines), to the present site, where it is situated on one of the highest locations of Kuala Lumpur.
The British Resident of Selangor, Captain W. Bloomfield Douglas, was the first inhabitant here.
In 1888 a reconstruction of the Residency started on the same site, taking into consideration the essential character of the original building. The entire structure was completed in 1889 and continued to be occupied by subsequent British Residents of Selangor until the outbreak of World War II. The Tunku made the Residency his official home as soon as he became Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya. A number of important meetings were held here, including those that paved the way towards Independence.
A number of major decisions seem to have been made in the dining room, where a long table could accommodate 30 people. It was the venue for official dinners and extraordinary cabinet meetings. The Tunku held dinners here for heads of departments every month. The idea behind these meetings was to promote friendliness and goodwill among them.
After dinner the gentlemen went to the Cairo room (the white chairs came from Cairo), the ladies were welcomed in a very small Ante room. Upstairs, the bedrooms and the dressing room are very basically furnished.
Also the Tunku's Private Office, the original one from 1956, made a very modest impression, furnished only with a writing table and chair, a steel cabinet and two chairs for visitors. The office is now set up in a separate building, where we could also have a look at more personal belongings such as clothes, aftershave, golf clubs and Tunku's speedboat.
The Memorial as it is now, was built around 1990 and consists of three buildings, covering some 7.5 acres of land. Besides the Residency there are two blocks in which an exhibition area, the administration and a library are housed. Many documents of the period 1964-1970 are kept here.
The purpose of building the Memorial was primarily to honour Malaysia's first prime minister. Moreover, especially the exhibition area, gives us an insight into the development of the Independence movement in Malaysia.
Leida Noordermeer.

MASTERPIECES AT THE NATIONAL ART GALLERY - 26 September

Once again, the EP team outdid themselves. They managed to have none other than Redza Piyadasa, prominent artist, art historian and guest curator of the exhibition, personally lead our 47 members on this wonderful journey through Malaysian art. The exhibition was especially assembled to coincide with the recent Asia-Pacific Conference. Redza had the daunting task of selecting 80 masterpieces from the 3000 making up the National Art Gallery Permanent Collection and in doing so, he managed to create a fascinating time capsule of Malaysian art spanning nearly a century. The works are divided into four categories.
In the Landscape section we discovered the work of Georgette Chan and learned about her extraordinary life. Also fascinating were works by Syed Ahmad Jamal, the first Malay art student to go to England, and my personal favourites: 'Rice Field' by Yeoh Jin Leng and 'Sand Traders' by Mohd Sani Mohd Dom.
The exhibits in the Mythologies section touch on 'detribalisation', indigenous sensitivity, forms of Islam, shadow play, Indian gods with artists such as Patrick Ng Kah Onn, Latif Mohidin, Syed Tajudeen and Zulkifli Dahalan whom Redza qualified as 'The absolute original'. There were very interesting pieces by women artists using textiles as a form of expression.
The History section deals mainly with portraits (O Don Peris and Hossein Enas) and society. Worth noting is the 'San Sui worker' by Lai Foong Moi (first Malaysian woman to study in Paris); 'The Great Supper' by Eng Hwee Chin (multiple realism by a young artist); Nirmala Shanmughalingham 'Vietnam 1981' (social statement); Sylvia Lee and Redza (Nonyas & Babas); Wong Woon Lee (painful painting of the stages of depression - her father's); and the triptych painting by Shia Yih Ying, reminding us of those found in medieval churches, exuding a magical realism with characters in Botticelli poses.
The Abstract section offers a rather baffling installation piece 'Don't play during Maghrib'; Tan Hon Yin's 'Water margin'; Jolly Koh's 'Fan fern'; Joseph Tan's 'Study of rocks'; an Ibrahim Hussein early pop painting; Redza's 'Entry point'; and lastly, a large post modernism piece definitely worth a closer look: 'Smiling Van Gogh and Smiling Gauguin' by Hasnul Jamal Saidon.
While touring the exhibits, Redza shared his vast knowledge and enthusiasm with us. Modern art began here with the contribution of Chinese painters from 1910 until after WWII. During this period, students would go to Singapore where they would use watercolours, aerial perspectives and scroll-size paper so distinctive of the Chinese tradition. During the 50s students started to go mainly to England, France and Germany and were influenced by the various European art schools. Malay modern art evolved from 1960 after the opening of the School of Art and Design at the Mara Institute. Interestingly enough, Indians are not particularly inclined towards modern art. Women started to venture onto the art scene in the 70s and feminism has had an increasing presence in art ever since. Nowadays, Malaysian artists are graduates from the best arts schools worldwide.
It was fascinating to see through the eyes of Redza how the artists' perception changed during the 20th century allowing individual spirits to assert themselves. And we all agree that within the momentum of globalisation, art in Malaysia holds a unique position of diversity, complexity and richness.
Colette Hassan

Note: A book on this exhibition 'Masterpieces from the National Art Gallery of Malaysia' is available at the National Art Gallery (RM150.00). There is also a copy in the MCG Library.

RELIGION 1O1 : ISLAM-30 September

MCG members were privileged to hear Dr. Kamar Oniah Kamaruzaman give a talk for the "Religion 101: Islam" series. Dr. Kamaruzaman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Uualuddin and Comparative Religion at the International Islamic University Malaysia and has been a participant, representative, and presenter of papers at international conferences, seminars and programs both locally and overseas. Dr. Kamaruzaman opened her remarks by stating her belief that the world is becoming more open-minded and open-hearted. All lasting religions call on people to do good, and all answer certain basic questions: where we come from, our purpose, where we are going, and how we should live. Her talk emphasized the common links between religions, especially between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, which come from the same roots. For example, all share the same creation story and believe that Adam was the first human. They share the same prophets and believe in the same God. Islam encourages believers to think and reflect rationally. A reason that alcohol is forbidden is because it interferes with clear thinking. The essence of Islam is not faith, it is thinking. Christianity focuses on faith and believing. While Islam reveres Jesus and Mary, Christianity believes them divine. Though there are differences between them, religions are not responsible for the conflicts in the world today. Even though she feels that religions are being dragged into world events, Dr. Kamaruzaman sees much to be hopeful about for the future of humanity.
Sheila Miller

MONTHLY LECTURE - REHMAN RASHID-02 October

Rehman Rashid, writer and Associate Editor of the New Straits Times, in his usual entertaining and informative way, liberally spiced with inside stories, spoke to us about post-Mahathir Malaysia.
His opinion was that the country was really run by a group of not more than 20 highly influential people at any one time, and that these people determined government policy. He said that democracy in Malaysia was about the three C's: Consultation, Compromise, Concensus and possibly a fourth, Cynicism! Using these principles, conflict between the different racial groups was managed rather than resolved.
He felt that Dr Mahathir had planned his June 22, 2002 announcement to step down, rather than it being a spontaneous decision. Rehman's opinion was that Dr M made the decision because he felt that he had failed to achieve four of his main objectives in power viz.a return to meritocracy for employment and education; a truly multiracial society living in harmony; re-introduction of the English language; and elimination of PAS. In other words, the concept of a Bangsar Malaysia has not yet been realised.
Rehman told us that he thought Abdullah Badawi was an ideal successor to Dr Mahathir, because he was 'Mr Clean', loyal and obedient to Dr M but not servile to him. Pak Lah, as he is affectionately known, has proved to be a capable and efficient Deputy. Rehman was certain Badawi would prove to be a good manager to follow Dr M providing continued stability in the country during the five-year term to follow.
Unfortunately time restrictions prevented many people from asking Rehman burning questions, so he has offered to come back in the new year for a question and answer session with us.
Suzanne Davey

AYURVEDIC MEDICINE-10 October

We had a fascinating talk on Ayurvedic medicine from Professor Dr K. Chandra Shekhar, who turned to Ayurveda after a distinguished career in Western medicine. His thinking underwent a paradigm shift when Ayurvedic therapy as practised in southern India enabled his father to walk again after he had been paralysed after a stroke and Western medicine had little to offer him.
Ayurveda is 6000 years old and was an oral tradition passed down from guru to student until the 5th and 6th centuries when it was written down in Sanskrit. Buddhist monks took Ayurveda to Tibet, Mongolia, China Korea and Sri Lanka where variations in teaching have developed.
The basic philosophy of Ayurveda is to make people aware of their lifestyle, diet, exercise and mental activities to achieve perfect balance in mind, body and soul. Its objectives are to prevent disease, to rejuvenate the mind and body, and increase longevity; in other words, an holistic approach.
There are five great elements or panchmahabhutas. These are :-
Akash :(Space - mouth, nostrils, abdomen)
Vayu: (Air - movements, muscles)
Jal: (Water - plasma, blood, lymph)
Agin: (Fire - organs, metabolism)
Prithir: (Earth - bones, teeth , flesh)
These forces combine in pairs to form 3 dynamic forces or doshas.

The Vata (air and ether) is the moving force, the Pita (fire and water) is the digestive force and the Kapla (earth and water) is the binding force.
We all have these forces in differing proportions, and the Ayurvedic physician determines which body type the individual is and therefore which type of remedy is appropriate. The pulse, tongue, voice, skin, eyes, general appearance, stool and urine are used for diagnosis.
Types of treatment used are Oelation (oils) Fomentation (steam), Emesis (vomiting), Purging, Enemas, Nasal therapy and Blood letting (not used in Malaysia).
Oze's Ayurvedic Medical Centre offers a variety of special treatments such as body purification and longevity treatment, aphrodisiac and psoriasis treatments, with the most appealing being the Rejuvenation 14 day package, involving massage and steam oil treatment and internal medications, with a promise of a new younger looking and feeling you. See you in the waiting room perhaps!
Suzanne Davey

BOOK CLUB NEWS

Chapter I The House of Blue Mangoes by David Davidar.

Publisher's précis : "David Davidar has created an exuberant tale, set in a land of extremes. The story of India ebbs and flows with the story of the Dorai family, their fortunes inextricably linked the early struggles for independence, the emergence of Gandhi and the Congress Party, two world wars and finally, the new India."
This is David Davidar's first novel and it took ten years to write. The middle section was written first and given to Vikram Seth; he advised Davidar to include more background on the earlier days-especially centring on Soloman, the first Dorai in the book. After extensive work, the novel was deemed to be too long and was edited to its present length.
It's been widely publicised here and Davidar has given several talks and interviews.
The group was divided into those who loved it and those who only enjoyed some of it-namely the large centre section. Everyone had a view. We recommend reading it and deciding for yourself.
Jean Wingfield

Chapter II Indira , The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi by Katherine Frank.

This biography of 'the Woman Of the Millennium' proved a challenge to our members. It was very easy reading in terms of language and style but 500 pages filled with details of the life of Indira Gandhi were supplemented by 31 pages of notes, 8 pages of bibliography and a 23-page index. None of us in the group had previously read any biographies of major political leaders and we were amazed at how little of India's history we had remembered from news reports during Indira's leadership. We frequently had to check back in the book to remind ourselves of people, places and dates and although a family tree and maps were included at the front, a timeline would have been a useful addition. This was a very well researched piece of work justifying the six years it took Katherine Frank to complete, with details of Indira's early life being gleaned from correspondence between Indira and her father when they were frequently separated because of schooling, illness and imprisonment. We were rather surprised at how little there was about the days surrounding Independence, however, later recollections revealed that " It was such a powerful experience'" but that "Indira felt curiously 'numb'."
We found ourselves discussing the content of the book rather than literary merit but one simple line definitely grabbed our attention when Indira almost died giving birth in 1946. "Sanjay Gandhi had arrived in the world. From the start he was big trouble."
This book caused some controversy in November 2001 when Maneka Gandhi won a libel case against Katherine Frank resulting in the removal of some offending passages from the book. It also prompted an allegation from Maneka that "the book was obviously not written as a history of Mrs. Gandhi but in order to show up the entire family, except one person (Sonia Gandhi)".
Indira is an excellent biography and highly recommended. It is conveniently broken up into three parts, which should help you to avoid the information overload that we experienced reading to a deadline. There are other large biographies of Gandhi and Nehru on the shelves and an autobiography by Khushwant Singh, Truth, Love and a Little Malice, might reveal more fascinating facts about the Gandhi family.
As a complete contrast, Chapter II will read The Merlion and the Hibiscus in October, a collection of short stories from Malaysia and Singapore.
Jill Thistlethwaite

Chapter III Murder on the Verandah - Love and Betrayal in British Malaya by Eric Lawlor.

After a delicious afternoon tea of dips and cake at Ann Clutson's home, Arlene led the discussion with some background details on the author and thought-provoking questions about the text.
The author, Eric Lawlor, grew up in Dublin, was educated in the United States and now resides in Texas. There is little information regarding him apart from the fact that he is a travel writer for various magazines and has two other published works. Looking for Osman is a modern account of travelling in Turkey and In Bolivia, a personal odyssey through Bolivia. It appears he is to have another book published towards the end of 2002.
Murder on the Veranda deals primarily with the period 1900 to 1911. At this time there were three main ethnic groups in Malaya - the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians. The British rule in Malaya was stable and the economy sound and expanding. Tin mining and rubber were the mainstays of the Malayan economy.
The murder in question was that of William Steward by Ethel Proudlock, the wife of the acting headmaster of Kuala Lumpur's premier school, The Victoria Institution. She claimed to have shot Steward six times in self defence when he found her alone on the verandah of her bungalow and tried to rape her.
At first, public opinion was on the side of the 23-year-old woman but this changed and Ethel was found guilty of murder. It was alleged that Steward was Mrs. Proudlock's lover and that the meeting on that fateful evening was not a casual social call but a prearranged one. So why did a quiet woman shoot her lover? Lawlor suggested that it was not a case of attempted rape but a case of jealousy. Lawlor proposes that Ethel may have discovered that Steward also kept a Chinese mistress back at the mine. If this was so, it would account for the frenzied attack on Steward. On June 14, 1911 Mrs Ethel Proudlock was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang by Justice Sercombe Smith in the High Court of Kuala Lumpur. However, as a result of several petitions organised for her amnesty, His Highness, the Sultan of Selangor granted Ethel a pardon, but Ethel had become a pariah. The Proudlocks left Malaya, lived in England for a while and then moved on.
William and Ethel did return to England. Ethel had a nervous breakdown (probably the cold weather). They then went to a remote location in Quebec. In 1916 Ethel moved to the United States, leaving her daughter behind. She spent some time in New York but seemed to be drifting. In 1950 Ethel and her daughter moved to Florida and she became a naturalised American citizen working as a nurse. Ethel died in Miami in 1974. William secured a teaching post in Buenos Aires in 1931 and he died there in 1957. The daughter died in 1990 - did she ever know the full story?
This is not the end of the story. In 1956 an eminent lawyer in Kuala Lumpur, who had himself been a student of The Victoria Institution at the time of the murder, stated he was of the opinion that Mr Steward was shot, not by Mrs. Proudlock, but by a jealous rival, which would account for so many shots being fired. Mrs. Proudlock had then attempted to protect the unknown rival by making up the story of the attempted rape and her alleged part in the shooting. The evidence for this theory was that a watchman saw a European swim across the Klang River, near the scene of the incident. This was a most unusual thing for a European to do as on that day in 1911, the Klang River was in full flood and full of crocodiles. Was the mystery swimmer the unknown rival? We shall never know.
The reading group was of the opinion that Eric Lawlor used this case as an excuse to make social comment on British Imperialism in general and the Colonists in particular. Three quarters of the book was devoted to the above with only the remaining quarter detailing the case and trial. The characters were underdeveloped and it is difficult to understand why Ethel was found guilty as the evidence was circumstantial. However Murder on the Verandah gave very detailed information about what it was like for those who lived in Kuala Lumpur in the early 20th century. Lawlor was scathingly brutal in his depiction of the British and how they constantly tried to duplicate their British way of life in Asia.
Beverley Horder

LIBRARY REPORT

Dear friends, looking at the November program of events, we have a lot of books you could use to increase your knowledge of the different subjects we will be covering.
I can offer you an interesting collection of books about the Orang Asli community. Check our website www.malaysianculturegroup.com where we show the catalogue of our books.
We also have a very nice Encyclopedia of Malaysian Plants.

If you live on the other side of town to my home in Ampang, don't forget that you can email me with the books you have chosen and I could easily bring them to an event we are both attending.
From the new purchases I can offer you the book from the winner of the Nobel price for literature V. S. Naipaul - Among the Believers and we already have the second volume Beyond Believers. Enjoy those journeys through Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia. The 'believers' are the Muslims he met on those journeys - young men and women battling to regain the original purity of their faith.
Renata Greplova

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE BOOK CLUB?

As a member of the MCG Book Club, you will read each month a book chosen for its Southeast Asian content and meet once a month for its discussion. You will be asked to host and/or lead this monthly meeting usually once per year. Leaders provide background information and questions to stimulate the discussion. There are 10 meetings per year, usually with December and July omitted, attendance at meetings averages at 15 members. Discussions are quite spirited with many new insights gained because of our multi-ethnic backgrounds. If you are interested in joining us, please send an email to Jean Wingfield and the date of its receipt will determine your placement on the waitlist.

BITS AND PIECES

Austrian-German-Swiss Charity Christmas Bazaar 2002
Sunday 24th November, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, KLCC, (Grand Ballroom)
Time:- 10am to 1pm
All kinds of Christmas handicraft items and decorations, homemade cookies, candies, traditional cakes from these three countries, and much more are on sale. Also several Malaysian Charities will be selling their own handicrafts.
The hotel chef will take you on a culinary journey through Europe with his preparation of a delicious Christmas Lunch and there are fabulous prizes to win in a lucky draw.
Tickets cost RM 12 and can be bought at the door.(All proceeds go to local charity projects)Under the patronage of the Ambassador of Germany

Esplanade Opening Festival
To celebrate the opening of the new Esplanade - theatres on the bay complex in Singapore, there will be a three-week extravaganza of the world's best Asian and Western arts performances. The entire festival runs 12 October - 03 November 2002
Some dance highlights include:
Reminiscing the Moon - a creative collaboration between Singapore Dance Theatre and Indonesia's Boi Sakti.
Anaphaza by Israel's Batsheva Dance Company
Raise the Red Lantern by Zhang Yimou and the National Ballet of China
Nobody's Body by Sardono Dance Theatre of Indonesia
Silent Song Kuo Jing Hong Singapore
Nupi (Woman) Kalakshetra Manipur India
Bye Bye the New Primitive - Gekidan Kaitaisha Japan
For further information check out www.esplanade.com/programmes/calendar.html

The British Council Moves on 11th November to Wisma Selangor Dredging on Jalan Ampang, just opposite KLCC. The British council will now cover three floors which will include a new resource centre. The Library will boast 10.000 new books and audio visual materials and there will be more books on contemporary fiction and other creative writing. The video collection is still available for loan. The council will now be open on Mondays and hours have been extended to Mon- Fri 9am to 9pm and Saturdays 10-6pm.
The other good news is that there will be a wider variety of newspapers and magazines and a coffee shop in a shady courtyard as well as outdoor seating next to a fountain.

MCG member Cheryl Shaw will be holding a solo art exhibition entitled "give me a watered lively garden…" under her maiden name Cheryl Swain.
The exhibition runs from 28 October to 15 November at Badan Warisan Malaysia, 2 Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur.
Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 11am-4pm. Closed Sunday and public holidays.
Cheryl went to Mushlim Musa's property 'Desa Paku' on an earlier MCG visit and was so impressed with the beauty of the house and garden that she used it as the basis for an exhibition of 20 paintings, mostly of the verandahs and the surrounding garden.

The Artists' Space, Concorde Hotel, Shah Alam, Selangor
Oct 31 - Jan 03 (11am-12midnight daily). Free admission. 03-5512 2200
The Artists' Space at the Concorde Hotel Shah Alam will host a two month long photography exhibition featuring the works of four talented women photographers. The photographers are Malaysians Chris Tan and Nirmala Karuppiah, Italian Federica Armstrong, and Severine Blanchet from France. They are with the International Women Photographers Association (IWPA). The images on display are those of Malaysia's architecture, the old and the new, each with a story to tell. Info taken from kakiseni.com.

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