FATHI ARIS OMAR
Editor, writer, activist; 48. Born in Kuala Terengganu and migrated to Kuala Lumpur 30 years ago.
I chose to be a reporter from way back … and the dream was spurred by my interest in publishing back in school. I applied for a job in Watan, also Karangkraf, but to no avail. My first opportunity was when I joined Opposition party newspaper, Harakah and smaller publications like Tamadun and Dunia Islam. Then I had a baptism of fire in journalism during the political turmoil of 1998 and the economic crisis in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
The political crisis opened up opportunities because it created a demand… for readers to understand the political development in the country. I began my career in journalism as a reporter with news and current affairs publication, Detik, a year before Malaysiakini was established in 1999. A month later in December, I joined Malaysiakini as a full-time journalist.
THIS gave me my first experience as a real journalist; otherwise, I reckon it would have been hard for me to break into journalism. This is because I don’t have any official training in journalism. Secondly, I didn’t have any experience. Thirdly because of my background, writing for publications which may be deemed by some as rebellious and critical.
KUALA LUMPUR is exciting and has many tales. Among them, I think those who grew up in Kuala Lumpur can relate to, is romance. I still remember, this is the memory of the 80s’, 90s’ that the present generation cannot seem to relate. Downtown Kuala Lumpur is an interesting place; venues like Kotaraya, Puduraya, Central Market, Chow Kit… these were the places where lovers met. That is something I will never forget.
THOSE days back in the 80s’, 90s’, I didn’t own any transportation, so to get around I relied on public buses … mini buses, for instance. Those are gone now, and in their place, came Rapid. So, these are the elements of memories that are romantic, back then. I still remember when I first arrived here in 1986, Central Market had just turned into a cultural cluster. I watched Pyan Habib reciting a poem, titled, Aku Anak YB. I can still remember those memories until today, about the poem, about Pyan Habib. It is that moment.
IF only Kuala Lumpur could nurture a more pulsating cultural movement… no need to look far, Jakarta would do. Or perhaps poetry recitals with more freedom, more democratic and free from the scrutiny of the government.
JAKARTA offers an exciting mix of arts and culture, interesting discourse, books and materials. It would be nice if KL can offer this and more. If we were to compare 20, 30 years ago, the development we have experienced in the last 10 to 15 years, had been positive. On a hindsight, there are more activities, actively organized now, but we need to multiply the effort by five or ten-fold … more freedom of speech, that is more critical towards the government but the expression must be more artistic, intricate and interesting.
AT TIMES, the one thing that isn’t exciting in Kuala Lumpur is the critics are unpolished, at times too harsh. Expression of the arts is cacophonous. Political expression is severe. Intellectual discourse on race too, is earsplitting.
THE dullest thing about Kuala Lumpur is the limited space for pedestrians. Cities in Europe, for instance, you can feel the comfort of the space, you feel that there is respect for pedestrians. Unlike in Kuala Lumpur. We feel crammed together, locked in the rat race, with speeding vehicles all around. I feel this is the most uncomfortable thing, speaking personally as someone who is always travelling by foot. I don’t drive. I can’t drive.
NOSTALGIA? I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing. Most people are don’t look back fondly on how mini bus drivers used to own these streets, but then mini buses were part of Kuala Lumpur’s identity and charm… back then, in the 80s’ and 90s’. Puduraya. Everyone passed through Puduraya, especially students… in those days when most of us didn’t have our own vehicles. Those who passed through Puduraya back then, when the mini buses were still around, that was it. Interesting enough to inspire Lat the cartoonist, and Gila-Gila magazine. Those human characters made those moments.
OPPORTUNITIES opened up for me while I am in Kuala Lumpur, significant ones in my life. These include getting to know people from different races and education backgrounds as well as culture.
I was born in Terengganu, a place that can be considered mono-ethnic. Then, I went to a full boarding school which has a similar race composition despite me having Indians, Chinese, Sabahans and Sarawakians, albeit a few. The opportunity arises in Kuala Lumpur when I was involved in the politicsl process, especially when establishing Malaysiakini during the political crisis between 1998 to 2000, the Reformasi period. That presented me with the chance. Otherwise, if I stayed in Kuala Terengganu, or a monoethnic place like only Malays, I do not think it will allow me to move forward. My family then will repeat the same mistake..living in a residential place where only one race lives, work in a company which is only dominated by a single race, speaking and chatting at the stall with the same race. I think this is a matter that does not help the Malays and does not help the future of Malaysia, in general.
ALTHOUGH I’ve been through it all, as a reporter, editor and author, I feel my most significant achievement was leading Malaysiakini for 5 years. From there, with the help of my friends, I became a well-known writer, but I know it’s not all me. I’ve enjoyed a lot of support from the friends around me; artists, activists, experienced editors like Steven Gan and Ahmad Lufti Othman, Zin Mahmud assisted by young religious leaders. So, I think this is an interesting achievement, and it was worth it to leave Kuala Terengganu.
IT’S usually a bit uncomfortable for me when I return to my hometown because I find it hard to have a conversation with someone on the same wavelength as me, who reads the same sort of books, the same sort of news. In Kuala Lumpur, what’s most interesting is that we have the opportunity to network with people who follow the same sort of news that we do, share the same interests, the same political leanings, shared ideals of journalism, as activists and as fellow Malaysians.