After Bersih, Samad Said new factor in Malaysian politics

Samad (in yellow) speaks to police during the rally.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11— Despite not being a politician, national laureate Datuk A Samad Said’s involvement in the Bersih rally has brought a paradigm shift in the country’s political arena, as analysts say Samad showed that Bersih was beyond partisan politics.

The 76-year-old poet drew nationwide attention after his poem “Unggun Bersih”, read at the launch of Bersih, earned him a trip to the police station for questioning.

Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian views Samad as an “icon” to those aware of current issues and political developments.

“Datuk Samad Said is a famous artist, someone who is humble and acceptable to many,” Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider.

Samad’s involvement in the rally showed that Bersih was not politically motivated to divide Malays, Ibrahim said. Samad’s entry into the political arena was timely, he said, as it showed that there was a need to re-ignite the spirit of nationalism and unity among Malaysians.

“Samad Said has shown that by being united, we do not need political factors; artistic creativity is enough. His approach is acceptable to all parties and races,” said Ibrahim, adding that Samad could prove to be a “competitor” to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia concept of unity.

Former Perlis mufti Professor Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin sees Samad as an example of how authorities have brushed aside the non-political voices in the country’s development.

“This is the government’s failure to recognise these voices,” Asri told The Malaysian Insider. “Besides Samad, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed’s daughter, is another example.”

He predicted that many will soon follow Samad’s footsteps if the government continued to ignore the views of individuals like Samad.

Dr Maslee Malik, a political analyst from the International Islamic University (UIA), agreed with the views of Ibrahim and Asri. He said Samad’s entry into the socio-political arena could be seen as a “new development”.

“I see this as a third factor,” he told The Malaysian Insider. “We are now seeing the role of artists and poets. With freedom suppressed, we’ll see many more artists . . . last time we had Datuk Shahnon Ahmad, Azizi Abdullah.”

Hasni Abas, secretary-general of the Seniman Paksi Rakyat Malaysia (Paksi), also believes Samad’s involvement in Bersih drew positive response from the younger generation and Malaysians of other races.

“Datuk Samad has started a culture . . . that artists are no longer the silent types that many people think they are,” he said.