Hafiz Noor Shams recalls heady optimism of the 1990s

 

BOOK REVIEW | In his book, The End of the Nineteen-Nineties, economist Hafiz Noor Shams recollects that very special time when he was growing up during the 1990s. According to him, it was a time when Malaysians had come together as one nation.

“The 1990s were full of Malaysia-ness. I believed in things Malaysia believed in.

“Just as I began to appreciate my maturing identity, the country altered its course. Malaysia changed its character from one that was gentle, tolerant, and confident, to an insecure schizophrenic madman.” (pg 250)

The book begins with Hafiz heading to Kampung Pandan on a rainy day in May 2018 to attend a rally where former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad would be speaking.

Excerpt: “I wanted to see and feel what it would be like to be part of that crowd. This was the man who broke my heart when he reneged on his promises in the 2000s – and now, almost two decades later, he had a new set of promises.” (Pg 7)

He talks about the rallies he took part in, from his first one as an undergraduate in Ann Arbor, a college town in the US, protesting the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, to the Bersih rallies from 2007 to 2016.

Most importantly, Hafiz offers his views on an era that many look back on with nostalgia and rose-tinted glasses. He argues that if there was ever an era where the nation could collectively say they were optimistic about the future, the 1990s was it.

To be fair, critics of Mahathir’s Malaysia could point to detentions under Ops Lalang, the muzzling of the press, the compromise of judicial independence, and the growth of corruption and racial polarisation, but Hafiz’s focus is the bright promise that came with an economic boom and the Wawasan 2020 pledge for a developed-nation.

After experiencing rapid economic growth in the 1980s and enjoying its rewards in the 1990s, Hafiz recalls the good old days of the growing middle class, especially among the Malays who moved out of their villages and into the big cities, the pride of having their own national car the Proton Saga, and of how the national badminton team winning the 1992 Thomas Cup brought the nation together.

Excerpt: “But even as Malaysia was falling apart, and even as it affected my family, I still had a pleasant Malaysia in my head. Malaysia in the 1990s was the seventh heaven. But did paradise exist?” (pg 33)

He goes on to mention the Asian financial crisis that hit later in the 1990s, followed by political upheaval that saw then deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim put behind bars, was essentially when the threads that held us together slowly began to unravel.

Questions about race

Hafiz explores issues such as race and religion, exploring their impact on a multi-national society that had faced communal violence on and off over the years with May 13, 1969, influencing much of the politics and policies of the country.

Early on in the book, he offers an interesting observation of what makes a person Malay. He even writes about trying to trace his ancestry but hit a dead end.

Excerpt: “Family history becomes sketchier the further back I go. I could claim lineage from Afghanistan and Yasmin Ahmad might be right. Kadir Jasin might be right that I am not actually a Malay. My mother claimed that my paternal grandfather was so fair that he must have Chinese blood.

“The most concrete proof I have was an acknowledgement page in a 1990 book, Naning in Melaka, where the author Jonathan Cave wrote that my grandfather was a Naning Minangkabau man, and my great-grandfather was a village head.” (Pg 21)

Essentially this book is a combination of his journey through life with explanations as to why the country and its people are the way they are now.

Some have compared it to the late Rehman Rashid’s A Malaysian Journey and Hafiz has even borrowed quotes from that iconic book. However, this is Hafiz’s journey and, though he can start meandering at times, it is still a scenic route.

The best parts are Hafiz sharing his personal stories such as when he was a young boy, the fear of the national team losing the Thomas Cup which led him to pray for their victory during the final singles game, his observations during general elections, and also his observations of the internal problems within the Pakatan Harapan government that led to their downfall.

Overall, this is an interesting book about a person who once believed that Malaysia and Malaysians could be so much more. - Mkini