ALIRAN... Whats Aliran?

I first heard the word Aliran was when I was 7 years old  ( if my memory does not fail me) and it was associated with none other than Chandra Muzaffar himself. When my parents spoke about Aliran, the impression they gave was about 40-60 extremely bright and clever old men and women who sits around a table and conspire   plan how to make the world a better place (mind you at the age of 7, my vocabulary is extremely limited so practically the word "conspire" and "intellectual discourse" was extremely hard for me to comprehend). I called them the "dead poet society" of Malaysia. 

When Chandra Muzaffar associates himself with politics, I thought that the "dead poet society" of Malaysia was dead. It never occurs to me that they have survived all this year with their interesting and intellectual writing. It was only logical to me to come up with that very particular assumption was for the very reason that they were extremely infamous and their publication could not be found anywhere. (Hell yes I was wrong for making those assumptions.)

On 7 of September,  I was given the chance by Aliran to participate in a youth workshop . It was an interesting workshop (apart from being lost and late for 1/2 an hour -no thanks to the stupid google map that was pointing to 3 different bloody location). I was extremely uncomfortable during the introductions was for the very fact that most of the participants have such impressive profile with their name. Whoa boy it was so impressive that it makes me look like a nincompoop  and not to mention they are all so young- and here stand a 28 year old girl with an average IQ who has not been reading any intellectual discourse for a very long time ( I guess fantasy and sci-fi novel just doesn't count). I was so insecure with myself that i wish that a hole will appear and swallow me  up to oblivion but i withstand it all and survived. 

So many things were discussed during the workshop it starts of  Multiculturalism in Malaysia. (Amiss the shouting by the whole Kampung Makam on the goal that Malaysians score , I have seriously forgotten about the points that I really want to write about. Damn you football!!!) I believe that there are some sense of insecurities within every race in Malaysia. Me as a person realize and know that racism is wrong. As much as i do not want to be racist, sometime my thinkings and comments can be racist at times. I would not realize it until the damage is done.

I guess it's hard to ingrain in your brain not to be judged on race since your so use to it. i guess old habits die hard. However I will try my best to keep myself in check :)

Some of the youth that joins the workshop have been writing to Aliran for their TA-online where they can write about the issues that concern them as a youth. Here is the link to one of my favorite article "To be Young and Naive". It is such a brilliant article that speak close to the heart. If you want to read more articles by Aliran Exco and writers, do visit their webpage.

You can also show your support and engage with them via Facebook and Twitter.

P/S: Do leave a comment on how gramatical unsound I am so that i can learn from my mistake. Domo Arigato Ne (^_^)