1989-A YEAR TO BE REMEMBERED

1989

In that year I was a 10 years old boy. But to me that year was an awesome and memorable year. After 10 years of living in this world, I have my own SMI juniors, the babies born in 1989. 10 years separate us.

Dont understand? Let me simplify it. In 1992, I was a form 1 student in SMI and my juniors were 3 years old. When I was in the final year in SMI that was in 1996, my juniors were standard 1 in SRK SMI 1 & 2 and when they were form 1 in 2002, I was a 23 years old young man. And when they took SPM in 2006, I was a 27 years old working man. This year in 2009, both of us aged 30 and 20 years old respectively.

Many events happened in that year from the winning of rock group SEARCH with it's famous hit, ISABELLA in the JUARA LAGU to the fall of communism in most of the communist countries. My favourite football club, LIVERPOOL was in the headlines too. The tragedy at Lepping Lane in Hillsborough Stadium during the semi final of FA CUP between Liverpool and Notthingham Forrest had caused the death of 96 supporters who were crushed to death and among the victim was Steven Gerrard cousin, John Paul. The Liverpool captain quote " The 96 supporters will never ever be forgotten and whenever I play for Liverpool, I play for JOHN PAUL".

The fall of communism was the highlight event in that year. The reunification of west and east Germany saw the destruction of Berlin's wall. Other main events were the fall of SOVIET UNION and the TIANANMEN SQUARE massacre in CHINA. When most of communist countries inclined towards democracy, the CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY (CCP) still hold the power. Democracy has no place here. The rules of unchallenged one party was still applicable at that time.

However, the death of Hua Yobang, a pro democracy leader in CCP in the mid of April has sparkled the students from various universities to protest against the government and they went to Tiananmen Square to express their grouses and dissatisfaction and to the extent they went for hunger strike after negotiations between the students leaders and the government failed. The students protest has outraged the Government and the premier, Li Peng with the blessing of Supreme CCP leader Deng Xiao Ping, ordered the People's Liberation Army to storm into the square on 4th of June and the order is to clear the square before dawn. The armed soldiers and with the support of tanks accomplished their mission with heavily price; the death and injuries of unarmed people.

Aftermath of the massacre, students leaders were in hiding and living in exile. The most wanted students leaders were Wang Dan, Chai Ling, Li Lu and Wuer Kaixi. Some of them are now in the United States and Taiwan. They had never returned to their homeland. In Malaysia such similar rebel by students were occured in 1974 where student leaders staged series of demonstration against not the communism but the struggle against oppression of the peasants especially poor people in rural area who were being neglected by the authorities. Leaders such as Anwar Ibrahim, Ibrahim Ali, Syed Husin Ali, Billy Lim, Hishamuddin Rais and others were the main student leaders who organized the protest in the heart of Kuala Lumpur including protest in the Universiti Malaya. Hishamuddin Rais was living in exile in foreign countries and only be permitted to return to Malaysia in 1994, 20 years after the demonstration.

The tragedy in Tiananmen Square has opened the eye of the government and as a result of the students protest, China has opened and free it's economy and in return the people must accept the rule of unchallenged single party. With the China's economic liberation, more investment came in from the western countries. This year is the 20th anniversary of the massacre and 4th of June 1989 was remembered as the day of democracy challenged the communism in China although the mission failed. Neverthless, the image of tank man ( see the picture above) remains forever in the heart of the people.

In Malaysia, the Communist Party of Malaya seized its weapons with the government of Malaysia in that year. It's leader, Chin Peng with the presence of other comrades like Rashid Maidin and Abdullah CD were in negotiation with the government of Malaysia. The outcome of the treaty is communism fall in Malaysia and the our beloved country is safe from the communist threat.

Thus, 1989 is a year that should be remembered. And dont forget in that year Allahyarham Sudirman won the Best Asian Performer award and in the closing ceremony of SEA GAMES he wore the Malaysian FLAG Baju Melayu to show his love to this beautiful country. And we must love our country too.

This article was written by:
MOHD DZRAN BIN MD DESA
One of the administrators of SMIOB.