Criticism without action serves no one!

The George Town Festival (GTF) 2024 came to an end a couple of weeks ago. This year's arts festival sparked a debate over the alleged omission of Malay-Muslim heritage in the festival's two-minute teaser video.

Prominent historian Ahmad Murad Merican, who teaches social and intellectual history at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), brought the issue to light in a Facebook post. He accused the organisers of deliberately erasing the culture of nearly half of the state's population and criticised the authorities for their inaction.

Following Ahmad Murad's post, many Malays expressed that this was not an isolated incident, alleging a recurring pattern of suppressing Malay elements in previous editions of the festival. The discussions even extended to terms like "memorycide" and "ethnocide."

Amidst the controversy, the GTF 2024 organisers removed the teaser video and issued a public apology. They expressed regret if the video had offended certain groups and individuals.

A Missed Opportunity

I was very disappointed with the organisers of GTF 2024 for apologising over the matter. Frankly, I didn't think there was anything to apologise for. After all, the clip featured a balanced representation from all three main races in Penang: Aida Redza, a contemporary dancer whose work is deeply grounded in Malay traditional dance; Ling Goh, a traditional Chinese puppeteer and opera practitioner; and Kumaran Rajangam, a traditional Indian tabla player.

Why, then, did the organisers apologise? Why did they not stand up for the arts and the artists they represented?

By apologising, the organisers missed an opportunity to defend the artistic integrity of those involved. Standing firm and explaining the rationale behind the clip would have demonstrated a commitment to artistic expression and cultural representation. It would have shown that the festival genuinely strives to celebrate the rich tapestry of Penang's communities, rather than bending to external pressures.

Perhaps it was easier to kneel than to grow a backbone!

A Simple Solution

If the Malay community genuinely wants to see greater representation, they must take active steps to be involved, rather than just voicing discontent. The solution is simple: encourage interested Malay arts practitioners, whose work is deeply rooted in Malay culture, to submit proposals for future festivals.

Maintaining proactive engagements such as these with the Malay community in order to ensure their rich cultural heritage is showcased would be a constructive approach.

Only if such efforts are made, and they still fail to participate in the festival, should we start pointing fingers at the organisers. It's essential to distinguish between deliberate exclusion and a lack of initiative from the community itself.

At the end of the day, it’s always easier to criticise and create controversy instead of contributing constructively. Criticism without action serves no one.