The Independence of the Mind and the Braveness of the Heart: Pak Samad
by Jose Mario De Vega

I refer to the utterly insightful and undeniably powerful essay of Jeswan Kaur, “Pak Samad isn’t the problem here”, FMT, September 8.

I beg the indulgence of the reader that I may be allowed to add a few words of concurrence and to explicate my own take on the whole matter.

According to the National Cultural Policy of the Australian government, the role of the artist is as follows:

“A democratic society seeks to unleash the creativity of all its citizens and to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of its most gifted and dedicated. The value of creativity is something that is increasingly recognised and valued. Creativity is an essential attribute in an increasing number of occupations.

“The most gifted artists, however, take the ability to imagine, adapt, empathise and collaborate to another level through training, practice, discipline and courage. The extraordinary achievements that come when the most gifted individuals combine capacity and skill is something we recognise.”

From this description, we can deduce that artists are creative people and that their creativity is utterly necessary for the development of one’s society. Further, said creativity is something that must be recognized and valued by the said society that produced the said artist.

The said description by way of extension also defined the characteristics of an artist, namely:
1. The ability to imagine;
2. The ability to adapt;
3. The ability to empathise;
4. The ability to collaborate to another level through:
a. Training
b. Practice
c. Discipline
d. Courage

What then is an artist?

According to Wikipedia:
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts, and/or demonstrating an art.

While, Wiktionary defines the noun ‘artist’ (Singular: artist; Plural: artists) as follows:
1. A person who creates art.
2. A person who creates art as an occupation.
3. A person who is skilled at some activity.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the older broad meanings of the term “artist”:
· A learned person or Master of Arts
· One who pursues a practical science, traditionally medicine, astrology, alchemy, chemistry
· A follower of a pursuit in which skill comes by study or practice
· A follower of a manual art, such as a mechanic
· One who makes their craft a fine art
· One who cultivates one of the fine arts – traditionally the arts presided over by the muses

A definition of Artist from Princeton.edu: creative person (a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination).

From these given different definitions, there appears a common characteristic for artist. Artists are imaginative, independent and courageous.

It is my firm view that the artist is practically the eyes and ears of one’s community and society. Together with the revolutionaries, the philosophers, the poets and the humanists, they are the social critic.

A critic is someone who not merely criticized a thing or something just for the sake of criticizing. Their criticism has sense and value that if society as a whole will only look more closely and deeply will undeniably see, understand and consequently realize the significance and importance of the said criticism of the artist and their likes.

As James Baldwin categorically stated:

“The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.”Hence, artists and their kinds are not destructive people, but contrary to the general ‘popular’ belief are rather creative, productive and builders.Their natural creativity is shown by the bulk of their artistic works though their occupation. Though their output, one can also see their intellectual productivity. Artist built their paradigms and visions though ideas and thoughts.Nonetheless, I admit that these ideas and thoughts are unpopular. History has shown us again and again that it was always the artists and their kinds who more often than not will be the prime target of the government (especially a corrupt, perverse and evil one), because the artist are not afraid to speak their minds, to think independently for themselves, to expose the truth and if need be, to die for their art, beliefs and principles.Visit an authoritarian government’s prison and you will see there, the artists and their likes. Why? It is because artists are dangerous people.Why? It is because artists do know how to think for themselves and cannot be easily persuaded or convinced by any powers that be. A true artist cannot be brainwashed, duped, fooled and can never ever be bought. Needless to state, a genuine artist will never compromise, up to the end, to the death!There is no shadow of doubt that artists are freethinkers. The freethinkers in the words of the great Leo Tolstoy are those:

“who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking…”

Hence, on this note, I am condemning the harassment and the smear campaign being waged the government to besmirch the reputation and honor of Pak Samad.

The preposterous act of the government, principally of its Deputy Prime Minister in unjustly attacking Pak Samad’s integrity and person has clearly shown that this government does not reflect the true voice and will of the people.

Pak Samad is a national artist, not simply because the government bestow that honor upon him, but primarily because the people of Malaysia themselves recognized this firm, yet courageous old man as such!

To the government, you can take away that title from the old man, but you can never ever take away the love, respect and trust of the people that they reposing to the said old man.
As the time honored adage aptly remind us: respect is something that you or one must earn; it can never be imposed and it can never be enforced.

To the government, you can throw everything to the old man, all lies and slanders, yet the ultimate question is: do you think the people of this country will believe your charges and accusation?

To the so-called DPM: may I remind you of that time honored saying that, “you can never ever put a good man down”!

You can do whatever you want to the old man, such as strip him of his title, charge him and even send him to jail; yet I heavily doubt if you can ever silence this noble soul, break him and make him compromised.

There is no doubt whatsoever on my mind that, wherever this great old man will find himself that whether on the streets, in courts and even in jail: he will remain an artist, we will keep on writing, educating the people, standing up for their rights and fighting tirelessly for freedom, justice and equality.

You can never stop an idea whose time has come, in the same vein that you cannot prevent an artist from professing and fighting for his rights and his craft.

History has proven that endlessly! You will go down one day in the garbage can of history, while Pak Samad will always be on its beautiful pages of those warrior-poets and artist cum activists who fought and struggle for the good, the benefit and welfare of the rakyat!

Whatever the hell happens, Pak Samad will always be a National Artist of Malaysia, because the people themselves say so!!!

The voice and the will of the people are the true will and the ultimate voice of the nation!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy lecturer
College of Arts and Letters
Polytechnic University of the Philippines

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