Who defines ‘democracy’?

“We define democracy, not sitting down, but standing up!” - Mu Sochua

October 18, 2011
By Teo Soh Lung
The Online Citizen

It was interesting to watch the video put up by TOC on the closed door forum organised by Singaporeans for Democracy on 24 September 2011 at Public House. The topic was ‘LKY: liberal democracy will do us in. Will it?’

The forum featured among others, eminent Cambodian Opposition MP, Ms Mu Sochua. The forum was supposed to have been held at a training room at The Verge but had to shift to the Public House when the landlord disallowed the organisers to hold the event there.

I find Ms Socha’s conversation with the audience most fascinating. She could not understand why the audience of so called “democrats” failed to stay at the Verge to demand for their rights but instead moved peacefully to Public House. One by one, they started to find reasons as to why they did so. One said if they stayed, it would have been an illegal assembly. Another added that they would have been arrested. Yet another proudly announced that the law states that even one person can constitute an illegal assembly.

Ms Socha asked if it was fear that deterred them from standing up. A quick response was “No fear, but entrenched system. Subconsciously we want status quo. Don’t want to lose job.” Another added that they would be called “fools”.

Ms Socha responded by saying that that those in power will call them fools but what did it matter? She said she worked with villagers and if she cannot lead them, what would they say. Ms Socha asked several times if it was “Fear” that stopped those democrats from demanding their rights but none in the audience would admit.

I am amused. Truly, we have internalised fear to such an extent that we cannot and will not accept the real reason why we behave in a particular way. If we cannot stand up for our rights against a representative from a landlord who is simply a private citizen, how can we ask for the return of our rights from our government?

Ms Socha must have been thoroughly disappointed. For me, the valuable lesson she imparted that evening is this:

Whether it be in Cambodia or elsewhere in the world, I cannot effect change if I always tell myself in Ms Socha’s words : “I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.” Her parting shot was: “We define democracy, not sitting down, but standing up!”