Seks Merdeka? Seks almari!

Hard hats, helmets, put it all on your head and stride forth with pride this November 2011 as we celebrate Seksualiti Merdeka - the now banned human rights festival http://www.seksualitimerdeka.org/. During my university days in Sydney, I volunteered as a safe sex advocate, manning booths, handing out safe sex kits to the public. My personal emancipation seemed so long ago and this week's events has jolted me to a abrupt halt. Freedom to be oneself is so very important.

Last night, I was at a Burmese Refugee fundraiser and film screening. That same night, it poured and rained, leaving KL musty, dank with an occasional cool breeze sweeping in from the riverside. At around 7.30pm, my friend Pang runs down and asks for a hug. I randomly introduce him to Jan Drew and Asha Gill - both preparing for the kick start of the fundraiser. Pang tells me the festival he co-founded has been banned, and that they have to disrupt their workshop upstairs. I gave him a tight hug. Minutes later, dozens of policemen in their navy blue uniforms suddenly flooded CM Annexe unbeknownst to many of our guests at the cafe who were absorbed watching the screening of documentary - HOME by Desiree Lim. HOME is about a Burmese refugee's search for a little piece of freedom while in Malaysia. How ironic!

Freedom. Let's hear it from George Michael.



Freedom '90
George Michael

I won't let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It's the one good thing that I've got
I won't let you down
So please don't give me up
Because I would really, really love to stick around

Heaven knows I was just a young boy
Didn't know what I wanted to be
I was every little hungry schoolgirl's pride and joy
And I guess it was enough for me
To win the race? A prettier face!
Brand new clothes and a big fat place
On your rock and roll TV
But today the way I play the game is not the same
No way
Think I'm gonna get me some happy

I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I told you so
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone else I've got to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Take back your singing in the rain
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take

Heaven knows we sure had some fun boy
What a kick just a buddy and me
We had every big shot good-time band on the run boy
We were living in a fantasy
We won the race
Got out of the place
I went back home got a brand new face
For the boys on MTV
But today the way I play the game has got to change
Oh yeah
Now I'm gonna get myself happy

I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I stopped the show
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone I forgot to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Don't think that I'll be back again
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take

Well it looks like the road to heaven
But it feels like the road to hell
When I knew which side my bread was buttered
I took the knife as well
Posing for another picture
Everybody's got to sell
But when you shake your ass
They notice fast
And some mistakes were built to last

That's what you get

I say that's what you get

That's what you get for changing your mind

And after all this time
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes
Do not make the man

I'll hold on to my freedom
May not be what you want from me
Just the way it's got to be
Lose the face now
I've got to live