NGOs must buck up to remain relevant: Pusat Komas founder

NGOs have been urged to buck up to get their messages across by properly utilising social media and other modes of communication, otherwise they risk not being seen or heard.

Pusat Komas founder Jerald Joseph told Malaysiakini they need to revamp their thinking to remain relevant even if that includes hiring a person specifically for communications.

“At this moment, I think we’ve not got the formula. We do a lot of work on the ground but it does not get out as much.

“It does not create a mainstream narrative. Neither does it have the power to create counter-narratives,” he admitted.

Jerald believes this is because Pusat Komas usually works in areas outside of the Klang Valley and its efforts are not normally in the limelight.

However, the landscape has evolved and NGOs need to keep adapting even as their leadership ages.

It’s worth noting that many prominent NGOs started in the 1980s and 90s where they played a key role in highlighting issues, including Pusat Komas, Sisters in Islam (SIS), Suaram, and the All Women's Action Society (Awam).

Pusat Komas was established in 1993 as an NGO for human rights fighting for democracy and anti-discrimination. It also conducts workshops to empower Orang Asli communities in Peninsular Malaysia.

It originally began the popular Freedom Film Fest in 2003, which is now run independently by the Freedom Film Network.

Since 2006 it has pivoted to champion issues of racial discrimination and according to Jerald, this could be another reason for Pusat Komas’ relatively low profile as the NGO’s work revolves around the contentious issue of race.

Fighting for space

Regardless, the organisation is trying to take steps to generate more awareness on social media for its work as “it’s the battleground for ideas and influence,” Jerald said.

Other ways for NGOs to improve include quickly responding to issues, mass communication like WhatsApp groups, pertinent and persistent opinion pieces and updated websites, he added.

In response to the social media wave, Pusat Komas has started sharing infographics on its accounts as well as a newsletter called “Komas Monitors”.

It also joined a capacity-building project organised by the European Union two months ago, in which social media experts and influencers coached NGOs on how to use social media.

“We are trying, meaning we are learning what to do, how to do it,” Jerald said.

This is particularly important in light of his organisation’s 12th national conference themed “Manoeuvring out of the Racism Trap” today.

Confronting ‘social contract’

Jerald revealed that the conference theme was selected based on successive failures from one government after the other to address the issue of racism within the country.

“We know it’s not a magic wand, no government can just say today ‘I do it’ and then okay, everything’s done.

“So I think the resolve, the language from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and their (government’s) promises seem to suggest the government is committed to everyone,” he said.

One difficulty in addressing racism, he said, is having to confront controversial beliefs, such as in the so-called “social contract”.

The “social contract” alludes to an unwritten bargain allegedly struck between the Malays and the minorities, which governed special benefits to the bumiputera.

“That discussion of migrant or non-migrant is outdated and old.

“We’ve already arrived, you’re already a citizen so it doesn’t disqualify you.

“Strangely enough we celebrate people (elsewhere) with migrant ancestry being made presidents, prime ministers, mayors of London, of the United States,” he said.

But despite celebrating that, Malaysians have little will to do the same back home, he added.

Jerald pointed out that special privileges granted to a majority further compounded the problem.

“If you leave a country to the hands of the majority, then tyranny takes over, fascism takes over, that’s dangerous,” he warned.

Pusat Komas hopes that the conference will platform discussions on solutions to the issue of race, especially since speakers from the government will be present.

Youth for change

Aside from that, he shared his views on the youth and the role they can play in NGOs.

He praised the passion and fire that the group has, which motivates them to join political spaces instead of the corporate world to usher in changes to the country.

“I think their (youth’s) conviction of the power they have in their hands is probably very high, so they want to jump into the boiling pot and take action, so of course politics and some NGOs is where it is and I think that’s the positive part,” he said.

It’s not only that they intend to drive change but they are also articulate in expressing their reasons for wanting to do so, he added.

However, he cautioned that the youth may want change to come quickly, which is often not the case.

“The younger group, they want to bring change, but it must be (done) very fast (for them), so they’re great at giving it their all, nothing less,” he said.

In this case, he advised the older generations to mentor the youth and teach them analytical skills so they are well-equipped to navigate how to keep going when the excitement fades.

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