Of Fools and Bebalisma

(Excerpts from the inaugural lecture by Raja Nazrin on July 31 2007 to commemorate the legacy of Professor Syed Hussein Alatas)

The one group Alatas turned to was intellectuals, which he believed would serve as an antidote to two widespread 'poisons' in developing countries.

The first of these poisons were those he called 'fools' - persons who were educated but yet unable to provide any creative solutions to the problems of the day or to demonstrate high standards of behaviour and performance. According to him, developing countries lag behind others when a large number of fools determine the interest of the nation. They usually just follow the line of least resistance.

The second poison was 'bebalisma' - a general attitude of ignorance, indifference and indolence (or dislike of work). It makes society non-anticipatory, non-thinking, non-rational and non-contextual. No priority is given to the things that really matter and no embarrassment is felt for mistake and shortcomings.

The concept of the fool and bebalisma struck a chord with the Malaysian public. Who, after all, does not have a favourite personal story of clownish bureaucracy or of bebalism? The stakes, however, are much higher. "To lack intellectuals," Alatas said, "is to lack leadership". "Our national problem', he said, "should be tackled with intellectual justice, not with exploitative ignorance" intellectuals possess the ability to pose, define and analyse problems and propose solutions.

(text of the speech available at: Towards a decent social order for all Malaysians)


Note on bebalisma

To Syed Hussein, bebalisma meant not just stupidity, but implied narrow-mindedness, mindlessness and stubbornness. It is not stupidity of the natural kind, but wilful stupidity that is cultivated, rewarded and socially reproduced.

It is the bebalisma of those who reach positions of leadership in developing societies, due to anything but intellect, wisdom, ability and character.

This, to Syed Hussein, represented the tragedy of the distorted social and economic development of Southeast Asia and the developing world.

(from article by Zainah Anwar)