I wasn't at the Bersih rally

I wasn’t at the Bersih rally.

I have however followed all the developments leading to and after the rally closely. I am unequivocally in support of the general ideals of the movement.

Yet, I wasn’t at the rally.

There wasn’t a definite reason why I didn’t go; somehow throughout the build up, the sense of fanfare did not sit well with me. 

I somehow couldn’t find that place in my gut that said “Yeah! This is the thing to do!”, that it would be worth it. I just couldn’t be sure.

As I am writing this I’m getting a sense that this isn’t going to be a piece that will be popular with many people, some, very dear friends, some, people I truly respect and look up to.

Yet this is my truth.

If you did attend the rally, well done! I’ll say it now. IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO! To stand up and be counted, to somehow send out a message to say “I don’t want to be short changed any more, and by the way I’m too fed up to be afraid!”

I am however becoming increasingly concerned with the emotional reactions generated post Bersih.

After the rally we’ve all seen many videos and written testimonies that were heartfelt. One theme rings through – SOLIDARITY. The claim that people of different races and creeds coming together, working towards a common purpose, against a common enemy.

The Lady Of Liberty.

The death.

The water cannons, tear gas, brutality, reluctant enforcers, lost, confused, inspired… hope.

Hope? Really?

Ever watched Pearl Jam live in concert, thinking it was the show of the century, and then watched the video of the same concert on VHS? Then realised that Vedder’s singing was nothing compared to the album you had come to love?

Missed notes, cracking voice all masked by the live band and you singing along.

When the euphoria fades all that’s left is the engineered memory of a great concert, influenced by nuances of the mosh pit moving in unison, communal pot being passed around (amongst strangers no less) and the guttural sound of 50,000 fans singing the chorus of Jeremy.

The truth however remains, missed notes and a cracking voice, pale in comparison to the promise of the album.

If you are still reading this well done, don’t write this off just yet.

The problems for Malaysia sit on many different levels. They all begin with the people in power. A corrupt, manipulative bunch that have been around for 2 generations - over 50 years.

Therefore I say a call for fair and transparent election practices that will likely erode the death grip of this bunch of monkeys on Malaysia is indeed the right thing to do.

I also said earlier, the problems with Malaysia sit on different levels.

The definition for a ‘level’ differs amongst individuals.

For me personally, I couldn’t care less if it was really Najib or his ape that actually ran the country. My problems aren’t even really about the questionable moral standing of the administration.

They are about what affects me.

I am denied equal opportunity in Malaysia, the land in which I am born.

I am subject to unfair taxation practices based on race and religion.

Oppressive limitations are set on the practice of my faith.

I have always stood against the illogical, vicious defense of the enshrined Malay position.

Not the Malay position itself, not the NEP, but it’s simple-minded defense. This is no doubt a product of propaganda put in place by the government to buy in the masses to create a secure grass root base that would continue to elect the same monkeys into position provided the gravy train remained. 

How would you expect the gravy train to last when Najib, his ape and countless others think its ok to go on RM 73,000,000 jewelry shopping excursions?

Yes, it does seem now that we are all victims of circumstance. The mass Malays at one end of the spectrum having grown used to the gravy train and now not getting enough against the rest of Malaysia, some 30% of it, with even less propping up the country through taxes paid saying “Hell! I’ve had enough!”

The mandate previously given by the mass Malay population to the government to systematically subdue other races, for they own benefit is now evidently eroding. I am convinced it isn’t because they recognise the injustice and oppression. It simply is a case of the house - dog turning feral on its owner when it isn’t fed enough.

I personally don’t think they should have the cake and eat it.

I should have been at the Bersih rally to claim what is mine (constitutionally) from an oppressive government. If I were there with a bunch of people wanting more for themselves, I wouldn’t call it solidarity.

If I were there with those wanting political reform to form a Muslim state to enforce Huddut laws, I wouldn’t call it solidarity.

If I were there with those wanting to further exploit other races for their benefit, I wouldn’t call it solidarity.

Not by a long shot.

It has always been the Malay thing to take their demonstrations to the streets and wear their emotions on their sleeves.

They’ve done it so many times, 9 out of 10 against non - Malays and our beliefs. Dare we forget the cow head issue in Shah Alam? The Cina balik China? use of the word Allah? They almost seem to like demonstrations.

They demonstrate against their neighbours, to the government whom they claim has failed to protect their rights. The government slaps them on the wrist then moves to offer some form of solution to make them happy. It’s all wayang kulit.

Just because we happened to march along side at the same time, this time, does not make us brothers in arms. It did not mean we achieved a common goal. It did not even mean we had the same goals to begin with. It certainly does not mean they will stop marching against others, when they see an opportunity to.

Yes, I am generalising here. I know there are Malay individuals who truly believe in the equality that we strive for, I acknowledge and thank you, you are the hope we are so in need of, on the other hand there are also Chinese and Indian sell-outs who take on the name Abdullah to avail themselves to government contracts and Bumiputra privileges, these are just as bad if not worse.

There must be some change to convince me there is hope. Change either in the psyche of the Malay community or the composition of the government.

Change to affect some semblance of equality and fairness. One party needs to accept it and the other to facilitate it.

So did Bersih 2.0 work? Depending on what you wanted it to achieve.

We did make noise.

We got noticed.

Got the Queen of England to wear Yellow.

Free and fair general elections? I don’t know.

Free and fair in general? No.

So what's next?

 

In the beginning...

I've decided finally that enough is enough. I am Malaysian and I am fed up with how we are being treated with absolutely no respect. The political state of the nation is an affront to the intelligence of any thinking Malaysian.

I'll start with something i've just written to be shared with a local newspaper.

I think (therefore) I am, Malaysian

This piece is political, I however, am not a person who has anything to gain from writing this. These are my views (and I sincerely believe the views of many thinking-citizens) of what is happening to this great country.

The aftermath of the March 8 general elections have successfully brought to the surface many unstated truths. It was crystal clear that the people have had enough of the mismanagement that was running the country into the ground – now it was finally “safe” to act on their unhappiness.  The looming sense of the heavy blanket of political policing was gone.

How could this happen? The sheer audacity of the ruling coalition to undermine the will of a thinking people has done them in. They had become weak in complacency.  The onslaught of demands for a true democratic government of the people and for the people can not and will not be ignored any further.

The situation seems almost worse now than it was when we were under the unquestioned reign of the previous Prime Minister (who was more akin to that of a dictator). He at least had a “plan” and was able to stick to it – albeit through various means that most people had not the nerve to question.

The series of events following the disastrous elections for the ruling coalition saw a government in panic. Nobody in the government knew how to handle a rakyat that expected him or her to be responsible for his or her actions and deeds. It was no more a situation where anything that the government wanted - it got! More people found their voices. And it seemed that they knew how to use it!

Individuals who recognised the weakness in the leadership of the government saw it as a time to push further for greater political “change”. While the opposition whom were now a lot stronger and better represented in the legislature were looking for political change; many from the ruling collation themselves saw it an opportunity to go for change – albeit in this case “loose change”.

In the past months the rakyat has witnessed the unfolding comedy of the Malaysian political scene that has started to look like the badly written mindless slapstick banter that our local TV channels produce. Had the issues not been so dire it would actually have been quite funny.

I find it amazing that the concept of Ministerial responsibility is totally ignored in government. Perhaps the rakyat has not been educated enough to expect high standards of the government. After all it has only been a recent occurrence that the table has been turned and that the government has to actually listen to the needs of the rakyat; previously the main criteria in the unquestioned decision making machinery of the legislature was - what percentage?

Is it not clear enough with everyday occurrences that we are in dire need for change? Every facet of our lives seems to be mismanaged, from sports (don’t get me started on Malaysian football and FAM) to basic rights (ISA for protection?).

The educational system is a joke. What can we really expect when the very people that decide on these policies don’t themselves have a grasp on progress. The people that advocate the prominence of the Malay language do it with a misguided fear that recognition of the importance of English in an ever-shrinking globalised world economy would result in a diminished perception of the Malay race. They simply don’t understand the fact that it is impossible for Malaysians to remain competitive on a global arena if they cannot string two sentences of English together when they need to communicate the very message that would advocate Malaysia’s competitiveness. Would you not think that this would surely result in the diminished significance of the Malay race (note that I am not saying Malaysian).

The flip-floping of the use of Malay versus English in schools is a clear example of how things are not thought out before implementation. Who do you think suffers? Who is held responsible? Nobody! I wouldn’t dare suggest the Education Minister at that time – I’m sure there were more important things to think about than the Education Policy of the country!

A few months back following the 40% fuel price hike, there was a move to make it more difficult for Singaporeans to come into the country. Somebody was afraid that they, god forbid, would take advantage of our fuel subsidies. The move lasted a total of one day.  Thankfully somebody got thinking and figured that while we safeguarded our fuel subsidies we would lose out on Singaporean spending at retailers, food outlets, golf clubs and everything else that they would spend on when they come over to “steal” our fuel subsidies.

The move successfully highlighted our short sightedness to the world. I cannot speak for other presses, but the presses in Singapore had a field day, and rightly so! Was anyone held responsible for this gross misjudgment that has tarnished the image of the entire country? No. We however, would rather go on witch-hunts to punish a teenager for using the Negaraku in a rap song.  

It does seem that the government has been pulling at straws of late. Everything done seems to be in haste and not thought through. Every move made seems to be in response to and external stimulant – one wonders if the government now realising that it has to be answerable for it’s actions has in turn put aside all planed actions?

The tone of voice has changed too from its once omni powerful bellow to what now seems to be a whimper of an old man asking for understanding while holding up traffic.

While the rakyat does enjoy the fresh new voice, the daily antics of a few key political players and faulty administrative machineries (which I’m sure will be corrected soon) do seem to tire the thinking man.

The latest of a long series of faux passes is that of a certain Ahmad Ismail. It seems he has somehow forgotten how he was helped out from the wooden huts he and his kin used to live in by the very people he is now calling squatters. If not for the collective hands of the people who have built businesses in this country where would you be, oh little man?

With the race card once again played. All sort of responses have been garnered by the silly unthought-of remark. The most puzzling of all was from the last vestiges of an administrative function that was once (in fact it still seems to be) greatly influenced by the government. The police arrests the reporter that reports the misdeeds of a politician – only to realise a day later that the world and more importantly the thinking Malaysian public does not seem to cower in fear anymore.

A statement was made that the arrest through the use of the arbitrary Internal Security Act was indeed for the good of the arrestee. If this action did not demonstrate just how the ISA is arbitrary it would have been so funny. I wonder at this point what true value of trust and respect the general population has in the police. Maybe if they did the right thing and arrested the politician that called the Chinese citizens of this great country squatters this can slowly be put right but, god forbid, the Internal Affairs Ministry has not told them to do so - yet.

An interesting point to ponder is that the Minister was in fact “consulted” on the arrest but had chosen not to get involved. A great man once said, “all it takes is inaction for evil to prevail”.  Ministerial responsibility, anyone?

Today’s political climate of the country has created a unique phenomenon. It has changed the way newspapers are structured – they have brought the daily funnies to the front page headlines – a spot once reserved for the most news worthy piece of the day - spot that would determine the conversation content of millions of Malaysians for the day to come. As a result we now see a sillier Malaysian population – one that would laugh at the words and actions of the very people we collectively elected into office to govern this country.