BERSIH Campaign
BEACON OF HOPE AND SYMBOL OF MALAYSIAN PEOPLE POWER
Din Merican
On November 10, 2007, an estimated 60,000 Malaysians from all walks of life, young and old, and of all races converged at Istana Negara to deliver a petition to our beloved Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (His Majesty The King) seeking “free and fair elections.” The massive rally was organized by BERSIH, a movement of some 60 civil society organizations. It was led by KeADilan’s charismatic de facto chief Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and PAS’s Al-Fadil Hadi Awang, and DAP’s leader Lim Kit Siang.
It was also an outpouring of mass public disenchantment with the incompetent and corrupt Abdullah Badawi Administration. Kuala Lumpur had not seen such a spectacle since the 1998 reformasi rally at Masjid Negara that saw then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim unceremoniously removed from UMNO. He was later incarcerated in Sungai Buloh by the Mahathir government after a sham trial of some trumped up charges.
While the mood in 1998 was one of bitter frustration and public outrage, the BERSIH campaign on this historic day of November 2007 was a classic demonstration of the power and resolve of the Malaysian people. When they are awakened by an ennobling cause and mission, there is no one except Allah, the Most Merciful and Most Compassionate, who can prevent them from accomplishing their goals even if meant putting themselves in harm’s way.
They were motivated by nothing more than a simple cause: free and fair elections. Sixty thousand Malaysians showed in no uncertain terms that they are not prepared any longer to tolerate a biased Elections Commission, massive numbers of phantom voters and other electoral frauds, and the gerrymandering of constituencies carefully and cynically calibrated to favor the ruling coalition. People are fed up with the rampant corruption and abuse of power of the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government of Prime Minister Abdullah in cahoots with his unelected son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin and his cabal of opportunists.
The demonstrations were spontaneous, peaceful, and orderly, reflective of the civic consciousness of average Malaysians. We all can be justifiably proud off of this.
We created history on this November 10, 2007. We have broken the climate of fear and intimidation as well as overcome our public apathy. A new dawn has arrived. Democracy was again at work, and nothing will ever be the same again on our country. It was without doubt an impressive display of the maturity and solidarity by Malaysians.
Despite the massive police roadblocks preventing access into Kuala Lumpur, thousands of Malaysians from far away as Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak came. Apart from the FRU reinforcements and interference at Dataran Merdeka and the minor incident at Majid Jamek, Malaysians marched from five locations (Majid Jamek, Jalan Raja Laut, Sogo(Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman), Central Market and Masjid Negara) in unison and solidarity towards the palace. It was a touching display of love and respect of the institution of monarchy as well as for our cherished freedom and democracy. Even the rain did not dampen the enthusiasm. It was an awe inspiring display, with voices in harmony chanting “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great), “Daulat Tuanku,” “There is no God but God” and the glorification of the Holy Prophet as they converged at Istana Negara. Waves of people in yellow could be seen marching peacefully in well-orchestrated manner on all the major roads leading to the Palace grounds. There were even two helicopters hovering above their rain soaked heads.
Once they reached the palace grounds, they sat down on the roads and listened to speeches by BERSIH leaders like Azmin Ali and Tian Chua, as well as Johari Abdul (KeADILan), Mat Sabu (PAS), Ronnie Liu (DAP), and others. After handing over the petition to the King, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Al Fadil Hadi and Lim Kit Siang addressed the crowd. Their speeches were brief; they calmed the crowd. They dispersed peacefully afterwards.
I had difficulty hearing them because of the hovering helicopters. It was poignant to note that when Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim was about to speak, the two helicopters flew low in formation to drown his voice over the hand held speakers!
Massive rallies of this sort are not possible without the support and cooperation of all concerned, including the officers and men of the Royal Malaysian Police and the battle ready Federal Reserve Units. They were generally helpful and patient as they truly showed that they were well disciplined and sympathetic to the BERSIH movement. In fact, they managed the crowd well and showed great restraint. To them we say, “Terima kasih” (Thank you!).
Sadly we cannot say the same of their Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan and his colleagues who planned this unnecessarily intimidating show of force which could have easily gone out of control at the slightest provocation.
We pay tribute to the thousands of men, women, teenagers, and children who braved the rain and exposed them to the risk of physical harm. Likewise we appreciate the contributions of the PAS Badan Amal and the KeADILan marshals who kept the crowd orderly, and the patience and forbearance of motorists and other road users. We also thank members of the international media for their fair and balanced reporting. Sadly we are unable to say the same thing of our local mainstream media who followed only too well the orders of their political masters in not reporting such a significant event.
Prime Minister Abdullah and his sycophantic Cabinet colleagues in particular Dato Zainuddin Maidin and Nazri Aziz, as well as those in UMNO should heed the voices of 60,000 Malaysians as well as those are silent throughout the country. We want clean and fair elections. We resoundingly reject the status quo of incompetence, mediocrity, and rampant corruption and abuses of powers.
On November 10, 2007 Malaysians without hesitation resoundingly challenged Prime Minister Abdullah’s “saya pantang dicabar” (lit: I am allergic to challenges;” fig: “Don’t challenge me!”) gauntlet. Now, we are now waiting for his response. The mainstream media were muted in reporting the BERSIH campaign. They are still waiting for instruction from the Fourth Floor of the Prime Minister’s office.
Meanwhile we get to cherish the occasion and acknowledge this moral victory which we dedicate to all Malaysians who cherish democracy, freedom, and justice.
Din Merican
KeADILan Program Director.
November 11th, 2007 at 1:26 am
Congratulations to the BERSIH organisers, and the participants. You are all now part of history. Independance was achieved through many small steps. Similarly, this is a small but important step in creating a new Malaysia. Amazes me why the local media only reported 4,000 participants when the numbers were close to 60,000?? Don’t be surprised if Al-Jazeera gets booted out of Astro’s list of programs. In this new world, it is really hard to hide the truth. The remaining days for this government is numbered. No doubt change will surely take place. The only question is when.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:20 am
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in all his arrogance at the UMNO General Assembly a day before the BERSIH WALK warned against the citizens joining the Walk, uttered this no nonsense words:
“Saya pantang dicabar (I resent being challenged)”
Well, 60,000 Malaysians of all races from all walks of life representing the rakyat fedup to the teeth, took up his challenge with courage and against all odds of Police intimidation, tear-gas and peppered water spray attacks, managed to arrive at the gate of the King’s palace to hand over the rakyat’s Petition to the King.
I’m indeed surprised Prime Minister Abdullah also the religious founder of Islam Hardhari chose not to realise that the rakyat likewise ‘pantang kena tipu’ (resent being cheated) yet he claims to be the Prime Minister of All Malaysians?
If he is, time he take action and heed the People’s call for transparency to allow reforms of the Electoral Rolls before the next General Election. By refusing the People’s request, it just goes to show this BN/UMNO government is adamant to continue with its money politics,vote rigging and phantom votes.
It saddens me to see the state of despair Malaysia is in today. Corruption has never been worse. Judiciary’s rot involving the CJ, judges and the well-connected is shockingly shameful. Abuse of power by govt officials, their total disregard for rule of law or religious sentiment of the people have also become increasingly ugly.
November 11th, 2007 at 6:34 am
I am not sure if you got it right since you are there in the satanic USA a country so far away from Malaysia. You got to be here to see for yourself. Don’t ever compare it with demonstration in other part of the world. My hat goes to the police who are very professional and very gentlemen and this can’t be said to most of the participants.
I also observed that the majority of the participants are young Malays or old and very shably dress Malays but very few non-Malays. BERSIH clearly failed to convince the business-minded non-Malays to come because they know to come is a waste of their time for a cause that is not very clear. Frankly everybody have been persuaded one way or another to championed the political survival of one very frustrated ex-UMNO leader who is clearly a very irrelevant person amongst the majority of the Malays. I this his fight is very personal but unfortunately he is able to drag many with him. If we looked back, this individual was elected as an MP a few times by the very system that he is now protesting. WHY IS THAT? Why now? Why don’t he march then when he was part of the then govt.? This person is well known to be a vey good orator and can get everybody to his side and to fight for him especially among the young Malays and it is a pity that people like LKS and the religious Hadi Awang fell for him ….
November 11th, 2007 at 7:04 am
You call it bersih aka clean and you are reciprocated with liquid. Without realizing it, Barisan Nasional agreed to the campaign. They know that cleanliness comes about by using water and detergent / chemical to clean all the filth away. Even when LKS’s blog is put into the RTM’s website, it is also indirectly agreeing that they have problems. Therefore take it positively. Barisan Nasional now finds it very hard to give very good answers and so instead of facing up to reality, they just want to play along. What is so cemerlang and gemilang about corruption, money election and injustice or shooting peaceful marchers with tear gas and liquid ? These are more to be terbilanged. If you do not know what it feels like to be treated unfairly, then you do not know the other part of Malaysia. In fact because of all the seemingly comforts that Malaysians have, most of them when interviewed by RTM, condemned this march. So RTM is being very one sided which makes it an unfair government broadcasting station. Why don’t they interview those who participated in the march ? No, they don’t dare because Datuk Zainuddin is their big boss.
November 11th, 2007 at 7:46 am
Police forces all over the world are never professional and gentlemen while on duty. But we can always win them to the rakyat side because they are rakyat too – Malaysia badly managed by UMNO definitely affected the living standards of our police men and women.
BERSIH is fighting the cause of an ex-UMNO and irrelevant person? That comment sounded like the Disgusting Paul!
At least Anwar had fallen into the shit pit of UMNO and he is trying to “bersihkan” the political scene. Not like some who despite the rot set in by UMNO after 50 years, still smell fragrant from the shit pit, still subscribe to racial and communal manipulation perfected by UMNO trying to play up the sentiment of various ethnic groups.
But slowly rakyat would not buy that anymore.
Let this multi-racial BERSIH campaign be a good pointer to continuously remind us that UMNO is not for all Malays and not all Malays are for UMNO.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Sammy,
I think you must be in some ’satanic delusion’ right now, unable to decipher this thread and to have missed the point We are now talking about BERSIH Campaign and the 10-11 Walk, not about one ex-umno guy.
Well, whoever he is, I must congratulate him for his good foresight and quick decision to have left umno that is plagued with corruption and rotten to the core!
I am also aware that LKS if you meant YB Lim Kit Siang, and PAS’s Hadi Awang are highly respected figures in their own right and they are never short of supporters.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Anwar had every chance in the world to reform the Government. Instead, he stood by, watched and enjoyed every minute of it. His hands are soiled and stink to high heaven. To now stand on moral high ground and speak of justice is treacherous. Anwar until now has never apologised, nor has he even publicly regeretted and asked for forgiveness for his omission to strive for justice while in the Government.
In as much as I believe that every man is redeemble, that man seeking redemption has to be brutally honest and admit his failings and his mistake.
I agree with much has been discussed in Dr Bakri’s blog about how incompetent AAB is. But to believe that the answer lies with the Opposition is delusional.
I cannot imagine a more worrisome thought than having 3 (?) Opposition parties with different agenda, different priorities but who nonetheless are gravitated towards one another with a single minded belief….hatred for the Government of the day. An Opposition who expect to win by default due to the incompetence of AAB not so much for a better plan on how this country is to move forward.
Citizens of this country needs to know of what the candidate CEO wants to do to make this country better, talking bad about the current CEO without concrete plan is not going to endear us to you.
Talk of democracy and justice is cheap. Ask Estrada, Gus Dur and Thaksin. Running a country takes more than doing what is popular.
Brother Din, as you are well aware of, I have a deep respect for you. I respect that you now feel the need to become politically active, to want to do something about the sad state of affairs in this country. The choice of which political party you want to ally yourself with, is yours alone. I have nothing against what Keadilan stands for, I am just against hypocrites like Anwar and Khalid.
And Brother Din, if you do meet Ronnie Liu, please let him know that I have nothing against revisiting history and having a fresh perspective, up to a point, but his revisionist thoughts that seem to elevate Chin Peng as a freedom fighter smacks of treason.
Many men died and suffered horrendous injuries as a result of fighting the Communist Party of Malaysia. If he is now a freedom fighter and deserve a place in Tugu Negara, what are of those men who died fighting him and his goons ?
Hishamuddin toyed with the keris and we hear no end to it until to date, Ronnie’s dangerous flirtation with rewriting history and no one bothers about it.
And the march to Istana Negara to petition the King ? Drawing parallel to the Thai Monarch’s care for the citizens is foolhardy. Look back at the history of how the Malay Sultans “cared” for the Malays, one will always thank Mahathir in reigning their powers and reducing them to conferring medals.
Some might ask, so what now ? The Govt of the day is incompetent and if I am to be believed, voting the Opposition in power is asking for a disaster. I know, some might use the almost cliched idea, give the Opposition a try, if they are not good, we kick them back into the street.
Worth a thought, but on second thought, maybe not.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Anwar leading the BERSIH campaign is like, Rudolph Hess championing and end to rascism.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:29 am
Yusdita,
You said………. “Well, whoever he is, I must congratulate him for his good foresight and quick decision to have left umno that is plagued with corruption and rotten to the core!”
If Anwar left UMNO because he has more scruples, he has every right to lead BERSIH.
But the fact of the matter is, he was thrown out, kicking and screaming, and by force of circumstances…. sharpening his claws, with a trident in one hand, smelling of sulphur… he founded Keadilan.
AAB maybe a village idiot …. I can live with that. Anwar ? The man has no scruples. His moral bearing is like the compass in Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Carribean fame.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Anwar Ibrahim will not be like what he is today if Tun did not kicked him out of UMNO. He could be the PN now!!! Think about that. See what Anwar has lost and understand why he goes to all this trouble. You think will actual fight for BERSIH! Anwar is a an opportunist. He is a person who use people so that he will have his ways. He used Ezam, Azmin, Ibrahim Saad, Zahid Hamidi, Abim, Nik Nazmi, and many more. Anwar is now paying the price for all that and for turning his back many years ago to ABIM and PAS when he unexpectedly joined UMNO. In UMNO, Anwar had a very bad record. He is the person who invented “politik wang”. He kicked out Suhaimi Kamaruddin and then e kicked out Pak Ghaffar because of his greed to power. He even wanted to kick Tun out but here is where he met his match. His was expelled from UMNO. Correction …. Anwar never left UMNO. He was given a dishonour discharge. Of course Tun invented various accusations against Anwar but that is another story. After being released from jail by Pak Lah’s good will, Anwar wanted to join UMNO (tak malu). However, the whole of UMNO is not willing to accept him. Anwar thought that with Tun no longer the President of UMNO he can continue his ‘run” but unfortunately for aNWAR , UMNO is unable to accept him. Anwar may want many to believe that he never wanted to join UMNO but KJ (the son-in-law) may says otherwise. Now Anwar wanted to be PM but under what platform? Without UMNO and orang Melayu ..Anwar can only dream … sorry Anwar …. you’re are irrelevant to “orang Melayu”……
November 11th, 2007 at 8:57 am
He could be the PN now!!! Correction…PM now!!!
November 11th, 2007 at 9:09 am
What is wrong with you guys? Is this the reason why you guys are residing out-of the country? Give us who are in the countyr a break…we want to live in peace and harmony too and at the same time earn a decent living just like you guys abroad.
Fine, call me a proletarian if you guys wish…because the truth is, I am. I dont have a lavish lifestyle nor have the oppurtunity/privilege to travel abroad and mingling with the europeans/americans like you guys (lucky you). What I do experience on a daily basis is going to work and seeing our Malaysian countrymen living and walking side-by-side everytime I stepped outside of my little house. Thus, all I want is a peaceful, progressive and united Malaysia..I believed you guys wanted the same too, right?
November 11th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Wow! the Umno aplogists are quick to respond - Anwar this and Anwar that. I was an Umno water boy once but have since discarded my uniform. Ordinary Malaysians have sounded the alarm. If you don’t go to the streets nothing will change in Bolehland. We are not holding the country to ransom, as some have argued. Neither are we rooted for the Opposition. We, the rakyat, are simply fed up with Umno politicians like Zam Ala Kazam whose pidgin English on Al Jeezera speaks volumn of the mentality of those entrusted to manage the country. Zam had picked a wrong time to speak. So had AAB and the great Mr Rosmah.
November 11th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Anwar had every chance in the world to reform the Government? Might as well ask Najib who is still having every chance in Malaysia to reform UMNO.
Or better still ask CHE Det who really had missed the chance to reform the government. But he blundered. After passing the baton to the wrong person, CHE Det was (or still is) trying to do the damage control in vain.
Or ask AAB who is now … aiyah, forget about him!
Worrying about the 3 (?) opposition parties with different agenda? We are having nightmare with BN having 15 component parties dreaming of different agenda on every occasion.
Instead of worrying about the many men and women soiled by the shit from the shit pit, we should be more worry about the shit pit that keeps soiling our country.
Just do the basic democratic duty: sack the proven corrupt and incompetent politicians in power.
November 11th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
“sammy Says:
November 11th, 2007 at 6:34 am
I am not sure if you got it right since you are there in the satanic USA a country so far away from Malaysia. You got to be here to see for yourself. Don’t ever compare it with demonstration in other part of the world. My hat goes to the police who are very professional and very gentlemen and this can’t be said to most of the participants. ”
Ignorance and selfish individual like this will always make people laugh. Yeah, we do need this kind of clowns every now and then. Have a cup of your favorite drink and enjoy “the parroting masterpiece” masquerade as an “objective viewpoint” everyone!
November 11th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Sammy,
You are “correct,correct, correct”(to borrow the expression from VK Lingam) to say that the number of Indians who were at the November 10 march to Istana is small, almost to the point of insignificance. Maybe you can explain this apathy by the Indian community on the issue of “clean and fair elections” and other issues.
The Indian community is either happy with the way things are, thanks to Mr Samy Velu and the MIC for their great success in taking care of the interest of the Indian community or it could be due a host of factors.
My Indian colleagues too are puzzled. They feel that Samy Velu has been successful in controlling Indian behaviour through the use of fear tactics by the MIC equivalent of Mat Rempits.
If the Indians themselves are happy with the way things are in the UMNO dominated coalition, that is their choice. If they are happy with whatever the government gives them, they probably deserve what has been and is coming to them. My Indian colleagues and those who have become members of KeADILan are not happy with the “marginalization of the Indians”. They feel that the community deserves better and are willing to join our movement for change. We seek to create opportunities for all who are willing to work hard and smart. We are for justice and equity.
If you believe Anwar was released by Badawi, then you have not listened the Lingamgate video clip. Anwar was sent to Sungei Buloh on trumped up charges because he threatened entrenched interests in UMNO. But I do not wish to argue with a converted UMNO-BN person. All I can say is that you deserve what we are all getting now: corruption, abuses of power, dysfunctional government
November 11th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
…and poor leadership.
As for UMNO, please look at their record in recent years. The party is corrupt to the core and completely out of touch with the plight of the Malays in particular. If they cannot keep their own house in order, they cannot be expected to take care of the country.
Lekiu,
If I may say, you are little harsh on both Anwar and Khalid Ibrahim. I have spent countless hours exchanging views and ideas with them on the state of our country. Our discussions are not based on speculation but on available data and information.
On the basis of these discussions and those of other KeADILan leaders, we have come to conclusion that we must stop the rot and restore dignity and trust in our institutions. Malaysians deserve better.
We are genuine and committed and we also united in our belief that Anwar Ibrahim is indeed most qualified to lead our country. We need transformational leader and must have strong economic growth if we are to recover lost ground and catch up with Singapore, Korea and China. We have the ideas and programmes to do just that.
I thank you for respecting my choice of KeADILan for my political activism. I opted for change and I hope you and others will see the need to do that. Our country cannot continue to be on auto-pilot with a leader who is “a village idiot”. Of course, you can follow Badawi, as it is your choice.
As far as I am concerned, the UMNO-BN has had 50 years as a government. Unfortunatlely, their track record is far from outstanding. Under their watch, our country is ranked poorly vis-a-vis a number of our competitors in the region and East Asia. Just look, for example, at the THES-QS (Times Higher Education Supplement -Quacquarelli Symonds) ranking of our public universities over the last 4 years. it is a disgrace. There is no political will to solve problems.
To think that the Opposition is the answer is not delusional. On the contrary, it offers our best hope for change. Give us a level playing field–that was the sole purpose behind the BERSIH campaign of “free and fair elections”–and we will make a difference.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Dear Outcold,
Reading your posting here makes me so happy today. My first reaction was, this couldn’t be ‘real’ coming from Outcold!
I am indeed glad that ou have finally come to your good sense and made the right decision to discard your ’soiled uniform’. So all’s not lost for our effort for us here at BM Blog. We have successfully managed to influence you and win you over big way. Welcome to good sense, welcome aboard!
My apologies for having have had some rough exchange of words with you on this blog but they were all was done with the best intention to try get you on the right track.
On Goblok Zam the Malaysian Information Minister, you know who he reminds me of? - The last Iraqi Minister of Information in Saddam Hussein’s government, Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf aka MSS.
That gig was always in denial syndrome, loved to spin. Even after the first US coalition bomb was dropped over Bagdad, he still denied it and proudly braved cameras to ask foreign reporters, “Are their troops in Bagdad yet?”
Joke of the century it was, even the Iraqi was fooled by this idiot. Do you see the similarities between these two Information Ministers?
November 11th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
i can’t recall when the local authority/police ever give permit for opposition rally, thereby making all gathering illegal , no matter how peaceful the rally is,they always able to cite reason and excuses like inconvenience to public or loss of business to shop keepers and using water cannon /tear gas to disperse is therefore justified. Minister zam said protest is not necessary because we have election every five year and practise democracy and deputy said it is not malaysian culture.So what happen to western countries that allow peaceful protests, does that mean that they are not practising democracy??.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Oops, sorry last para, should read:
“Joke of the century it was, even the Iraqi Military was fooled by this idiot.”
November 11th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
I can’t agree moe, Pak Din. The problem with some is that they are blind to the many injustices that the ruling coalition, especailly Umno, has done to the country.
The March to the Istana on November 10 consisted mainly of Malays -underprivileged Malays I would say. Malays who were deliberately left out in the cold never knowing what NEP was n the first place. This is the kind of injustice that has plagued the nation for a long time passing.
Ironically, the ones who kicked and whacked the marchers were Malays themselves -Malay policemen. Malays bashng up Malays. Well, ABB, Mr Rosmah and IGP Musa are impervious to this folly. Can’t blame them.
The nation is going down the drain. Someone has to come to the front and take the lead. And if that someone is Anwar Ibrahim, so be it. You don’t expect KJ or Samy Velu to make a move. They have enriched themselves beyond their wildest dreams.
As for the fate of the Indians, I reserve my comments. There may be one too many Lingams around. Howver, at a Deepavali gathering last week many of those I spoke to were in favour of the Bersih march. Such is the thinking of men.
November 11th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Thanks Outcold, Jong (Orang Ipoh lo) and others,
The NEP is made to be a sacred cow by the UMNO elite. Tak boleh cari makan kalau DEB diubahsuaikan. They want many rounds of rape of ur national assets…now till 2057. By that time, at the rate we are going with corridors and monsoon cups throughout the country, and the new Penang bridge with two balls and the mega city, we will become a basket case like Mexico in the 1980s or Argentina in the 1990s.
I am waiting for Sammy to respond. I have a lot of respect for my Indian colleagues in KeADILan who are convinced that their community has been sold out many times over by Samy Velu aided by my varsity mate, KS Nijhar. In fact, one of them, Mr G we call him, is lobbying very hard–almost to the point of begging– to be given a chance to take on the MIC dictator in the Sungei Siput constituency.
We told Mr. G to be patient as we want to clean up the electoral roll to prevent phantom Indians to rise up like Phantom Malays and Phantom Chinese to rise from their graves to vote for Samy Velu, Ong Kah Ting or Ali Rustam. We also want to get rid of Tan Sri Rashid and his cohorts at the Elections Commission and make that body independent. We also want to
sell all party owned newspapers to the public and change the editors, except those not politically connected who are doing good work under severe constraints.
Give us a level playing field and with your help, we will make sure that you will no longer hear of Samy Velu Rafidah Aziz, Nazri Aziz (no relative of Rafidah but in the same boat as far as corruption is concerned) et.al. Even Badawi will be denied the use of 4 expensive corporate jets for his global travels.
Thanks.
November 11th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
the NEP …many in Keadilan have benefited and get filthy rich through NEP … Tan Sri Khalid is definitely a by-product of NEP … but he is one greedy individual … due to the problem with shares allocation in his last appointment ..he accused the govt. of discriminating him … imagine Tan Sri Khalid the Bendahari of Keadilan claimed to be victimized by the Govt. Tan Sri in millionaire and he is a victim?…. The greedy Ta Sri is actually an UMNO man at heart ..never a Keadilan man … remember how he campaigned for BN when he himself is the candidate for Keadialan … Hypocrite ..just like ANWAR .. the biggest hypocrite …. DSAI can dream to be the next PM ….
DO NOT “BLACK LIST ME” Dr Bakri !!!!
November 11th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
the lingamtape is a joke … i just don’t understand what the fuss is all about .. even if it’s true … how could that lawyer be responsible with the election or appointments of judges … enlightened me….
Another thing .. the actor in the recording knew that he was being taped… and he is such a bad actor …. and just because he mentioned a name on the other side of the line that does not mean that that person is actually the person being mentioned. What if he mention George BUsh .. are we to believe that Mr Bush is on the other side of the like … stupid betul DSAI … no wonder Tun kicked him out !!!!
And i don’t understand why is he releasing the tapes bit by bit ? Clearly shows taht DSAI is playing politics and never about justice …..
November 12th, 2007 at 1:55 am
The BERSIH Walk and “Lingamtape scandal” in Malaysia’s Judiciary rot brought world attention that Malaysia is run by mentally-challenged Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his team of idiots who are in denial syndrome.
Foreign Investors confidence are definitely affected and why would anyone wants to put their money in a country run by unethical, corrupted buggers. So just get real BN/UMNO, cleaning up is what this country needs. Stop cheating the rakyat, stop kidding the school children with your lies about that space traveller called “angkasawan” and forget about your “corridors”.
November 12th, 2007 at 2:22 am
Friends and bloggers,
I think Sammy should have been appointed to the Najib panel to investigate into the authenticity of the Lingam Video clip in addition to Haidar, Shanker and Lee Lam Thye.
The panel would have benefited Sammy on what their findings should be and it is probably that “the lingamtape is a joke …”.
Sammy has obviously not been reading the various press releases that were issued by Dato Anwar’s Office from time to time on the matter. Dato Seri Awar said a number of times that he is not in possession of the entire tape, although he had seen the full 14 minutes of it. He will only be able to release whatever the whistleblower(s) can give him. Simply put, he is not in control of the entire video.
If they can assured of full protection of their personal safety and from legal prosecution, the whistleblower (s) will come out in the open and are ready to appear before an independent Royal Commission on the Judiciary. In truth, the Badawi Government is not interested in resolving this issue. It is not to their advantage to do so.
Sammy’s reaction to the person of Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim is totally irrational. Could he be in possession of facts with regard to Dato Seri Anwar character and related facts! If he is relying on heresay and negative, he should be more circumspect.
From what I know of Dato Seri Anwar since working directly for him (I see him everyday when he is not overseas) , I find that he is dedicated and a tireless advocate of change for a better and competitive Malaysia. He is a very hardworking, dynamic and intelligent leader with a clear agenda, an eloquent speaker, and avid reader of books on philosophy, ethics, economics and politics. He has a very impressive resume.
With regard to Tan Sri Khalid, all I can say is that I have known him for a long time as a professional executive since the 1980s. He was in PNB and I was in Sime Darby. I find him to be very thorough, hard working and very trustworthy. He and I work closely since I joined KeADILan and I have no reason to doubt his commitment to the cause and his integrity. But he can be brutally frank and critical, and does not suffer fools easily.
Dato Anwar, Tan Sri Khalid and I are beneficiares of the legacy of UMNO leaders of a bygone era. I have never denied that. We feel differently about UMNO today.
In my view, UMNO has deviated from its original mission to become a party tainted with money politics and cronyism. It is a party of vested interests (elite businessmen and professionals including civi servants) aligned to the leadership.
KeADILan has a different mission. It seeks to serve the people and is founded on justice, equal opportunity and fraternity. These principles are close to my personal values.
November 12th, 2007 at 2:49 am
Dear Sammy, Mayflower, Lekiu and others,
I am not affiliated with any political party. But at least I am aware of it when I am being lied to.
I am a 28 year old female who before this, was practically a katak bawah tempurung about our government and its wrong doings. I was happily living my life, more concerned about the next pair of dream shoes I wanted to own or about that gorgeous dress I wanted to have. But then, after the Namewee video, I became concerned with the condition of our country. You should see the racial contents of the comments on his YouTube video.
One thing lead to another and here I am. There is so much that we don’t know about the government. Again, unlike some, at least I know when i’m being lied to.
A great example would be today’s paper, there’s so much spin on the story that the article has its own gravity. Couldn’t the newspaper at least get their facts right? Recently I was commenting to myself how the newspapers are beginning to have more press freedom as they began reporting ‘both sides of the fence’ but yesterday and today proved how wrong i was. All lies, lies lies. Just when i was beginning to trust the papers again.
I was there at the BERSIH Rally. And I’m proud of it. I represent my peers who are from privileged backgrounds. I’m proud to say, my father would have been proud of me.
Despite what the spin doctors under Bodohlah’s employ would like you to believe, there was no violence on BERSIH’s part. Chaos erupted when FRU and Police opened fire (tear gas). Again, I was there. My faith was shattered before it could even form properly. I almost believed in Star, NST, Malay Mail again. ALMOST.
Sammy,
How misled you are, how terribly teribly misled, you are. You think this is about Anwar? I urge you to put aside your prejudice and judgement until you PROPERLY READ on why we decided to march. No need to read between the lines. It’s there point blank. We don’t like to mince our words. We are not the spin doctors. If you’re looking for cryptic messages, and media spinning, look at our government. Not at BERSIH.
You are discrediting the other many NGOs who took part in the rally. I am non political and so are many others in the rally. I think you (like me last time) are swallowing the najis that PM is feeding you. Just because he says that it is the opposition’s tactic, doesn’t make it so.
What is so ‘opposing’ about demanding a fair justice and electoral system? Is BN sending a message that it doesn’t support this? Is this the message they are trying to convey by tear gassing and water cannoning the public who demand this right? Or are they just ‘tergigit chili’ and terasa pedas?
Sammy,
If you think the Lingam tape doesn’t deserve to be investigated, I hope and pray that you have no intention of running for office, or becoming a lawyer.
Everything needs to be investigated. Verifying the video’s authenticity does not require the cameraman to come forward. Technology is advanced enough now to do this as shown recently when the tape was sent to a digital forensics studio in hong kong. In my humble opinion, it looked like the government wanted to find out who the whistle blower was so that they could react accordingly (like other whistle blowers before this).
Sammy and others,
Wake up and smell the shit that’s been floating around us for so long. We better stand up and demand justice and fairness for all. We are living in a toilet bowl, if we don’t do anything we are going to be flushed down the drain. Then crawling back up would be hell.
Aren’t you ashamed that your ‘leaders’ are unable to have a constructive debate in parliment without yelling ‘bodoh’ ‘monyet’ ‘pu*i mak’? Aren’t you ashamed that the ruling party’s general assembly is more about “should we or shouldn’t we wave the keris” rather than the general state of the country? Aren’t you ashamed that the government is blatantly using the ‘racial’ card every time something doesn’t go their way? Aren’t you ashamed that our ‘leaders’ can’t even speak proper english and are proud of it?
Why can’t we get educated leaders? Why can’t we get leaders who take their vows seriously? Why do our ‘leaders’ hedge around issues that are so straight forward? (Answer: Because they have no idea. Or they just don’t care. Or the answer is just too damaging to them) Why do they make wildly inaccurate statements? (Nazri:Witness Protection Act)
Don’t they know their own ministries? Do they really take us for fools? (I know some of us are)
Some of you may think that I am naive. Maybe you’re right. I can tell you one thing: At least i’m trying to do something about the state of things. At least I stood up for my beliefs.
November 12th, 2007 at 2:53 am
Brother Din,
If you and the good Doctor here were to set up a political party and champion the things we all cherish, minus Anwar and his team. I will be among the first to submit a membership form. If you will accept, I will put in hours to campaign for your newly formed political party. Heck, if Anwar and his ilk were to leave Keadilan, and either you or Dr Bakri were to lead, I will probably join a political party for once, inasmuch as I hate the lingering smell of sulphur in Keadilan.
I am not an UMNO apologist, I would love to see a political party run by people who has no association, past or present, with UMNO. Khalid complains of Malay rights which is outdated, does he for one minute believe that his ascension to corporate power was on merits ? He took Malay rights to the cleaners and laughed all the way to the Bank. It needs someone who hasn’t benefited much from Malay rights to say it is outdated, its tenure is at an end, not from someone who made money from it.
All I am saying is, in every revolution, the one who intend to lead, has to be someone of a decent character. Anwar is off the mark by a mile.
Yusdita,
When I mentioned that the Opposition parties are tugging away at different direction, it has to do with their ideology. PAS at the time of election will scream about a theocratic government, DAP will insist of Malaysian Malaysia, Keadilan’s raison d etre is basically anwar as PM at whatever cost. 2 major component party at odds with the basic fabric of the country.
BN may have 15 (really?) coalition partners, apart from political speak, its action is clear throughout the years.
The Opposition needs to clear the air. It needs to for once make a solid pact of what this country will be when they are in power. PAS and DAP need to cut the rhetoric. Be practical, sacrifice their long cherished ideals and compromise. That is the only way possible if Malaysia is to maintain its stability.
And, if you (Opposition) do get into office, quit the witch hunting and rebuild the country. When GW gave the State of the Union speech years back, he gave an eloquent and compassionate plea about rebuilding a house divided. His ratings soared and people actually looked forward to a better USA.
Outcold,
Maybe I do sound like an UMNO apologist, but it was never my intention. I try to give an objective assessment where possible. Emotion run high when Anwar and Khalid are lumped in together in a discussion about malaysian politics.
Speaking of treachery, I grew up wondering whether Hang Tuah or Hang Jebat was right. Tuah in all his wisdom, decided that Malacca was bigger than one man and decided to quit without much circus. Hang Jebat, decided to go to the street and risk chaos. Anwar in ‘97 acted like Jebat. He feels indignant about the sacking, he chose to risk the nation in his quest for power. Anwar did much lobbying with US that when Al Gore was invited to give a speech during dinner, he was so rude that it offended us Malaysians as host. We all may have misgivings about his legacy, but Dr M was a Prime Minister of Malaysia and must be accorded every respect.
Anwar’s double speak is legendary. A bit like lallang, his political leaning will depend on the flavour of the month.
I suppose at the end of the day, we all have to agree to disagree.
November 12th, 2007 at 3:35 am
Lekiu, you sound very much like “Fair Malaysian”, are you?
November 12th, 2007 at 4:08 am
Lekiu,
I am not a politician in the true sense of the word. I have entered the world of political activism, whatever that term means. In doing so, I have cast my lot with Anwar Ibrahim and KeADILan.
My own professor of Rural Sociology at University of Malaya, Prof. Dr. Syed Hussin Ali is with the party too. I feel good about reuniting with this unassuming gentleman and intellectual because I yet to meet another human being who is more dedicated than he in the service of his fellow Malaysians and the cause of justice and equity. I feel a man must be driven by an ennobling mission and high ideals. Prof. Dr Syed Hussin is one such person.
It is not my purpose here to change your views about anything. But I would like to say here that Anwar has not said any unkind word about former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir to me even ih his most unguarded moment.
I think we all at KeADILan respect the Tun has a one of an unusual kind national leader with lots of guts and intellectual power. Some of my colleagues may disagree with the Tun and his politics, but they are never disrespectful. The Tun would be a formidable competitor, if he was still in office.
We cannot say the same about the present lot of UMNO leaders and opportunists who have ignored the Tun. Perhaps, it is because he cannot give them any more contracts.
Anwar himself never denied that he was able to rise in UMNO to the status of Deputy President and in government as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance largely because of the Tun. One day we will know just yet what actually happened between them during the period 1997-1998. In the meantime, there is lots of speculation and stories about it.
I remain respectful of the Tun and am saddened that the people in the Badawi Administration are trying to blow out the former Prime Minister’s candle to make their man’s look bright. Let me say to you that even a thousand candles cannot help Badawi. They will, in fact, make him look more inept, dysfunctional and deceitful.
Badawi pales in comparison to Anwar and that is a fact. I believe Anwar is the best Malay leader of his generation just as Tun Mahathir is the shining star of his. It is a sad accident of history that Anwar did have the chance to succeed him as Prime Minister. But he may yet be, God willing, by sheer grit, hard work and good strategy. My colleagues and I are working to make it happen.
Yes, we agree to disagree and I will defend your right to speak and express yourself freely ala Voltaire.
November 12th, 2007 at 4:10 am
Well, Lekiu we all have agreed to disagree. It’s better this way than having it one’s way all the ttime.
See how the mainstream media suck up to their masters. How our emasculated Umno politicians decrying the March as nothing more than a political gimmick. The PM claiming that the Royalty has been deliberately dragged into the fray. RTM interviewing only the meek and misinformed. And to cap it all Zam Ala Kazam, our Baghdad Ali clone, babbling away on Al Jazeera and in pidgin English like a moronic half-witted schoolboy.
This is the kind of stuff practised by an autocratic regime. This is the kind of leaders we have voted in to lead the nation into the 21st Century. We have to do something before they take us down the path to nowhere.
Agreed the Opposition is not cohesive and fractious. But is that not what Umno wants in order to remain in power? It’s simply too obvious.
It’s time to change and there is no better time than NOW.
November 12th, 2007 at 4:56 am
Din Merican said,
” …Dato Anwar, Tan Sri Khalid and I are beneficiares of the legacy of UMNO leaders of a bygone era. I have never denied that. We feel differently about UMNO today….”
Well.well well …. I rest my case.
Sammy, KL.
November 12th, 2007 at 5:06 am
pak din..a true gentleman
November 12th, 2007 at 6:05 am
nor’aini,
ummm, ….I wouldn’t be too sure of that!
November 12th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Dear all,
I think you guys are missing the forest for the trees. All these arguments started when somebody implied that the BERSIH walk was totally politically motivated. I’m however in the opinion that it is not entirely true… The walk was motivated to clean up the voting system and EC. BERSIH may have the opposition parties as the backbone, but they are merely 3 groups out of 71 (or something like that) NGO’s in total.
Having said that, I believe not only the oppositions but the true and honest BN members should also join the rally. I mean, how proud can you be when the party that you support dearly wins the election but through fraudulent acts, vote buying, etc. I see that many of us, though have different political inclinations, believe that the ‘guardian angel’ party are good ones and will bring brighter future to Malaysia.
So, logically, shouldn’t we be supporting what BERSIH is proposing?
My two cents…
Shazlan
November 12th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Sammy,
I read your comments again last night.
It is my final conclusion tha you should be the campaign manager for Samy Velu and the MIC. He needs help badly. He needs the deception, the spin and vernom that you can provide so that he can continue to justify his “greatness” as the undisputed leader of the Indian community.
Samy (no relative of yours, I hope) has yet to be open, for example, about Maika Holdings. He and his cronies have misused hard earned savings of the Indian community and wiped them out, and now the Maika shares are worthless. He should also stop using Indian “mat rempits” from threatening his opponents and their supporters. The PPP and its leader should be wary…When the talk stops, the beating comes, so be careful, Mr Kayveas!!
People like you ought to be helping your own kind in the way my colleagues, Oxford Rhodes Scholar and Human Rights lawyer, Sivarasa and Deputy Secretary-General Dr Xavier Jayakumar and others in KeADILan are doing. They are working hard for the cause of equal opportunity, justice and equity for all Malaysians. That will benefit the Indian community as well.
Together, we are committed to end the marginalization of the Indian community and the destruction of Indian temples. We want to improve the quality of Indian education and the quality of life of the Indian community. For too long, our Indian brothers and sisters have been shabbily treated and kept out of the mainstream economic life of our country.
These are matters which Indian professionals (lawyers, doctors and engineers), most of whom are with MIC, are trying to brush aside. Comfortable in their Jaguars, BMWs and Benzs, they rather spend their time at The Dog at the Royal Selangor Club and elsewhere with beer and whiskey. In fact, I get the impression that they are too embarassed to even acknowledge that they are Indians. If at all they are Indians, they think that they are of a special breed– the Brahmins and the upper crust of the community.
My sincere advice to you is that you should stop being cynical and start to think more deeply about the challenges facing your kind in the 21st cenutry. Just as I have been telling my Malay brothers and sisters that we should build our own community, and not depend on this nanny state led by the self-serving leaders of UMNO, I am appealing to smart Indians like you to dedicate their time and effort in building a confident and strong Indian community.
Yesterday evening, I chatted with two Indians at Devi Corner’s in Bangsar Baru. Let us call them, Rama and Mutu (I know they would not wish to disclose their true identities) I found it frustrating to communicate with them. They were totally negative and defeatist. I could sense their sense of helplessness.
Both Rama and Mutu again raised the issue of Maika Holdings and talked about the antics–they call it Tamil sandiwara– and dirty tricks and tactics of Samy Velu and his MIC cahoots. If so, I said they should get rid of them by democratic means.
Rama gave me the standard response that I have heard ever so often before, “Cannot lah, he is too powerful”. There was no fire in the belly left in these two gentlemen. They were prepared to criticise and condemn MIC yet like you, they were unwilling to take action and change the system.
I told Rama and Mutu that we must not depend on charity. Look at what Samy Velu tried to do when he appealed to Badawi Government to help the Indian community. He failed. He could not act tough as the guys on the 4th Floor, Prime Minister’s office have enough on his misdemeanours to shut him up.
The NEP/DEB is not the answer. It has failed after 37 years even to help the average Malay. It has only enriched UMNO leaders, their families and their cronies. Let us restore our pride and dignity.
Please read Anwar Ibrahim’s New Malaysian Economic Agenda for a heavy dosage of reality. We need to re-evaluate affirmative action programes, not reject it as a policy objective. We must design programmes which empower people, rather than handicap them in an increasingly competitive world. It should be needs-based.
Mutu wanted my observations about of the BERSIH campaign. I told him that he should go the internet and visit the various popular websites including this one by Dr. Bakri for the truth on what actually happened. This is because the Malaysian media is now misleading the public in order to discredit the campaign amd its leaders.
I said that the glaring Indian absence from the historic November 10 BERSIH march showed that the Indian community had lost its will to fight for change. I added that my Indian colleagues in KeADILan are working long hours to restore fire in the belly of their brothers and sisters. Often they face cynics (like you, for example).
The BERSIH campaign, as Shazlan says, is about “clean and fair elections”. Why is the government afraid of electoral reforms?. To me, the answer is as clear as the clear blue Malaysian skies. The Prime Minister and his crowd of hangers-on (like Rafidah, Nazri, Ali Rustam, and Adnan Yaccob) know that without gerrymandering, electoral fraud, phantom voters, a biased Elections Commission, and a controlled media they would not be able to hold on to power.
If we truly want a better Malaysia in which the government is responsive to the voices and needs of its citizens, not one which is repressive, blatantly corrupt and indifferent, we should participate in events like the November 10 March to the Palace organised by BERSIH. Yes, Shazlan, we should support it.
But we must continue to show that we can act and behave responsibly. If, as we had shown on November 10, we can act with a high sense of civic responsibility, then the Royal Malaysian Police should give us the permit as easily as they gave to UMNO for their functions and activities.
We are not the enemy of the nation. For God’s sake, please recognise that we are citizens whose hard earned incomes have been heavily taxed to, among other things, equip– and pay salaries and allowances–the Police and the FRU.
Let us stand up for what is right and just, let us do what is right and do things in the right way. Finally, I would ask the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues and the supporters not to be scared of their own shadows. Don’t create imaginary enemies. We are not the enemy, you are your own worst enemy.
Thanks
November 12th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Dear All,
I have no affinity to the MCA nor to the DAP or any other political party. However, CRY THE BELOVED country that it has now fallen on such times. On November 9, 2007, price of petroleum went up USD$98.00 per barrel.
Who wants to bet prices are going to go up again?
Let’s look at this in general. Though I do not agree with the political parties, I would prefer the lesser of both evil. Maybe AI has learnt his lesson whilst in prison reflecting on this in prison. But believe you me, I would not have another term under the AAB and KJ administration. It sickens me that our political process have been muddied by the stink of those two. So who’s evil is better, you think? For me, its the lesser of the stink that what would recieve my vote.
Its not a race thing, its a political thing. And for me for KJ to say its a Malay thing is rather insulting. A master of the political process and student of Machiavelli, such a person is an expert in the manipulation of politics. However, elections is next year. We can dare that this time, not only 2/3 majority would be lost but a new regime shall come into being.
Why not? If the rest of the countries can do it, why can’t we? If Indonesia, Phillipines, Thailand can do it, why can’t we?
November 13th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Mustang,
I think “manipulation of politics” these days is called manufacturing consent. Every government in the world does it. That reminds me of a saying from a movie “no wonder politicians are good actors” and dress well (the last is mine).
Which is the reason why religion must be worn on the sleeve. So that everyone would know how pious one is.
Everything is fake and changes are merely cosmetic, and my illusion was recently shattered when i found out that even Pamela Lee Anderson’s mammary glands are fake !!
On the issue of Zainuddin Mydin, I believe that being a Minister of (Mis)Information is a hard work. From Goebbles to Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, trying to con the public in an age where cynicism and skeptics abound is a thankless and a monumental job.
If the Opposition party controls the Government, a new Minister of (Mis)Information from their ranks will be appointed and he/she will begin a new drivel about how their party will ensure … as the French would say “liberte, egalite, fraternite”.
November 13th, 2007 at 1:26 am
mustang74,
You made some interesting comments. It will be helpful if you can explain to your parents, friends and relatives, neighbours and associates what BERSIH is trying to do and why it had to petition our King and encourage all Malaysians of conscience to take to the streets on that rainy November 2007. At stake is the future of the country.
We were deceived by the incumbent governent during the last elections (2004) with a brilliant election manifesto which promised everthing but once power, Abdullah Badawi did nothing. The effects of his “elegant silence” and incompetence are felt today. Yet he continues to spin and deceive all of us now with Monsoon Cup and Fly Me the Moon extravaganza, mega corridors and mega projects.
The art of deception, be it Sun Tze in war or Machiavelli, can be flawed at times, especially when we know their game. After 4 years of KJ rule (not Badawi’s), and as each day the credibility gap widens. Now nobody believes what the Prime Minister says. He has the butt of all kinds of jokes in the pubs and corporate offices. Even he says. “saya pantang dicabar”, we held the largest march ever seen in Kuala Lumpur and the country a decade, almost in open defiance.
The media continues to spin. Just the case of the November 10 BERSIH march. No body believes what is written in the mainstream media. An event of historical significance was made to look like an “unlawful” assembly of people bent on breaking the law. In truth, everyone knew ahead of time that the Police would reject BERSIH’s application for a permit. It cannot be “lawful” when the Police deliberately refused to even consider the merits of the case. But if it has been an UMNO sponsored event, the permit would have been granted.
In fact, UMNO can conduct any public event without a formal permit and if a permit is needed usually after some public hue and cry, it can be made legal retrospectively.The permit system sucks and is unjust. It can be manipulated to favor the party in power. By manipulating the law in the name of public order, the Police made the BERSIH march unlawful.
The same applies in the case of elections. Elections Commission is controlled by the government and will do its biddng. Precisely because of this, BERSIH sent its petition to our King.
The Police action raises a fundamental question: what is the role of the Police in this case? Is it to facilitate and make possible a peaceful public expression of the wrongs of the electoral process? Or is it their duty to create havoc and a traffic nightmare in the name of “public order” by an arrogant display of its awesome force?
Fortunately, BERSIH organisers, and the Police officers and men on duty understood what was at the stake and the consequences in terms of human casualty and tragedy had the event turned sour.
Credit must be given to BERSIH organisers and the officers and men of the Royal Malaysian Police and the FRU on the ground for ensuring that the march was a very peaceful one. In fact, I shook hands with a number of the FRU personnel and thanked them for their help.
You said it well: “We can dare that this time, not only 2/3 majority would be lost but a new regime shall come into being”. That can happen– and not all the money in the world can prevent it–when the elections are free and fair and administered and supervised by a truly independent Elections Commission. The ruling government knows that it cannot win if there is a level playing field come the next elections. Hence, they are playing hard ball with BERSIH.
November 13th, 2007 at 5:35 am
This is most intresting , BERSIH March
not just in 10 years , but probably as long i can remember
My fathers and uncles were in Unions like RUM, MTUC and in forgone parties like PEKEMAS etc. I always discussed polictics and without blowing the shine of Tun Dr Mahathir acheivements , he did kill the judiciary, tear the last vestiges of power the council of rulers had and did kill the ability to protest and demonstrate over the years by crubing the UNIONS and the list can go on ..he did in his own mind think he was a benelovent dictactor ; but really in minds of some of us we thought malaysian had lost the ability to cry and demonstrate like this
and BRAVO to that
and Yes if it means wearing yellow on Saturdays , then it is simple
it is time the Ruling Class in the country start understanding we are not going quitely
I am skeptical of Anwar - we know of his dalliances with ABIM and in Univ of Malaya, campaigned heavily for Malay rights etc, well now sing a different tune , but like somebody pointed BN appears cohesive - trust me the one pointed ness now is definately self enrichment and “go to hell with the Rakyat” - so we do not have much choice
not really - if a new goverment and PM is being measured by KPI - just take a simple example if we had 1 kpi per ministry/minister - that is rougly 32 agenda and publish a 3 month rakyat ratings in KPI was met(or atleast what surveys say) - by independent body - watch dog in all internet site..well now you have information that people can act upon..and this should be applied to all who may come in future BN , DAP, PAS, Kedailan..over the period of time - the tension to perform and to enrich one self will lend itself into what is really needed
this KPI could even be the Manifesto of the Opposition and if they did win we use ..
what is important here is the tax payers must be in control now the corrupt individuals now or future corrupt individuals and we need more mechanisms like no guy can be PM for more than 2 terms , elections at council level , every policitical party based on single sect, caste , creed or relegion be banned - SO Malaysian and Malaysian’s first and every other sub agenda becomes not relevant to this . this means PAS and BN mostly would be banned - they are forced to be come a multiracial party and they really need to negotiate a new settlement in themselves to survive and not use GOD or Race as a tool anymore - these are dangerous tools as by and large history and current happening tells these tools are definately misused
What i want to see and most right minded malaysian would agree is the public office is for those who want to serve and is really constricted from becoming a platform to enrich and divide amongst their own mates..
On the comment above of Indian Lot: We buddy we guys are 8% of the country - ie for every 100 only 8. Roughly 4 are professionals, 2 are traders and 2 are working - Uncle SAM and MiC goons …mm lets no go there .. the point 4 are outside and do not want to be called Indians or ashmed - high class
so that leaves may be 2 at the most wanting justice from the rally , and the rest for voting day - left to be seen - hopefully these are alert about which BOX they are crossing - BN GOONS or other hopefuls
But what about independents - i am sure each consituentcy have individual s who care about developments in each and every individual area who live there and are more really in touch - these guys should get a shot to . I remembered there was a time when there was many independents in Parliment
People have to large minded and hold the goverment good to its promises - we pay tax - goverment spend it - we must ensure we are the benefactor ( the large middle class or earning bracketts of 20 k - 180 k a year) ,
Sitting in Australia, having just started working here - i have missed the action - but i would fly into vote and BN has none from me this time..thats is for sure
November 13th, 2007 at 5:38 am
clarification on the indian point - only 2 out of every 8 indians would be inclined to protest - a broad and brash observation
November 14th, 2007 at 12:26 am
Lively exchange.
Please write what you think, feel and see and tell us. We need to better understand you and then formulate programmes to address the issues that are important to you and your family and the future of our nation.
Our friend,sammy,must tell us what is the Indian Dilemma. We have heard enough of the Malay Dilemma. The Chinese dilemma is easily resolved the moment they can start making money again. Right now, with the exception of Patrick Lim and his associates at Equine Capital, they cannot “jalan and pusing lagi” as sales are down and inventory is running high. So they are unhappy and to kowtim is very expensive. We are talking about millions of uofront money, guys!!
UMNO-BN has yet to learn this lesson and that is, people are important because collectively they decide the fate of government. Thinking that they can win by manipulating the electoral roll is sheer folly.
November 14th, 2007 at 4:05 am
Free and Fair Election
we need
1) no more delination of consituencies from today - frezee , this stops BN from manuplating for the last 1000 votes
2) no postal votes from Armed Forces
3) Every Malaysian Embassy around the world should be open for citizen to vote
point 3 can be traded in for 2 - as in all good negotiation
So now you have electrocal cleaned up and ready and all citizen in the country above 21 can vote (maybe a new age of 18 should be considered being consistent with the fact a lot of youngster these days are pretty aware)
with this really you have good plauteau but it this good enough nope
2 more things are required
A. A watch dog - preferably ASEAN /UN driven - former cheif justices overlooking the whole electrocal process this time around
next - this is a tall order
a Joint Manifesto of the oppostion parties the namely the big 3 keadilan, pas and dap - becoming a KPI for joint forces - these agenda must clear with numbers like Education - MR 50 million and Hospital 100 Million and something like this , with a list of Which person is holding which post and preferably Finance, Education and Science , Technology and Multimedia - headed by Senior Professionals in the respective industry and with Internal/Home Ministry and Justice Headed by former Cheif Justices who have had very good transperent record - the rest by politicians - now as in the Good to Great (by Jim Collins ) - we have a good base to start
People who read and think and capable to making the informed decision can now see a cohesion not seen before in the Collective alternative loving termed as the opposition now in the new light as the Future Independent goverment who “reading the manifesto and the measurable parameters ” - hey these guys can serve us ie they know the subject and more importantly the mix in DNA - is right one , represents across the various experience (not just activists, and full time politicans ) - have the experience to run with the Promises made - now Baru lah the game starts
now i think it wont be about just pointing to faults of Barisan , it clearly states what this collective new goverment who is , across races, across professions and experience , and across age groups are prepared to serve -
do not perish like John Kerry vs George W Bush - John kerry primary mistake was to focus on Bushes faults and in the end this was not good enough - he never did say what he would do to make USA meet new challenges
and in Geoge w Bush vs Albert Gore was Gore could not communicate - a good communicator in country was Our Beloved Tun - all Rakyat Speeches simple - driving again and again a few (under 5 core points)
Go forth devise , annouce , propogate and keep relegion and sectarinism out , and i think you would already be winning - more and more will wear yellow - the sipritual values should shine through actions and service to Malaysia - Service to the nation 7 * 24 should now become the service to all mighty - the collective earth is nothing but the expression of all encompassing force - so relegious based parties should be able to embrace the “omnipresent ” force from across the creed - not 3 , 16 or 70 NGO are we guys any more - ONE are we ONE we shall be With one Stroke in MARCH 2009 - historically the Mythical and Mighty Monster BN will be defeated and finished - Then and Only the BERSIH begins its new phase - cleansing starts -
when you have the power do give 70 % effort to nation building and 30 % to the going after these “A***HOLES ” who have raped the country - to legally prosecute them may take years and alot of riggit - so the 80 /20 rule would be better to rid of them premanent ly and focus on more positive work getting education , medical , basic infrastructure and assitance to needy across the board - so that now healty informed citizen can prosper in Law abiding manner
- Read the Economist Analysis on the subject
November 14th, 2007 at 4:24 am
Indian Dilemma
1) 40 % indians - upclass professionals , a minority of this successful business man
- similar to chinese ; lets get on with life - make money , enrich myself and friends - open foreign accounts, get PR in Australia, England , Malta (1 or 2 could match the lim goh tongs and buy an island somewhere) - so really who cares about the country really or even my neighbours house - once in a while donate to a temple, charity whatever - hopefully this washes away some guilt, sins and other misgivings
2) 20 - 40 % - i am really dying to make cutoff day to day - it is really a struggle - my advise to children study hard, pray to god, bad guys will pay some day - bad things happens - but Karmic - not to worry - hard work pays - but in case it does not then there is always god - hereafter will take care
3) the rest 20-40 % - life is screwed mate, this is Rubbers Estate, palm oil estate, Backend of Klang Mari, and what ever other here and there (some are slaves of their master) - here there is work(12-15 hours a day) - children, addication, violence , charity, meekness and host of incongruences and paradoxes mix in a pie - in every 100 or 1000 there are exceptional individual who by a mix of hard work and tuggish approach to business or studies/profession climbs out out their “HELL HOLE” - now you generally expect this guy who knows hell to help and work out right, he is probably a MR 10 million or MR 100 million right - sorry wrong - generally he hard hearted because he has had it really really hard - he did trample , claw and was finally carried to the top - now others will have to do the same - law of the jungle it is
now there are exceptions to this rule - but that is every where quite philantrophy - but this focussed , here and there 1 or 2 - scholarships, free tuition , true temple donation (without expectation about hereafter) and no parading one self in all of these activities
OOPS wait a minute - if i did replace all the above percentages with slightly and indian with chinese or malay , temple with mosque and emphasis on Professional Education with Emphasis on Doing busines - it pretty much sums up the malaysian pursuit
So Brothers and Sisters - not too much separate us from propotion but indians are minorty a good 40 of the people remaining are clearly frustrated /mentally defeated
i remember when i started to work 20 years ago of a Typical Maika Meeting ( no i am not talking about chair throwing incidents) - the majority ( i think it 80 or 90 % of the hands ) wanted to vote down Samy Vely choice of Board of Directors and MD and Samy Just put up his hands and said whilst i see more hands across there , this ONE Hand is WORTH 70 % of the shares - so Sorry Mates - My choice , so there went 20 years ago a 100 Million dollar company - little samy velus across the nation rules as well - 200 Branch leaders
But come election if you could contact the remaining 60 percent in cities etc now you have a force who would vote
amongst the poor - if there was systematic Kerja Amal - like In Klang - free tuition or Proper Food and clothing - now these guys would even go out and kill for you -
so my 2 cents of worth of what i think is the Indian Dilemma or Even The Malaysian Dilemma
Give us A NEW GOverment voting for - trust me 60 % of the right thinking malaysian will vote for this time - gut feel,
then again i may totally off the mark
November 14th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Dear All,
To those with misgivings towards Anwar Ibrahim, I am not defending him. History reminds me many movers and shakers of world history did not start of as moral saints. But something happened and they became transformed. So, let’s put the past where it belongs and give the man a shot. It’s the only hope we got amid the desperation and despair.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Sorry Din Merican…
I don’t know what’s the problems of the Indian community! You assumed too much … you got to know better … this the INTERNET. Anybody can anybody. Go figure dude!!!!
November 14th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Sammy,
You are more mixed up than I first thought. Sorry for you, my chap.
With people like you around, Badawi will remain in power. You will be voting for an idiot. But then that is your choice. Don’t grunt, rant, bitch and complain afterwards.
Narayan,
Thanks for your useful intervention. I will pass on your comments to my colleagues. It will be useful if you could suggest where I can obtain more information on the Malaysian Indian dilemma. I will also try google and other search engines.
Thanks
November 16th, 2007 at 3:56 am
I am sorry Bang Din, i do not know much about indian based ethnic studies, Maybe ISIS may have some - but you might be need to be a “forensic lah” because they would have bodeyed up the data - you probably need to read between the lines of Income based groups of 20 k - 100 k living in Klang , Ipoh , and few other peninsula based demographics
but having taught in TAFE , Seremban and worked for MAIKA once a upon a time i could tell you this (by mere observation and general conversation) - this is how i was able to summarize
November 18th, 2007 at 3:00 am
Bravo my fellow Malaysians !