June 26, 2011
What a load of crap from Najib!
Now read:
| Nathaniel Tan believes this world is full of people, he was born to love them all. He blogs at www.jelas.info and tweets @NatAsasi |
June 22, 2011
JUNE 22 — “Ambiga is a Jewish agent!”
“Cyber attacks part of Bersih campaign!”
“The Chinese better stock up on food supplies!”
That’s what people in power have had to say about Bersih, and we’ve got three whole weeks left to go. I think we can only expect the demonization, ridiculousness, paranoia and accusations of being opposition puppets to continue.
It’s full Cabinet ministers who are accusing Bersih of orchestrating web hacks that brought down multiple websites, and recording mad rants about how Bersih is a ploy to create a city full of rioting chaos.
I find myself asking: What is it these people are so afraid of?
Are their consciences and confidence so threatened that they’ve started jumping at their own shadows?
A government gripped by fear
A Father’s Day story: As young kids, we used to get freaked out by stuff like cockroaches, lizards, spiders and stuff sometimes.
Dad used to ask, “How big is the cockroach?” We’d show the size of the cockroach with our fingers, and he’d continue, “OK, now how big are you?”
Given the size and power of the government relative to the means that civil society has at its disposal, we are forced to conclude that the government is in the grip of an immense paranoia that is causing top officials to lash out desperately with incoherent accusations that even the most hardened conspiracy theorist would find hard to believe (Jewish agent? Really?).
When those entrusted with the highest positions of power in the country start seeing little yellow devils everywhere they turn, I think something has gone terribly wrong somewhere.
If there is nothing to genuinely fear of the rally, the cause of this paranoia can only be a conscience troubled by numerous misdeeds and decades of corruption, and/or a deep and abiding fear that this rally is the first step towards massive losses in the next elections.
Any real reason to reject Bersih?
In the interests of fairness, let’s try our best to objectively examine whether there is in fact anything to fear from Bersih and the July 9 rally.
Firstly: Is there any reason to fear rioting and chaos?
Let me answer with another question. Can anyone name a single civil society organised gathering in Malaysia that has erupted into any violence or chaos whatsoever in the absence of heavy-handed police action?
I think history will show that every single rally organised by Malaysian civil society has always been peaceful and contained. Chaos only happens when riot police start firing into crowds, as they seem so fond of doing.
When we gather on the streets, all we want to do is stand together as Malaysians to peacefully make a point. We march, we listen to a few speeches, chant a few slogans, and want nothing more than to disperse peacefully when everything is said and done. I for one can’t wait to get out of the sun and back to a cool shower.
Why the Barisan Nasional government refuses to allow such a scenario to play out as peacefully as we want it to is a source of constant perplexity.
Secondly, is this some Pakatan Rakyat orchestrated scheme?
I can say with great personal conviction that the people calling the shots in Bersih would take great offence at the suggestion. The steering committee is devoid of political representation, and chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan has publicly asserted that Anwar Ibrahim is not the one to decide whether or not the rally should go on.
The invitation to participate in the rally and align with Bersih’s goals has been extended to every single political party in Malaysia, bar none. BN parties have every opportunity to work together with civil society towards a clean and fair electoral system, but seem to find the very idea toxic.
They’ve been invited to the party, and after refusing to come, insist that their opponents are using it as a platform to attack them.
Bersih’s real goals
Third and most importantly, all this demonization of Bersih seems intent on distracting from what Bersih is really all about: Eight very simple, non controversial calls for freer and fairer elections.
I think it’s worth listing out what does eight calls are:
1. Clean the electoral roll
2. Reform postal ballot
3. Use of indelible ink
4. Minimum 21 days campaign period
5. Free and fair access to media
6. Strengthen public institutions
7. Stop corruption
8. Stop dirty politics
Simple, right? The question we now have to ask the BN government, Umno Youth and Perkasa is, exactly which of these points do you have a problem with?
If it’s one or two that seem problematic, if any at all, is it worth waging this ridiculous war against Bersih’s very simple, straightforward manifesto?
Do you want a dirty electoral roll? Easy ways to use phantom voters? Lopsided access to the media? Weak public institutions? Corruption? Dirty politics?
Fighting the very simple, non-partisan things that Bersih is pushing for really seems quite ridiculous and unreasonable.
Bersih 2.0 was designed to be a universal movement, open to Malaysians of all colours, creeds and affiliations. All we want is a level playing field where patriotic citizens are able to choose their government in a just and fair manner.
The question is: Why do so many people — especially our highest government officials — seem to hate us so much for wanting something so simple and universal?
What are Ibrahim Ali, Khairy Jamaluddin and the BN government’s real motivations and motives?
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.
“Cyber attacks part of Bersih campaign!”
“The Chinese better stock up on food supplies!”
That’s what people in power have had to say about Bersih, and we’ve got three whole weeks left to go. I think we can only expect the demonization, ridiculousness, paranoia and accusations of being opposition puppets to continue.
It’s full Cabinet ministers who are accusing Bersih of orchestrating web hacks that brought down multiple websites, and recording mad rants about how Bersih is a ploy to create a city full of rioting chaos.
I find myself asking: What is it these people are so afraid of?
Are their consciences and confidence so threatened that they’ve started jumping at their own shadows?
A government gripped by fear
A Father’s Day story: As young kids, we used to get freaked out by stuff like cockroaches, lizards, spiders and stuff sometimes.
Dad used to ask, “How big is the cockroach?” We’d show the size of the cockroach with our fingers, and he’d continue, “OK, now how big are you?”
Given the size and power of the government relative to the means that civil society has at its disposal, we are forced to conclude that the government is in the grip of an immense paranoia that is causing top officials to lash out desperately with incoherent accusations that even the most hardened conspiracy theorist would find hard to believe (Jewish agent? Really?).
When those entrusted with the highest positions of power in the country start seeing little yellow devils everywhere they turn, I think something has gone terribly wrong somewhere.
If there is nothing to genuinely fear of the rally, the cause of this paranoia can only be a conscience troubled by numerous misdeeds and decades of corruption, and/or a deep and abiding fear that this rally is the first step towards massive losses in the next elections.
Any real reason to reject Bersih?
In the interests of fairness, let’s try our best to objectively examine whether there is in fact anything to fear from Bersih and the July 9 rally.
Firstly: Is there any reason to fear rioting and chaos?
Let me answer with another question. Can anyone name a single civil society organised gathering in Malaysia that has erupted into any violence or chaos whatsoever in the absence of heavy-handed police action?
I think history will show that every single rally organised by Malaysian civil society has always been peaceful and contained. Chaos only happens when riot police start firing into crowds, as they seem so fond of doing.
When we gather on the streets, all we want to do is stand together as Malaysians to peacefully make a point. We march, we listen to a few speeches, chant a few slogans, and want nothing more than to disperse peacefully when everything is said and done. I for one can’t wait to get out of the sun and back to a cool shower.
Why the Barisan Nasional government refuses to allow such a scenario to play out as peacefully as we want it to is a source of constant perplexity.
Secondly, is this some Pakatan Rakyat orchestrated scheme?
I can say with great personal conviction that the people calling the shots in Bersih would take great offence at the suggestion. The steering committee is devoid of political representation, and chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan has publicly asserted that Anwar Ibrahim is not the one to decide whether or not the rally should go on.
The invitation to participate in the rally and align with Bersih’s goals has been extended to every single political party in Malaysia, bar none. BN parties have every opportunity to work together with civil society towards a clean and fair electoral system, but seem to find the very idea toxic.
They’ve been invited to the party, and after refusing to come, insist that their opponents are using it as a platform to attack them.
Bersih’s real goals
Third and most importantly, all this demonization of Bersih seems intent on distracting from what Bersih is really all about: Eight very simple, non controversial calls for freer and fairer elections.
I think it’s worth listing out what does eight calls are:
1. Clean the electoral roll
2. Reform postal ballot
3. Use of indelible ink
4. Minimum 21 days campaign period
5. Free and fair access to media
6. Strengthen public institutions
7. Stop corruption
8. Stop dirty politics
Simple, right? The question we now have to ask the BN government, Umno Youth and Perkasa is, exactly which of these points do you have a problem with?
If it’s one or two that seem problematic, if any at all, is it worth waging this ridiculous war against Bersih’s very simple, straightforward manifesto?
Do you want a dirty electoral roll? Easy ways to use phantom voters? Lopsided access to the media? Weak public institutions? Corruption? Dirty politics?
Fighting the very simple, non-partisan things that Bersih is pushing for really seems quite ridiculous and unreasonable.
Bersih 2.0 was designed to be a universal movement, open to Malaysians of all colours, creeds and affiliations. All we want is a level playing field where patriotic citizens are able to choose their government in a just and fair manner.
The question is: Why do so many people — especially our highest government officials — seem to hate us so much for wanting something so simple and universal?
What are Ibrahim Ali, Khairy Jamaluddin and the BN government’s real motivations and motives?
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.
No comments:
Post a Comment