The memories were still clear…it was one of the unfortunate days it had been; my car’s AC was not working. It kept blowing hot air rather than cooling my car. I was on my way to my grandma’s place, for kenduri arwah. Traffic was moving like a snail, I was caught in the bad crawl that supposed to be just a 20mins journey to my grandma’s place. What went wrong? A bunch of people were protesting back then with bright yellow t-shirt.
July 9th 2011, the same epic was tried to revive by the group. They call it 2.0, yeah, the second instalment of the epic that went on a success that took 6 months for my country to gain its tourism industry and not forgetting, the amount of money lost by businesses and small sellers that were on that fateful day. This year, it is the same game, demanding on a clean and fair election.
Honestly speaking, I have nothing against bodies, individuals or whoever that would want to claim the right to a fair and clean election. Everyone would wish for that of course. After all, do not just look at the current government, we also have a long serving Menteri Besar of particular state that needs a lot of catching up to do. He might have been really naughty to have been winning all the elections over the years when no significant changes had been made in his state. Worst still, his counter parts in Penang and Ipoh Timor are also long serving parliamentarian that had been winning elections for 37 and 42 years respectively. That’s simply too long man! These guys must have been super duper clean y’all~ yes? no?
Back to the dirty election thing, the current ruling party must be out of their mind for giving out FIVE states in the last election. I remembered really well during the last election results hours…my hand turned cold when knowing that my state was losing to the opposition. Many claimed that change is needed, but quoting Tun M; change isn’t always for the better. Truth be told, 3 years of ruling, not all the last GE manifestos were met and worst still, for some strange reason, massage parlours seems to bloom well in my state after their winning. That may be coincidence but that is just part of my observations.
Back to the main story, the main organizers of 9th July rally wanted a rally to send a memorandum to YDPA. Here are some facts pertaining about it:
1. She got the audience of the King and memorandum wasn’t sent
2. The rally could have been done in a stadium but they refused to do so
3. Let’s do some simple logic:
a. Stadium merdeka could fit 20k people
b. Stadium Shah Alam could fit 80k people
c. Why choose Stadium Merdeka again?
Freedom of speech and expression is well shouted by many, but others have the freedom to lead a life too. SPR has already given their reply to the 8 points proposed, why is the rally in the town still needed? Some will say to create awareness. OK, then why not in stadium? Coz it’s not chaotic enough..?
About the 8 points raised, honestly speaking, I don’t oppose all. However, that is not the vital solution to the so-called clean and fair election that you wanted. I would not want my fingers to be inked, just to mark that I have voted. euwww. Worst still, if I were to have my engagement or wedding a few days later. I’d rather used my thumbprint as suggested by SPR. Another thing is yes, the right to vote and the right to choose not to vote is part of our democratic process. Even in USA, voters must register themselves to vote in the election. Excuse me, do not force me to vote or register me as a voter, it is my choice, my right! So what is the big deal?
In my point of view, it is good that there are suggestions to improve our electoral system. Having said that… suggestions may and may not be followed. However, there is no need to go to the streets, there are stadium and of course and with the audience by the King the memorandum should have just be passed. No chaos.
Unless the main objective to create chaos by all means, 9th July , you got what you wanted. Businesses were closed, tourist couldn’t go for their day tour and not forgetting, weddings were empty. Many may not feel what it feels like to be in that situation, do not wait until it hits your own family to have the empathy onto others. That’ll be just too sad.
From my eyes, 9th July illustrated how selfish one may be… Some had fun taking pictures and updating their social network sites celebrating the freedom of speech…some may also are excited to be a newbie in a rally. I still wonder whether all the 68 bodies that supported the memorandum were there during the rally, I know one of it texted their members NOT to join.
At the end of the day, the question remains, who were the MAJORITY of the people that joined the rally last Saturday. Were they members of the 68 associations, clubs and bodies that supported the memorandum or are they the hardcore supporters of political parties?
For those who claimed that they are apolitical, what were you preaching for, especially when the crowd started to chant Reformasi ?
Never let ourselves to be taken for a ride…
xoxo
eyem3
