Politics Malaysia: State Paranoia and the people’s ignorance
Politics Malaysia: State Paranoia and the people’s ignorance
November 10, 2007 protest for a “clean electoral system”
I do not know the full extent of their ideologies and beliefs, but if they have something to say in 40,000 or more voices I want to know but will the press let me know? The Media representing the transition of knowledge seem to have failed to convey their intention and ideology in any comprehensive manner. I condemn not the media; conventional or traditional – but I sense a taint so imbued in the mainstream system that political expression has been reserved to “benefit” a particular group of elites.
Only voices of “importance” get printed, featured. Well, is it news or plain propaganda to reinforce political present or power; to reinstate “control” is really beyond my say. Let the audience decide for themselves?
From the dailies and BBC, November 10 in Kuala Lumpur, seem to be a protest of reform – according to the state police, 40 thousand or so protester of the “Clean Coalition” marched “illegally” without permit towards Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square) (look up WikiPedia to figure out the symbolic power of that particular place; I care less about patriotic symbolism - the genesis of a particular “cult” symbolism of “freedom”/ yet another state oppression). Apparently they never managed to reach their intended destination. The police were prepared to stop them at any cause, access to join the protest has been limited down too; the closure of roads and train station ( i was prevented to go where i wanted to go)– They (protester) were the disrupter, they cause traffic jams and disturbed petty operations of businessman and other shops. I shall not go into detail, it’s causing me too much energy for something silly like this, I mean, well I mean, ah, I can’t be bothered to explain it. Put it this way, I would rather be on the street holding a Molotov Cocktail.
Since it was illegal, they had no rights to be there; no say what so ever. And they refused to go, they continued to march on, they wanted a reform – the electoral system has been corrupted. They were only “Reformers” and they persisted to make their voice strong. The government on the other hand were “questioning” their motive and true intention behind the protest. To them (government) and to the press and to us the readers the bystanders, the ignorant fucks – the protester are potential risk! Rioters and chaos! They were considered “radical” too extreme for this country. To remove them, these “pest”; they (the police) were “forced” to use violence: batons, water guns and tear gases because they refuse to listen to the authorities…
Were the protesters mostly “opposition members”? Even so, should the government feel threaten by it? Should the “people” made to belief that these people are just hooligans? Did the “people” actually belief that the protest is a nuisance to their “freedom” and comfort? What were we doing when there is a call to change the country’s election system? Where are the voters? Who are the voters? What are the people doing?
And for fuck sake, it’s an only a reformation demand, a petty demand from the opposition and affiliated groups. Did the police needed to use violence to disperse the crowd? Imagine the demand to abolish the electoral system all together, the state, the government and the fucking elites; controllers of power and wealth. Would I be shot at the spot?
http://www.malaysia-today.net/blog2006/newsncom.php?itemid=942
reference_ (2006)
Oleh Saadon Aksah
Harakahdaily
(from Malaysia Today)
Opposition parties, non-governmental organizations and trade union today outlined their demand for a “clean” and fair election and demanded that Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman and secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Nor resign if they failed to meet the demand.
The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (BERSIH) spokesperson Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud demanded that for the “immediate short term”, the EC implement the use of indelible ink as practiced in Indonesia and India to prevent multiple votings and the abolishment of postal votes except for diplomats and “other overseas voters”.
It also called for a “complete revision” of the electoral roll to ensure that the existing irregularities were removed and that a roll with “full integrity” put in place.
“We have received a lot of complaints from the public with regard to the conduct of the (general) election in 2004,” Syed Shahir who is also Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) president said at a press conference held at the Parliament lobby here.
Noting recent media reports where the EC had withdrawn some 180,000 names in the electoral voters list, Syed Shahir said the admission only corroborates on suspicions of the integrity of the electoral rolls.
“We must work from now on to ensure that we have a clean and fair election,” he said referring to the next general election which many speculated to be held on the later half of next year.
Others on the “long term reform agenda” for a clean and fair election as pursued by BERSIH were the dismantling of the present laws which resulted in a monopoly of print and broadcast media by the ruling party’s “proxies”, legal provisions for campaigning, and the lack of the independence of the EC.
It also called for the need to “correct the incredibly high disproportionality” because Malaysia’s Westminster type of elections or the “first-past-the-post” system could lead to - as exemplified in the last general election, 64 per cent popular votes won by the ruling coalition translating into 91 percent of seats in Parliament.
Also present at the press conference include Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary general Lim Guan Eng, Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) pro tem secretary general S. Arutchelvan and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) executive director Yap Swee Seng.
