The Rambling Thoughts of an Ordinary Malaysian
Current Affairs Gadgets & GizmosSelepas Tsunami (After the Tsunami) by KOMAS.org
This is an excellent video that attempts to show what changes are and have taken place since the 2008 GE 12. It is a 36 minutes video and a very well produced documentary. Click on the link below to check it out.
Selepas Tsunami (After the Tsunami)
Ali Hamsa is a Partisan KSN
In his interview reply to NST, this was what he was reported to have said:
It was barely 9 months ago that Bersih 2.0 took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur. The Najib administration vilified the people of 25,000 of all walks of life and all communities. The disproportional retribution during the walk caused all Malaysians to feel that the Government has something to hide.
Banning Bersih 2.0, lockdown of KL, water canons and tear gas fired on innocent people, political arrests, and to top it all is playing with the truth on how the police acted on the people and trying to censor the Economist article on this event.
With an international backlash, Najib agreed to having a Parliamentary Select Committee which is bipartisan to look into the demands. Now we can see that the PSC has side stepped on all the key problem areas to ensure a fair and free election. Even cleaning the electoral roles that are strewn with allegations of fraud has no priority in the PSC view.
Now we are looking at the possibility of Bersih 3.0 and it seems inevitable. There will be an announcement made later today and we shall see what the organizing committee has to say.
But frankly speaking, this could have been avoided had the PSC and EC been genuine to resolve the demands of Bersih 2.0. After all, they are not difficult and is of paramount importance yet they are not addressed head on but glossed over. Unless there is glory and pride in winning an election shrouded with doubt and fraudulent allegations, the Government must stand up and be counted.
In the course of the days following the raid on DUMC by Jais and the police, the general focus has shifted somewhat from the Bersih 2.0 electoral reform demands. Perhaps there is a hidden agenda for this action. There may be conspiracy theories in the midst of this chaos.
Theory #1
One possible theory may be that Umno needs to rally PAS to their side in view of the impending General Election which may take place in November this year. In order to do that, Umno needs to drive a wedge between PAS and DAP. That wedge may be a religious tension stirred to cause the perception of rift between Muslims and Christians. If that be successful by using the DUMC bogey, Umno will have a more than realistic chance of not only winning the General Election but by a much bigger majority. When PAS and DAP fights, Umno will win the day. Unfortunately, PAS has not only distanced themselves and condemned the raid, they are seen to take a more positive stance to handle the delicate situation very carefully and investigate first. PKR Khalid also treaded very carefully to ensure that there is no fallout in this strawman situation caused by Jais and supported by Hasan Ali of PAS.
Result: Umno failed to put a wedge between PAS and DAP.
Theory #2
Another theory may be that given the fallout of the BN Government on the handling of Bersih 2.0, there is a need to stir up something of similar magnitude to distract the attention away from electoral reforms. Umno and BN will not make any changes to the electoral shortcomings regardless of what Najib may say. To divert attention, there is a need of something equivalent that can attract Malaysians and that other strawman is religion. Drive a wedge between Muslims and Christians and there can be something explosive in the making. Hence, the DUMC raid and that action should amount to something that can stir the emotions of Malaysians away from their complaints of election frauds.
Result: Umno succeeded to generate some level of distraction
Theory #3
Finally, a last thought on this conspiracy theory. Can it be that Umno in general wasn’t involved and Jais operated on their own as influenced by some hidden hand inside Umno that wanted to further discredit Najib and further weaken his position within Umno? Our PM has been exceptionally quiet on this and implies that he wasn’t aware of such an action to further complicate his already very complicated position. As for PKR, it is acceptable to leave it to MB Khalid to handle to its natural conclusion for all parties to have clarity as to why this was done and if it had any basis at all.
Result: Hidden hands may not have succeeded but the attempt to discredit 1Malaysia certainly has caused some ripples.
So what can we Malaysians conclude then? Was it merely an overzealous Jais and police acting on a complaint that they can’t even verify first? Was it a genuine oversight of the Jais and police leadership? Or there was a solid basis for Jais and the police to act on?
For now, Malaysians can’t believe that it’s a genuine oversight. The conspiracy theories appear more acceptable given the course of what have transpired in Malaysia over the past months and building towards the potential downfall of Najib as well as the impending elections to secure more voters confidence in Umno.
This is food for thought, something to chew on and for Malaysians to decide for themselves what is really happening in our beloved country.
In the run up to 9 July, the Najib Administration took the position to kill off Bersih 2.0 Walk for Democracy at all cost. He has used the Home Minister and the IGP to execute some bizarre pre-rally actions by declaring Bersih as illegal, arresting people for wearing yellow and the insane charge of reviving communism in Malaysia under the Emergency Ordinance.
Malaysians cannot understand why this was happening and the oppressive preemptive strike by Najib (through Hishammuddin) to kill any intent to stop the masses from showing up only brought more anger to want to do it. Najib inevitably encouraged the people to be ever more determined to go regardless of such insane actions.
As if the bizarre oppressive actions were not enough, the Police started to lock down KL city from the Wednesday making it worse for everybody until Saturday. By everybody, this affected the people going to work, the businesses and all commuters into KL. The Government froze all permits for buses across Malaysia going in to KL.
This action showed that Najib was trying to create the impression that there would be a threat to take over KL by some powers to be. The Government brought out 1500 police and FRU personnel to keep KL in a siege condition. They even used barbed wire to block all roads to the Stadium Merdeka. They appeared to believe that Bersih is not what it appeared to be but a Malaysian version of the Arab Spring Uprising. Even after many declarations that Bersih was a peaceful rally for electoral reforms and after having met the King on the same.
All these insane sledgehammer actions and Najib’s reneging on allowing Bersih the use of Merdeka Stadium by upholding the illegality of Bersih and also instructing the stadium management not to allow Bersih to use it both fired up all Malaysians to be very incensed with the Government.
And as if this was not enough, the Police indiscriminately harassed, arrested, beat up and fired tear gas and chemical laced water at the people really pushed them over. The people had first hand experience of Police brutality using their tax dollars that paid for the Police salary, the tear gas as well as the water canons.
There was really no need to kick and beat those whom the police arrested. There was no need to shoot tear gas directly at the people nor do it at both ends of the group. Most of the police appeared to indiscriminately arrest and tie up the people who numbered over 1500 and many police still kicked and beat them. Regardless of how the Government wants to deny and downplay the brutality, the people is now forever convinced that the government not only oppress them but blatantly lies to the people as if only their version is truth and all other versions, no matter if personally experienced or captured with photos videos evidence by those who were there including foreign media, are rubbish.
And not only Najib did not manage to achieve his objective to stop the people even after using the King to advice Bersih to take thie rally into a stadium, Najib managed to successfully do just the opposite to affirm the hatred and anger of the people towards him and Umno. Najib and friends lied about the police brutality, denied the large numbers of dissent especially when KL was already locked down, denied shooting tear gas and water into Tung Shin Hospital, denied the rights of Malaysians.
At a post-Bersih gathering, Najib retorted in a war-like defense that he too can bring 1,000,000 members to the streets, a very unbecoming statement from a PM.
Nobody believed him especially if these people are to be treated to the same police welcome given to the Bersih folks.
Will Umno members attend if there was no food and no money? If Umno was declared illegal and the police arrested them for wearing the Umno t-shirts? If the vicinity around their meeting place was blockaded with barbed wire? If the entire KL was locked down and no bus services operated into KL? If the Umno members were indiscriminately arrested, kicked and oppressed? If they were to be shot will loads of chemical laced water? If tear gas was shot directly at them? If the Umno leaders are banned with a court order from going into KL and blocked from going to the meeting?
Alas, most people will snigger a laugh if Umno members would even dared come out and most of them will follow after the footsteps of Perkasa leader Ibrahim Ali, to stay home.
The goodness that came out of Bersih was the eye-opener that Malaysians are truly united regardless of race and religion.
They stood together and suffered police oppression together.
They came out in big numbers even under siege.
They protected each other.
They suffered together.
This is the true Malaysian spirit.
And for what?
Discontentment against the Government over electoral reforms to make it clean and fair. Najib shouted they are not afraid but nothing has been done to address Bersih’s demands because all observers believe that BN cannot win in a clean and fair election. Another empty rhetoric from the PM. The argument that the opposition won 5 states showed that election is clean and fair holds no truth. Analysts believed that if election is truly clean and fair, Najib would not be the PM anymore.
It is highly unlikely that there will be any electoral reforms at all because the government does not want to do it. Why change something that has helped keep BN in power all this while?
If the oppression of the people and lies continue by Najib and BN leaders, we can be certain that GE13 will be the hardest election that Umno and BN will ever face. And this hatred of oppressive and corrupt government will continue to grow and grow. Malaysians will show that at the ballot box for sure!
The UN and US as well as foreign media are not blind to what happened on 9 July. The world is watching us. The mature Malaysians who are peaceful people showed that they only wanted to peacefully make a statement to have electoral reforms. Only the people honored their words. Not the Government.
Najib, beware of the inevitable end unless you make things right in the immediate future! Clean things up and make things right!
Malaysians have spoken!
Malaysians at KLCC
Now that the dust is settling, it is evident that there are many significant lessons and outcomes from the brave Malaysians standing up for a justice against oppression by their own Government and Police.
Here is a dozen.
1. Malaysians have shown that they are mature and will stand up for justice. This is true people power yet Malaysians are peaceful people. Regardless how the Police tried to lock down the city and barricade Merdeka Stadium, there were over 100,000 assembling all over the vicinity of Merdeka Stadium to get pass the Police and all their tear gas and water canons. And peacefully too. Noticeable amidst them was 76 year old national laureate A Samad Said.
2. Najib who last minute decided not to leave town after being severely criticized for wanting to abandon the country at such an hour. Najib who reneged on his stadium offer. Najib who ignored the King to discuss with Bersih. Najib who totally played deaf and dumb to the 100,000 crowd in KL and pretending they were a small group of dissent. Najib who has lost all credibility as a statesman of Malaysia allowing the Home Ministry to severely oppress the people. Najib who remote controlled the Police. Najib who may be having his last term as PM after today.
3. Hishammuddin and the Police oppressive actions that borders on madness have left a bitter taste in the mouths of all Malaysians. Peaceful gatherings, wearing yellow and walking in peace have met with violent beatings, illogical arrests, tear gas shootings and water canons laced with chemicals. The People will remember that they now have a power weapon to fight back. Their bold people power stand with their VOTES in the next General Election.
4. Technology like sms, the internet news, blogs and twitter have brought significant information that the people will believe to be true over the Government controlled media. Twitter was used widely in the Arab Spring upheaval. Twitter was used extensively today to track what was happening, where to move, who got arrested as well as pictures of the moment. Malaysians are all tech savvy and the use of such technology allowed such massive coordination of 100,000 crowd all over KL to march towards Merdeka Stadium. Check out #bersihstories to read how Malaysians supported each other regardless of ethic groups. Truly 1Malaysia!
5. Peaceful rally is what Bersih 2.0 was all about to highlight 8 points for an Electoral Reform. Instead of taking the claims head on, the Government decided to demonize Bersih, declared illegal including the collor yellow, made numerous arrests with the city locked down together with FRU actions, attempting to use a wild reasoning as if KL was going to be under attack of a foreign force. Bersih 2.0 remained peaceful. Only the Police and FRU were the aggressors.
6. The King demonstrated that he is above politics much to the dismay of Umno. He gave a rare instruction apparently approved by the PM which somehow showed his Kingship caring for the People and truly independent. Najib eventually ignored the King’s advice to work things out with Bersih when he realized that the King met with Bersih thus giving them credibility. Daulat Tuanku! Najib ignores the King’s advice, Ibrahim Ali criticize the King for meeting Bersih. Eventually, the King ignored him and not grant him an audience. The message is clear!
7. Perkasa is a washout. After criticizing the King and received no repercussions, Ibrahim Ali ordered his group to gather at Titiwangsa today at 12pm while he stays home. There were no members from Perkasa even at 2pm. Big mouth Ali has no followers. Bersih had 100,000 Malaysians walking for the future of the country.
8. Umno Youth ‘Patriot’ group led by Khairy gathered at Bukit Bintang. It too fizzled out after the 500 clashed with the FRU and KJ was arrested. At least he had courage but for the wrong thing.
9. Bersih 2.0 committee led by Ambiga stood out as heros for they had nothing to gain but stood up with brave Malaysians for justice in the face of ugly threats and oppressions. These are exemplary Malaysians. Malaysians salute you. BN condems you.
10. Pakatan Rakyat leaders like Anwar, Hadi Awang, Mat Sabu, Lim Kit Siang, Nurul Izzah, Tian Chua, and many more stood up to face possible arrests for walking with Malaysians. Even with the court injunction which is so bizzare, they stood with equal boldness with the rest of Malaysians unlike Ibrahim Ali who is only all mouth. Even KJ had the courage. This will give them full identity with the people whio wants justice and a clean and fair election. PR believes they can now win the next election, thanks to how 9 July has panned out.
11. BN will suffer severe backlash in the next election for sure. The way Umno influenced the maddening reaction to Bersih 2.0 also allowed Umno internal dissent to hit out at Najib. Notice how quiet the other component parties were. They dare not oppose Umno or say anything that might jeopardize BN giving a wrong impression.
12. The writing is on the wall. The people wins. The BN Government loses. The actual effects can only be seen at GE13. The sledgehammer approach to Bersih 2.0 which was declared peaceful did not find acceptance with Malaysians. Instead nobody can believe the madness that the Government conducted themselves as if there was going to be an overthowing of Government today.
There is only one redemption for Najib and BN. Listen to the People. Serve them clean and fair. Malaysia wants a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Mr Prime Minister, can you do that?
At Puduraya
The crowd dispersed and some seen shaking hands with the police. Malaysians are truly mature and the peaceful rally was truly peaceful and the police and FRU were the ones oppressive with shooting tear gas directly at the public, including man handling both man and woman they harassed and arrested.
The police action arrested a reportedly over 1,000 people including MPs. As predicted, Ambiga was arrested with some other Bersih committee members. Khalid Samad was injured by a tear gas shot directly at him.
Updated 7pm: Ambiga was released.
Reports and pictures of Anwar hurt and in the hospital would have given him tremendous boost in his image. His younger daughter was arrested.
Hadi Awang and Mat Sabu along with Maria Chin Abdullah and Tian Chua amongst others were arrested. Apparently, Mat Sabu was riding pillion and was allegedly knocked down by a police car and hurt his knee badly.
Regardless of a “headless” rally that built up with tens of thousands from various locations in the city, they managed to march up to the Merdeka Stadium and at 4pm the crowd dispersed peacefully.
A. Samad Said, 76 year old national laurate, finished with the gallant but mature crowd and commented “I’ve never seen all races in Malaysia so united for one cause before.” And this cause is apolitical. The people has been tolerating a high handed and oppressive pre-emptive actions bordering on madness and ridiculous and braved all the government deterents to gather even such large numbers. One report has put it at 100,000 in various parts of KL. Najib called the crowd a small number of people whilst the IGP claims he counted 6,000.
It is now generally agreed by observers including some Umno leaders that the brazzen mishandling of the Bersih 2.0 rally will see serious repercussions at the next General Election for sure. Some even believe that BN who lost the plot today will lose the GE13.
A number of international locations including Melbourne, Sydney, London, HK, Taipei, Osaka and Singapore held peaceful demonstrations in support of Bersih 2.0. We are witnessing a new dawn of people power and a maturity that the BN Government had so poorly underestimated. See the pictures of the Global Bersih rallies here.
The world can now see how the Malaysian Government has embarassed the country in the oppressive manhandling of Bersih 2.0 acting with madness and making up fantastic excuses to justify their actions. Najib now has his work cut up, and maybe cut off soon enough as he struggles to do the impossible to redeem himself and keep other internal oppressors off his back.
Bravo! Malaysians have and will continue to bravely stand up for injustice and a clean and fair election!
The Brave Malaysians
The Police madness that has put the entire Klang Valley under siege has tipped the anger of all Malaysians. Whatever their reasons, only they can see the logic in their otherwise warpped mind.
in their attempt to prevent people not to go to KL and to stop the rally, they have succeeded in
At this stage, any number of people walking to the Merdeka Stadium will have proven an additional point – the people’s peaceful resolve cannot be stopped even in the face of Police and Government insincerity, double talk and warpped logic.
In trying to stop what they call an illegal rally, they have started numerous illegal rallies on the road. And if they think these motorists are going to be so happy with the Police and the BN Government for doing this, they are so wrong.
Loss of Business
By locking down KL, the Police has caused massive hardship to KL business for the past few days. Where are those who claimed that Bersih 2.0 Walk for Democracy is bad for business? Long before the walk, the Government and the Police are killing the KL business and it will go into the hundreds of million if not billion Ringgit loss! Thanks to a pro-stop business police and government who have gone mad over a yet to happen peaceful event. At this stage, Bersih 2.0 is absolutely peaceful – it has not even happened yet but the government and police reaction is like there are terrorists about to take over the city!
Who is Disloyal to King and Country?
The peaceful Malaysians have been pushed beyond tipping point and have now clearly seen the political selfishness even to ignore and go against the King’s advice. So who is disloyal to King and Country? You have the answer.
Bersih 2.0 has been given a new determination now that the PM is insincere, Home Minister is mad and illogical, DPM who is blind to fairness and the IGP who is too eager to serve his political master rather than the master of the country – we Malaysians!
No matter how it turns out today, almost all observers believe that the undecided voters, young voters, slow to action voters, BN voters who are doubting the coalition, are all going to vote the opposition to vent their anger and give the Opposition a chance to turn the country aroundand make it better.
I wrote a posting entitled Bersih 2.0: Keep it in the Stadium? You must be Joking where I rejected the idea. However, now that the dust has settled after Ambiga met with the King, Bersih 2.0 has agreed to hold the rally in the Stadium. Najib has to sort this out now and Khalid has offered Shah Alam Stadium for the rally.
I stand by what I wrote but the twist to this stadium situation is that though technically speaking it is not a street rally but in a practical way, the hundreds of thousand of people going and leaving the stadium works out like a street rally. And in a legal way too.
The police fear should subside although the Home Minister is now in a bind after declaring Bersih as “illegal” but the King and Najib have come to terms with Bersih to hold it in a stadium. All the mad arrests no longer have any basis, eventhough there wasn’t any in the first place.
Najib doesn’t want to tell Hishammuddin what to do. Hishammuddin and the police keeps doing it. What in the world is going on with the BN Government? They have gone mad?
All the drummed up so called Communist charges on the 6 PSM must be dropped and they must be released.
The rest of them arrested for wearing yellow and promoting Bersih must be freed immediately as the basis is negated by Najib and the King.
Everyone can join the rally on 9 July with no fear and should enjoy Police protection.
In fact, Umno Youth will be there in support as Khairi has said he will support if Bersih is held in a stadium. And if Perkasa and Umno Youth so protest again, they should be made illegal and all arrested to be consistent.
So this twist is a very interesting one and all to gain for the Rakyat and all to lose for Najib, Hishammuddin and the Police. They have been totally embarassed, called mad and oppressive and lost the Rakyat’s little trust totally. And this can be translated at GE13.
9 July is not here yet and what we say now may not happen the way we see it. Truly, Malaysians are living in interesting times.
Datuk: Tan Sri!
Tan Sri: Calm down, Datuk….apa hal bising sangat ni?
Datuk: I have some good news, Tan Sri.
Tan Sri: Ah, what is it this time? Ambiga has migrated and has applied for Australian citizenship?
Datuk: No lah, Tan Sri. Better than that.
Tan Sri: What can be better than Ambiga leaving Malaysia?
Datuk: The BERSIH march is off…cancelled…batal.
Tan Sri: Hmm…that is certainly good news. How come?
Datuk: Ambiga had an audience with the Agong this afternoon and BERSIH has agreed to cancel the street march and hold a rally in the stadium instead.
Tan Sri: His Majesty agreed to meet Ambiga?
Datuk: Yes.
Tan Sri: So that means His Majesty recognises BERSIH?
Datuk: Looks like it.
Tan Sri: So that means we can’t ban BERSIH then.
A very insightful and funny satire with a check-mate by Bersih on a FICTIONAL Datuk and Tan Sri.
Read here for the complete dialog.
Enjoy!
In an attempt to limit the repurcussions of Bersih 2.0, Najib has offered to allow the rally to be held in a Stadium instead.
And make Walk for Democracy a farce and walk in circles?
Najib has gotten this all wrong from the very start in his mishandling a simple Bersih 2.0 and this really shows his out-of-touch-with-Rakyat syndrome.
Firstly, did he ignore the King’s advice to hold talks with Bersih 2.0? Yes absolutely. In the same fashion of brushing aside Hindraf and Bersih, he side stepped the King’s advice blatantly. Reinforcing that there’s nothing wrong with the electoral system, Najib has clearly done 4 things in one action:
Najib hopes to quell any Rakyat expression of disgust, anger and disappointment that was inevitably stroked by all the oppressive actions by containing it in a stadium when it started as a noble and simple rally. Essentially, go shut up and scream to yourself, nobody cares!
Why didn’t he hold his Million Youth Rally in the stadium instead of the Putrajaya streets?
Why don’t we do the KL Marathon in the stadium? And our Merdeka Parade too for that matter? Make all street events into a stadium event.
That warped logic just doesn’t hold. Umno can throw their Mat Rempits at the PKR HQ and at Lim GE at his office. Why not go to the stadium?
The next time anyone wants to march to the US Embassy, they should first be banned and made illegal, then told to march inside the stadium.
And remind the supporters of the Palestinians to do their floatilla in the stadium and not try to get through the sea barricade.
Did they think Bersih 2.0 is a concert?
What started as a simple, innocent, noble walk has turned into a nightmare for Najib. His fears that it can turn around and cause severe damage to Umno and BN is unmistakeable. His using the Emergency Ordinance, ISA, bans on Bersih and its apparels, the color yellow, drumming up silly “communist revival” charges, and stroking fear amongst the Rakyat shows serious desperation on his part.
And now ignoring the King will make things worse. It is obvious the statements made about no need for electoral reforms appear to contradict the King’s advice to sit down and resolve the impasse with Bersih 2.0 committee.
Najib now appears to offer a deal to an “illegal” entity where the King and the rest of Malaysians do not think that Bersih is illegal. If the King thought so, he would not have made the rarest of involvement to make a public advice to Najib and Bersih. In fact, because he can feel the frustration and anguish of the Rakyat that the King wants to diffuse the situation stroked by Najib and his administration that has become mad and oppressive against the Rakyat.
What is needed now is for Najib to rollback all that he has done to the Rakyat and talk with Bersih to buy time and lower any emotions. He has to take his step back as a true statesman and work for the best for the country and honor the King.
For now, he will be remembered as a Rakyat oppressor and Umno will blame him for any loss arising from his mismanagement of Bersih that can lead to further surprises in the GE13.
It is time for sanity and wisdom for the good of the Rakyat and the country to prevail and not just Umno sense of justice and good.
Proud 2B Malaysian 