I Know What You Did On 9th July 2011 in Kuala Lumpur

On the 8th of July, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) issued a namelist of 91 people banned from entering KL in the run-up to the 9th of July Bersih 2.0 rally, proclaimed as "illegal" by the Prime Minister. The roads leading to the capital city were also blocked by the police that night. 

The 91 are made up of committee members of Bersih, 
- politicians from the Opposition parties -- who support  Bersih; 
- leaders of Umno Youth who have been vocal against Bersih, but still support its ideology;
- leaders of Perkasa, the very racist group which is considered a puppet and scapegoat of the present government, who is also anti-Bersih. 

Khairy (in a funny poster above done after the police announcement) tweeted: Just landed back in KL after trying to break Israeli blockade of Gaza only to find that I've been blockaded from KL. Excuse me if I say WTF?

And later that night, another news on twitter : Umno Youth chief Khairy to defy police ban, may march towards Stadium Merdeka tomorrow.

Khairy is not favourable of Bersih's methods and says that Bersih is using confrontation and antagonism while seeking Free & Fair Elections in Malaysia.  Then, why did he join the street rally if he was not supportive of Bersih's methods IN SUPPORT of Bersih? (He was, I'm happy to say, arrested. That's how you make a statement!) Anyway, I kinda like Khairy in the politically perverted way. At least, he is way more intelligent and courageous than all of the present Ministers of Malaysia combined.

For those unsure of what Bersih 2.0 is, check this out: www.bersih.org.

In keeping with our King's advise, the Bersih committee agreed to hold the rally in a stadium instead of on the streets. This, at first, was agreed to by the Prime Minister Najib Razak, since our Agong (our King's official title is Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Dipertuan Agong) has voiced out. 

But the PM, demonstrating his normal cowardly behaviour, in defiance of the King, thinking that he himself has all executive power in the country, pulled back the offer and declared Bersih an illegal organization, therefore, having no right to secure a police permit to hold the rally in a stadium. Then the Inspector General of Police (IGP) suggests why not hold it in Shah Alam Stadium where the Opposition parties rule? What double standards -- they are not consistent with their reasons and poor excuses.

Well, anyway, tens of thousands of people slipped into KL and joined Bersih's peaceful street protest, pissed off by coward Najib's dingdong. The main aim of the rally was to march to the the Istana Negara (the King's palace) to present the King with a memo from Bersih. I heard they did not manage to do that since the police started arresting people especially the committee members of Bersih.

But what did the police do, under instructions of the IGP, and of course, under the instructions of the PM, who smugly and conveniently tells the entire country that "everything is up to the police now." The police showed their brutality, cruelty,  heartlessness and abuse of power in representation of this present Malaysian Prime Minister, who is not popular with the public.

Teargas were fired directly at protesters, even though the street walk was peaceful. Police arrested an estimated 1500 people, kicked and injured many people. One person died after having his hands tied by the police. The police wouldn't untie him when he started having breathing difficulties, and stood watching while other bystanders tried to help him.

If this demonstration happened in a country where Barrack Obama was president, do you think he would have ordered the police to shoot at his own citizens? I asked myself this question as I am an admirer of Obama's leadership and principles. My heart answered a loud "NO."

The goverment of any country is like the head of the family -- the father and the mother. If your child has something to say, even if it is against you, what would a loving and wise parent do? Slap the child? Kick him? Send him to bed? Curfew him? Kill him? 

Think about it and answer this yourself.

So many are against street demonstration and think that all the people attending the Bersih event are uneducated rascals, antagonistic, unappreciative of the government, ungrateful of what we have, and are out to cause havoc with the economy. Why can't we have a peaceful dialogue?

You see, in Malaysia, people are averagely docile. We do not encourage street protests. Our government does not tolerate criticism well. The Opposition are not given airtime on mainstream TV and newspapers. I know, because I work with people in the Media, and I know what bosses tell us NOT TO DO.  


If you do speak against the government and act in any way that shows that you want to get rid of this government, you are threatened with arrest, especially the ISA (Internal Security Act) -- a law considered archaic and barbaric, legacy of the 50's & 60's communist insurgency -- to arrest and silence you with DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL. You could stay in oblivion or die without anyone remembering... forever.

Pretty much a parent which cannot tolerate their child's criticism, expecting the child to obey without question, to SHUT UP.

I am quite convinced that the leaders of Bersih, led by the courageous and intelligent LADY -- Ambiga, former Bar Council president -- and joined by 62 different organizations including Opposition political parties and well-known social activists like Marina Mahathir, daughter of former PM Tun Mahathir, have tried their best to speak and bring about change. But what do you know? 

In return, their efforts have been "poo-pooed," laughed at and mocked by the ruling government. In short, it has fallen on deaf ears. 

Even National Poet Laureate A. Samad Said was taken in for questioning by the police about his Bersih leanings. His speech during the Bersih rally was about making the government notice that "there are so many of us here today....asking you to listen to the people."

To our government: You have not understood Human Nature and the Law of This Universe  nor the Law of the Human Spirit. If you are not afraid of being fair, why do you suppress the people from speaking and voicing out when all they asked for was fairness? 

I am not any politician. I am an observer of human life. I have come here to be human and experience what it is like to be human. What are the rules of being human? 

This is what I found. A human is born with a Soul inside it. This Soul seeks happiness and fulfillment. It cannot be repressed for long. For from repression comes rebellion. Because the Soul is only seeking what it has been born to do -- to seek itself in all its glory. 

Even if the Soul's method is deemed wrong by the majority, the Soul will find ALL WAYS to achieve its FINAL MISSION -- HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT. For some of us Souls, we may never achieve this FINAL MISSION before we die in human form. But I believe Souls are re-born into another human form to attempt to achieve its FINAL MISSION...again. 

For this philosophy is very well mastered in the Chinese culture  (you can debate with me if you think I am wrong). It is a culture I am born into, where families and friends wish you "prosperity and abundance." This is the RIGHT and the PURPOSE of the SOUL. As a people, the Chinese are always known to be a group that focuses on economic fulfillment wherever they are on this earth. We have no qualms in wanting to be wealthy. 

Deep in the heart of all humans, this wealth is what we strive to have -- both rich, poor and those "surviving." Some may attempt or pretend to say they have no need for wealth, but do we have any pleasantry to say about poverty? When you are poor, you will know what I'm talking about. Because I have been poor. I know how it is like to be looked down when you are poor, to be depressed, to feel insecure and lowly about myself.

For prosperity and abundance does not just refer to material wealth: gold, coins, bank accounts, properties, land...but it also refers to having FAITH in that THING that caused us to be born as humans. 

To know we will be alright even when it looks like there is not enough to go around. FEEL NO LACK. 

To know that we are loved, and to love ourselves for who we are, and to want to be a better person even when you think nobody else loves you. JUST FEEL LOVE.

For more info, go to Wikipedia: here is an excerpt:

The Bersih 2.0 rally (also called the Walk for Democracy) was a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur held on 9 July 2011 as a follow-up to the 2007 Bersih rally. The rally, organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), was supported byPakatan Rakyat, the coalition of the three largest opposition parties in Malaysia, but was deemed illegal by the government. Bersih, chaired by former president of the Bar Council Ambiga Sreenevasan, were pushing the Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) to ensure free and fair elections in Malaysia. It demanded that the EC clean up the electoral roll, reform postal voting, use indelible ink, introduce a minimum 21-day campaign period, allow all parties free access to the media, and put an end to electoral fraud....