Thursday 25 April 2013

Musings: Terror On The Streets

I have refrained from writing about it because I'd rather write about something closer to home, but after watching the news just now, I just had to express my thoughts.

Stories of physical intimidation, campaigning with weapons, intimidation using explosives, arson and general sabotage seems to abound - we are seriously heading towards a dangerous situation.

I thought we were only going to be faced with cyber bullies - the worst thing to happen would be getting your blog hacked, or something like what happened to a number of bloggers these past few days, not that that wasn't awful, but you know what I mean.  What I find scary is that now we are getting into real life physical intimidation and violence that can cause people real physical hurt.

I never imagined this could happen in our country, but when I recall the ever increasing violence of the Pakatan-associated Bersih series, I really shouldn't be that naive not to expect similar elements to take advantage of creating public unrest at a time when large numbers of people gather during campaigning and voting.  There have been many discussions of such possibilities including in blogs and online news portal.

A couple of days ago I read, belatedly, that a Malaysian Spring was launched by Nurul Izzah last week, which, according to Malaysia Chronicle, how  "Classy Nurul" hits back at Raja Nong Chik.  I don't know what that was about and how successful it has been thus far because I haven't seen it anywhere here where I live, but the following is an excerpt of the Malaysia Chronicle article that I googled yesterday.

"Several Bangsar residents whom The Malaysian Insider spoke to called Nurul Izzah an “approachable” politician, while some — who were not even living in Bangsar — said they chose to volunteer for the “Malaysian Spring” campaign to end corruption and government abuse of power."

This story was also carried by the Asian News Channel.

Strange that the term "Malaysian Spring" was chosen as that only brings to mind the destructive Arab Spring of North African and middle-eastern countries that have resulted in vicious cycles of never-ending violence, bringing nothing to those people other than sufferings and misery.

It was supposedly about planting "flowers", which in reality are just flags in PKR colours of turquoise, red and white, at public places and open spaces, organised by the "non-partisan" Ng Seksan.  I don't know how that equates to the season Spring, as no real flowers are involved, unless it is another inference to the Arab Spring.

Maybe it is just me, but I find it very difficult to dissociate the so called Malaysian Spring with the violent forms of campaigning that is now plaguing us.  The first time Malaysian Spring was mentioned was by Anwar Ibrahim in 2011, while the Bangsar initiated Malaysian Spring was launched by his daughter Nurul last week.  And Malaysian Spring was also mentioned here, with such hope that it is almost scary.

Flowers/flags in Bangsar, maybe, but there are bombs, machetes, Molotov cocktails, arson and physical violence elsewhere.  It gives me the creeps to think what may be possible in the aftermath of GE13.  I guess it is more hard work for our guys in blue, and I suspect they have their work cut out for them as we get nearer to D-Day and maintaining peace throughout and afterwards.  Thank you guys, for doing your best to keep us safe.



22 comments:

  1. i wish polling day would start NOW. 9 more day, 9 more days long. It's scary. The worse thing is that the foreign media aren't picking up what's on the street, only what they read from opposition media.

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    1. The foreign media thinks that excerpting from FMT and its ilks macam excerpt from Reuters ke?

      Aiyoh ...

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    2. Malays Nothing to lose26 April 2013 at 20:16

      Let the UMNO pretenders fight it out. All these while they had it easy earning billions in contracts and tenders while the kampung Malays cheer them on every year at UMNO convention while Hishamuddin kissed the kris.

      Well let see him fight now. The kampung Malays and other Malays are just sitting on the sidelines..haha..

      After all its the UMNO managment and their families who made billions bringing in millions of cheap labour, giving out licenses and consessions to the chinese and indians.

      We are multi racial hehe... yeah well lets see the Chinese and Indians vote for these hypocrite.

      Malays have nothing to lose. In fact its good for the Malays if UMNO lose so that they can start fresh. Get rid of the corrupt Ketua Pemuda/Puteri/Wanita hell its going to take a whole page to list them all.

      The Chinese are good. They lent their humvee to may son hehe..
      The Chinese are dynamic without the NeP they would be more dynamic. At least with the NEP they appoint my sons as directors hehe..

      yep with these bunch of UMNO leaders, Malays have nothing to lose but billions to gain from Petronas money..yes!!!

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    3. Ramayana, that was such an epic comment. LOL.

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  2. Who to blamed anyway !, the Pakatan ultimate aim is just getting to Putrajaya at what ever cost , nothing of their concern if the country will turned upside down, they have the existing government to be blamed anyway ,that what they are good at and they are bloody right ,if the current government are not doing anything .
    So much negativeness had been said about the minister who head KDN ,what could we say further.

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    1. Tebing Tinggi - if you read their media, you won't think so. The government is all to be blamed, according to them. They're smart, they have organizations that Bersih and Pemantau that supposedly fights against political violence so it gives the perception that they're 'clean' in that respect...while an awful lot of real violence is being perpetrated on the establishment side!

      so it's crazy, but I'm beginning to see how Arab Spring, as crazy deluded the uprising is, can be viewed as something positive by some quarters, especially the young ones who think it's so revolutionary and great, when the fact remains that all those countries involved in Arab Spring are pretty much messed up till now. Two different things are being preached, and what they (the oppo supporters) think aren't the same as what's really happening. They're given rose-tinted glasses. One with the PR brand.

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    2. Crazy. Is'nt same with Muhammad. Before he become the prophet, everything peaceful, no wars, no famine. Why ubah to their original belief??? why so revolutionary to those living in the deserts?

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    3. Anon, sorry but u r stupid. Either u never read about Arab history or u r just poking fun at Muhammad SAW - u clearly dont know jack about his prophethood. I dont appreciate your tone and neither any of us here

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    4. Anonymous26 April 2013 17:47

      before he became prophet there were not wars or famine?

      by that statement alone you already proved yourself ignorant of history. No wars and famine my foot, with all the little tribes and warring factions goins against each other. Budak sekolah pun tahu T_T

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  3. also, agree with you on the KDN minister - really tak buat apa2.
    my dad blew his top yesterday when he saw the news about those molotov cocktail, yelling at the TV - WHERE'E THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS! WHY ISN'T H DOING ANYTHING!...yeah

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  4. What the SPR had worried if longer campaign period been given had actually happened. The things BG just described now increasingly become rampant. It's scary. Ready to go for broke and at all cost including using violence means to achieve the aims. God, please saves Malaysia..

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  5. Politicians and commentators stirring up trouble by their talk of conflict, battles and life or death struggles should realise they create an atmosphere where violence can take hold. Not everyone listening is reasonable (or entirely sane). PS - a flower is in no way like a machete, let alone a bomb. BN, PR and even Perkasa are welcome to plant flowers in my garden anytime. I will even provide tea or coffee to the workers.

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  6. People should chill - no change of government will follow this GE. I say this because both sides acknowledge that Sabah PKR and its allies are damaged beyond repair with their infighting. This means that Sabah PR can, at best, pick up only a couple of seats, not enough given the close contests elsewhere. So back to school for Mr Anwar on May 6.

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  7. Us Malaysians have finally sank to a new low. When BERSIH came up, I knew these people hit the new low, but this! This seriously proves that everyone has hit a new lower of the low. I say us, cuz we're all Malaysians. Sigh. When the Oppositions were claiming in unity and their whatsoever manifestos, let's not forget who started the 1Malaysia program. If there was any case of infringement of copyrights, boy, these drama kings and queens are in for such a huge fine! I've not lost hope for BN! I believe what they've started is still worth fighting for. Just like how the Opposition supporters scream that BN is corrupted, it makes me think that these people are like a bunch of teenagers on steroids! Just like how BN formed the initial stage of the country, they're like our parents, in a way. Just like I don't question how my parents spend their money, as long as I'm doing fine, I seriously don't have and don't want to know. Corruption or not, our economy is booming. Jobs are abundant and food are aplenty. And yet, they say our government has done nothing. I'm seriously not sure what's gone wrong with them. And the Malaysian economy is one of the highest subsidized economy in the whole world! Perhaps the food they waste and the electricity they use are considered nothing to them. And the Chinese media is seriously a bunch of garbage. I don't know what these people learn at school. Perhaps rebels and monkey ideas. Maybe they should refer to China, as the fallen dynasty in the world. They seem to be the living proof in history, that the Chinese are the most selfish race in the world.

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    1. Where the government get the money. If the heavens rain money to UMNO government - very good as money comes from somewhere. But the government gets money comes from taxpayers. You pay to get good roti prata and do not pay if they are bad. So you pay and you expected service and where the money goes. Money does not come easy. Roti prata shops have to open until late night - no disco, rempit etc, only work.

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    2. And besides, UMNO is not the party where one can find wives, daughters, sons, daughters in laws and the household pet in positions of power in EVERY COMPONENT PARTY. Say no to cronyism and nepotism, my ass.

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    3. lol! the above 3 replies just reflect how narrow-minded you guys are. think! if the economy goes down, how do you think the country will be able to sustain? the world runs on the strength of their very own national economy and growth. it's a domino effect. look at the EU. look at the Middle East. are you in famine? do you not have free education? and yes, the free things you get from the government comes from taxes, that includes sources like me. but if Anwar has the balss to say that he'll lower oil prices and raise subsidies, then where do you think the money is coming from? unless it's like your version of "heavens rain money to PKR government." and another thing, the government isn't just ruled by UMNO. it's by BN (UMNO + MCA + MIC - GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT!) and also, there's such a thing called foreign investment as well as internal investment? property prices don't go up for no reasons. i guess you seriously don't realize how lucky you are to be "spoiled" on this ground. Anwar promises the ideal and not the actual. if he starts giving out money to the "poor" of his own definition and raise taxes on those working, i'll probably just quit my job and be a "poor" since PKR loves to rain money onto their "people". i don't get why you Opposition supporters love to call yourselves as DAP supporters. you do know that DAP will NEVER be the ruling government, cuz "your" leader agrees for PAS to be the ruling government? we are proud to stand on BN (UMNO + MCA + MIC) but you guys, so-called PKR are broken and divided and calls yourselves of the individual supporters. since you all can't even unite within yourselves, you think "your" leaders can lead this country to prosperity? pls! action is louder than words. maybe you should see the elephant instead the mosquito in front of you and think down the road of 10/20/30 years when your children are up and coming, is the "so-called corruption that you blatantly insist" is all that matters to you?

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  8. If they were to listen to the PR supporters and leaders, people would think that MY is like Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Afghanistan..

    Walhal, kita kat Malaysia hidup senang lenang.. Malaysia is the land of milk and honey. Even normal people like me who is not Umnoputra (I don't even know one BN leaders personally!)can live well and happy!

    I am very much grateful to Allah for that and I hope there are a lot like me. May Allah protect us from the ingrates! May Allah continues to protect Malaysia and Malaysians like he did for the past 50 years!

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  9. Nobody at this time and age can claim that the Malay Spring begins now. Nobody can twist and re-write the history of the Malays.
    The Malay Spring well and truly happened when the Malayan Union was proposed after the end of the 2nd World War on 15th August 1945 by the Labour Government of Clement Atlee.
    The Sultans and the Rakyat were in revolt against the Malayan Union in which the Malays would have lost their homeland and their rights.
    This was the Malay Spring. Not some ordinary person trying to change history in his or her favour. This was true Malay History.
    The Federation of Malaya replaced the Malayan Union in 1950. This Constitution formed the basis of the present Consitution to this day.
    Malaysian Politics are full of false pretenders.

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  10. Oh, no more pink background? My eyes thank you, Big Cat.

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    1. LOL. Everyone complained about the background so I just had to change that. And people complained about the cats too, but I am just no good with pictures, so they have to live with the cat pictures.

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