BERSIH 2.0- Let's sit down & talk!!!

I like to tell my friends that I have been a remisier for 17 years and that's far too long. There are only two things that I have applied myself to that's longer than being a remisier. The first one is being married for more than twenty years and the second is being a political observer for 33 years.

I love politics, especially US politics. I read my first Newsweek magazine when I was 15 years old. Before that, my idols were conquerors, like Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Hitler & Alexander the Great. I blamed my unwise, youthful mind for selecting some of the most despicable people as my heroes- Genghis Khan who killed an entire population if it did not surrender to him; Hitler who killed 6 million Jews; and Alexander the Great who destroyed the great Persian empire. After reading Newsweek and later the Great World Encyclopaedia, my outlook changed. My political belief system also changed. I look upon America as a beacon of hope for mankind.

On the plain of Gettysburg in 1863, Abraham Lincoln gave one of the greatest speeches. The speech, with less than 280 words & lasted less than 3 minutes, was so beautifully crafted that many professional speakers today would try their best to emulate it. What is so great about the speech is not only that it was so beautifully written but it contains many wonderful ideas. The speech opened with this line:

"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

The speech ended with a prayer "that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". That line shall forever represent the true test of any democratic society.

My fascination with US politics took a dive after the 2000 Presidential Election. I was shocked that that election was stolen by the Republicans with the help of a Republican-dominated Supreme Court. Since then, I diverted my energy & attention to investment matter. Something good did come out of that- I started this blog in 2006.

The 2008 Malaysian General Election pricked my interest in our local politics. Before this, Malaysian politics was all about race or religion- the same kind of politics found in Africa. However, after the 2008 election, things changed. The level of political awareness soared. Many Malaysians take to the internet to get their news.

After a good start, Pakatan was drifting listlessly in 2009 & 2010. Pakatan's problem was due to the poor leadership in PKR. BN bounced back after Najib took over the Premiership from Badawi. Najib's 1Malaysia, NEM and ETP/GTP generated a lot of excitement. While some may say that these are all political gimmicks, there is no denying that if they were properly implemented, the rakyat & the country will benefit. However, everything seems to have turned upside down over the past 3 months- right after the Sarawak election in April.

There have been so many tit-for-tat between BN and Pakatan since 2008, that many Malaysians are slowly becoming numb to this new political reality. However, in the past few weeks, a new political force has come to the fore. This new force is the coalition of 63 NGOs, known as BERSIH 2.0 which is fighting for clean & fair election for Malaysia. They are supported by Pakatan (obviously) while their target, the Election Commission, is supported by BN. Where do you stand on this matter? The answer is quite obvious- how can one stand against clean & fair election. To my surprise, BN chose to do exactly that. Some of you may choose to take the side of BN, while others may choose the side of BERSIH 2.0. That's democracy and in a democracy, you have certain inalienable rights, such as the freedom of choice & the freedom of expression. I always say that if the shoe is on the other foot, what would your stand be? If for example, Pakatan is in power and used the currently flawed election laws & rules to its advantage, should we not march against the same laws or rules? We must. And, similarly I don't see what's so wrong about marching for clean & fair election now.

This fight between BN & BERSIH 2.0 was getting from bad to worse until the King intervened on Sunday. His speech gave a face-saving solution for both parties to back down. It seems cooler heads won the day and all Malaysians breathed a sigh of relief. But, alas the respite was short-lived and the impasse persisted. Despite BERSIH 2.0 climbing down from its demand for a street rally to a rally in a stadium- a suggestion made earlier by the Prime Minister- BN and the entire internal security apparatus are all geared for a crackdown. We are now staring into the abyss again. If BERSIH 2.0 gathered on July 9, without the use of Stadium Merdeka, they will march on the street. The security forces will be ready! Confrontation is inevitable!

I have an uneasy feeling for the past 24 hours. These lines from Yeats's the Second Coming keep running through my head:

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world;

Here is my pray that all Malaysians, regardless of your political leaning, shall stand down & pull back from the abyss. Let's sit down & resolve this for the benefit for our nation & our children.