So I hope that many of you (especially, but not only Malaysians) are keeping up to date with all the brouhaha that’s occurring in Malaysia… with the Hindraf rally, and much more alarmingly, the government’s response to the rally. Read about what’s behind the rally in the first place, and my brother’s view on the importance of the nation uniting to march.
Then read his account of how the rally went, and take a look at the pictures he took, for an on-site look at the event.
Then take a look at this youtube video of the story that was run on al-Jazeera:
Absolutely, absolutely frightening. I’ll admit that when I read my brother’s recounting of the event I didn’t quite get the magnitude of the experience, and actually just how frightening it was. The chaos of the al-Jazeera videos really hit home–the FRU’s firing of tear gas canisters sounded like gun shots and looked like grenades… Malaysia looked like a war zone.
My mom sent me and my sister an email and she put the entire experience rather poignantly:
“nat’s home…..quite an ordeal he went thru’. it’s a tough cause he chose, and it’s so painful for us to watch. sending him off to the lrt this morning was like sending son off to battle….only in this case it is within your own country…….and against the people you have voted in to protect you and the country.”
Makes me glad that I’ve never been eligible to vote until now. Although I do know that young, Form 5 Sejarah textbook-propaganda-filled, naive Cristabel that I was, I used to be all for BN… Mahathir with his corruption etc. was a visionary and really did do a fair amount of good things for the country.
But now, things have changed. The ruling coalition can do no more good for us, because they are no longer for us. Well, kids…you know what to do: vote. And pray–pray for the people ready to do the fighting so many of us are afraid to, pray for their safety and well-being. Pray for our country… because it sure as hell needs all the help it can get.
Frightful and sad, but I do see that we’re progressing in terms of ridding ourselves of passivity and inactiveness. People are beginning to understand that they actually have “rights” and that these rights can, and ought to be defended — this is just merely the beginning, easily.
That said, the news caster from Al Jazeera is very good looking leh! Like that James Bond dude.
used to be for bn?!?!?!?!?!
my sentiments exactly. it was so subtle wasn’t it, almost like brainwashing us but not quite, how all of us 80’s kids somehow grew up thinking BN and mahathir and all of the rest of it was right and good. i’ve really not felt more patriotic than i have recently.
incidentally, have you registered to vote? lol.
and how are you belbel tan? saw your photos with em on facebook, looks like you girls had an awesome time (= ever popping by london again in the near future?
xx
may