internet is the mainstream media

A lot has changed in Malaysia. Traditional thought and belief that a government knows best what is good for its people is gone. A bit too late for Malaysia but it is better late than never. While other democracies flourish, Malaysia remains backward in term of discharging her duties towards the citizens. People were made fools by those in power and for now at least there is hope. This is evident in events prior to the March 2008 general election. For once a party that rule the country for half a century conceded that there is a more powerful medium of reaching to the people, the internet, and people for once chose not to let absolute power continues it corruption of basic rights of citizen to voice discontentment and take fate in their own hands. In a world where democracy continues to be shoved forward for the masses to swallow, many find it hard to ignore that this western style democracy is firm in the hands of the haves and not the haves not. Money still rules but for now democracy is the only acceptable system that is touted as the answer to the world’s turmoil, albeit this shortcoming. Money in turn allows aspirants to buy access to the second “M”, machinery that will see to it that it will mobilise forces to fight the enemies and work days and nights for its candidates. In this information era, the third and final ingredient to propagate ideology is of course access to media. Traditional media has been overshadowed with the advent of the internet. And in case of Malaysian politics, the internet has become the mainstream media. This is the main reason on the part of the archaic ruling party of Malaysia to scramble madly towards acquiring this coveted media. It has this notion that everything can be bought at the right price. Attempts are made at rounding up this coalition of internet writers. Little that these unscrupulous lots comprehend that this coalition exist because of a common cause of propagating reforms, fight for injustices and promotes transparency and good governance on the part of government that are missing components of civil societies. A few falls into traps set by these shameless lots. As with any struggle for that matter, there will be those who succumb to pressure or simply not committed enough to usher into a new dawn of information freedom. And there are those who realise that it is virtually impossible to buy into internet portals that carry credible news and commentaries choose to get themselves involved in setting up portals that do their bidding for them. In an era where free expressions thrives and prospers, websites that do not go along a mainstream of political freedom fall like monsoon rain or disappear into oblivion the minute it goes on cyber space. Enter a jungle where the only rule that applies is the namesake law. In this dense jungle the game played by these scumbags is the one with no rule. Those that we cannot conquer, we will imprison with fear. Those that have the courage to fight, we will break with draconian rules and oppressive laws. Will this curtail struggle for freedom? Recent blunder of internet censorship and disruption by the Malaysian government proved to be costly and self serving. But as with other repressive regimes, this budding regime learns very little. Persecution against dissents will continue even though this will serve only to bring destruction to all. But it only goes to prove that the internet media can no longer be ignored and as for battle ground of the future, these internet wars are wars of the future. troubadour

Kuala Lumpur

longing to unwrap a special gift this coming boxing day

Ho ho ho ho… lo! here comes Santa Claus on a reindeer-sledge! It is going to be a white Christmas after all. Children singing carols, adults scrounging the cities for presents! Ah what a sight!

It is going to be a very merry Christmas.

RPK has spoken from behind solitary walls. Revolution it will be, evolution it will not be. Bonapartean it has to be, Darwinian it cannot be.

If bloggers community is awake and start to shake, the Police’s Special Branch will start putting a brake because the powers that be has too much at stake.

What is there for you and me to do? A lot! Let me suggest one or two points here.

One very important thing to do is to bombard the cyberspace with enormous information to educate the public at a maximum level as to the misdeeds of the UMNO/BN government. Those silent majority inside and outside the government must join this up-above (cyberspace underground) movement. They possess huge amount of information that exposes current federal government’s misdemeanour. It is time to share this government’s squalid affairs and bring them out into public domain.

Information stuck in cyberspace carries no meaning and serves no purpose. Information must reach target audience. We must collectively forward this information to our acquaintances. It is just at a click of a mouse button, to the entire our e-mailing list.

I remember vividly the 1998 reformation movement. The flame was kept alive, spirit held high through distribution of hard copies of vital information that influences and shapes peoples’ minds. Effort must be heightened towards printing hard copies of documents and distribute them wide and scatter.

Make effort to meet with and know our (PR) elected members of parliament. Knowing and understanding, sharing thoughts and working hand in hand in bringing out this change! The process will be very thought-provoking, challenging and intellectually rewarding.

Organising functions that have ample time for intelligent discourses would be another effective strategy. Effort must be enhanced towards projecting right image of people that will take over and govern this beloved country of ours from these ashes of ruin and devastated state.

Last but not least, let us not forget that it is the peoples that will lend their power towards making this initiative a success. With sacrifices, there are expectations on rewards. Peoples are expecting rewards for their efforts. We must be able to convince them that the rewards are worth waiting. These would be in the form of better security for the nation, education that transcends racial barriers, justice that is not blind and myopic, wealth in abundance for those who seek it and equal opportunity for all. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, “That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedoms, and that government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth”.

a sure thing?

Is there such thing as “a sure thing” I watched a movie way back 1985 titled as such. It was about a college kid who worshipped and longed to bed a girl of his dream. Throughout the movie he went on chasing this dream. At the end of it, he had the girl on the palm of his hand only consciously choosing not to bonk her instead. To digress a little, it had this George Benson’s (who?) song that had a line about the singer doing his best but his best was not good enough. A lovesick friend crooned this song his entire six months abroad idolising a girl he chased, only to lose her to another friend (He will cringe if he reads this piece!).

Back to current topic, Malaysia’s move to prop up the share market with an RM5 Billion “loan” from EPF was a stupid move and a futile effort. Opposition leader’s quip that 90% of that fund would swiftly flow out of the country was a sarcastic remark but nevertheless spot on. The fact that the first (economist my ass!) finance minister came up with this answer to the so called impending economic woes due to credit crunch in itself is beyond comprehension. He must have got his priority upside down and topsy-turvy. Not to mention that the British would curse like hell if he is bent on claiming he is a graduate economist from their prestigious university.

Valuecap Sdn Bhd saw the opportunity in the wake of the credit crunch, to kill two birds with one stone. These daylight robbers are getting out of dilemma of paying old loan by borrowing another almost an equal amount under the pretext of saving the nation from stock market loss as a result of capital flight. The old loan was in the first place obtained via issuance of bonds that are not able to be transacted or traded. EPF and other suckers were duped into buying these valueless bonds and continue to hold onto them and watching in vain as the papers transmogrify into junks quicker than the eyes can see.

Is Valuecap trying to redeem old bonds with this new loan? Or are they are using this loan for another (mis)adventure? Whichever way it goes, you and I are made fools in this game of political satire and comics in this social quagmire. Our hard earned monies are being thrown to the wind while these idiots continue to rule the country as they please.

Where are those champions of transparency and good governance and corruptions’ chief whip? He must have been wallowing in his massive collections both in cash and kind.

So the moral of the story in the opening paragraph above is that there is no such thing as a sure thing. But figuratively speaking, one thing for sure, all the money thrown in would go down the drain. The drain flows downstream to a collection point disguised as thrash-trap that hauls in freshly minted notes. One man’s loss is another man’s gain. The general public continues the rat race. It surely is a dog-eats-dog in this rat race. And as the late Freddy Mercury’s put it so accurately, it leaves you bleeding lying flat on your face.

And once again, goodnight Malaysia, wherever you may be and wherever you may wish to go.

what is this struggle all about?

For those who may wonder as to why we are making so much noise in this cyberspace, here is something that will enlighten you. There are two things that we seek to uphold namely justice and transparency and good governance.

Justice

Justice must be done. Universal concept of justice must be upheld. A person is innocent until proven guilty (in the court of law). The burden of proof is on the accuser. To err is human, to forgive, divine. A society is at fault if a subject is not cared for. Further, there has to be separation of powers between judiciary, legislators and executives. Judges must be selected by a commission and of highest integrity. To be fair and just is to put things in its rightful places.

Transparency and Good Governance

Uppermost in our struggle is to instil a system that is transparent and govern it well, and righteously. These words conjure little meaning if we are ignorant. Ignorant many would say therefore is bliss. Not knowing what to expect leaves us with no imagination at all.

This struggle first and fore most is about instituting a reform. Essentially this is about change, changing from a bad state to a better one. This change requires the right methodology for it to be effective and ends up well. Leading this change must be in a manner that will impact the masses. The general public must “buy” this argument before any change process can begin.

The reform that we are fighting for would begin with the two things above. This will ensure that other damages in our society can be reformed. These are education system, wealth distribution and financial systems, law enforcement, country’s security, foreign affairs, international trades, business system, communication system, housing, agriculture and sports and so on.

In short, the reason for reform is pure and simple. These systems have all been trampled on and raped by the current government, corrupted to the core and destroyed beyond recognition.

It is time for reform and to change the government before the wrath of the Almighty befall us because of our refusal to correct what is not right and install what is right.

The alternative is a painful one as God says that His land is expansive and no one should succumb to and continue to live under tyranny. It is a choice between fighting or get lost. Look like it is between the devil and deep blue sea? It is never a-too-late. Being a reformer meant more than race, meant more than pride. I rest my case.