(Also posted in Malaysia-Today)
Something very significant happened on 8 March 2008. It was like the burst of lightning that awakened everybody from their slumber. All of a sudden the whole country is riveted to the political process, and we have unprecedented number of mamak stalls, kopitiam politicians and whatnot.
The level of participation from the rakyat on the political process is truly astounding. For example when YB Lim Kit Siang made a wrong move, within the first couple of hours hundreds of messages have already appeared all over the web condemning his move. The same thing happened when Sivasubramaniam threatened to quit. Similarly when Mohd Ali Rustam made some truly stupid remarks regarding the pig farm project in Selangor he was bombarded with hundreds of very unflattering comments in his blog.
But this is where the similarity ends. While YB Lim made a public apology and Sivasubramaniam reverted his decision promptly, Mohd Ali Rustam chose to delete the offending comments and locked down his blog to prevent further comments. I almost fell off my chair when I read about it in Malaysiakini. Was he trying to control the internet like how BN controlled the mainstream media? Was he in denial mode, sweeping the dirt under the carpet and pretend that everything was hunky-dory? I could not believe that 50 years of BN rules has produced leaders of such colossal stupidity and arrogance. The way he is going – I don’t think he will last another election. I will do my part to see to it that he doesn’t last another election.
This simple incident illustrates a dramatic difference between Barisan Nasional politics and Pakatan Rakyat politics. In Barisan Nasional politics, the leaders say and everybody listens. The leaders are high above; they cannot be criticized, beyond criticism and untouchable. And UNMO expects this bunch of arrogant idiots to run their personal blogs?
Blogging is very much about coming face to face with the readers and subjecting oneself to be judged by all. Nobody cares about your Tan Sri title, your personal palace, your Mercedes Benz, your police escorts, and there is no secretary to filter out unwelcomed guests. Everybody is on equal ground, and only one’s integrity and intelligence matter. It was never a one sided conversation. Even our respected Raja Petra, whom everybody listens to, would read the reader’s comments and change his writing style accordingly.
Today is a very sad day indeed, because Makal Osai is being shut down. No reasons were given, and no reasons need to be given. I felt a wrenching pain in my heart as Makal Osai is one newspaper that was not subjugated to being a mouth piece of the ruling party. I don’t read Makal Osai, but I strongly believe that politics should not interfere with the media. The people should be the judge. The people as a collective gathering have infinitely more wisdom to decide what is right and true than a bunch of self-serving politicians.
Yes, I am still boycotting the mainstream media. I will continue to advocate it until the mainstream media learn to uphold its sacred duty with true integrity or die a natural death. I am but one humble voice answering the call to straighten our media. If the calling is true, the number of voices will multiple and before we know it we will have another tsunami. This is how the collective process works.
If you believe in the urgency of the matter, please add your voice here: Boycott the newspapers!
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4 comments:
Discrimination69,
Hahahahaha the Rusty bugger cant take critism, just like all the UMNO-putras. They think they are great leaders until they see they dont command respect from many rakyat. They lack humility and are "Belakang Zaman".
Looking at their current performance as bloggers, I opine that they cant last long here.
Maybe its due to their lies that they cant cover up here when they get so many comments adverse to their opinions. He so cute behaving this way.
I noticed many BN bloggers are similar like him, I didnt get my comments added in Dr. Chua's articles on MSM freedom. Maybe he didnt like the comments I wrote as it was not too polite for him or a little disrespectful when I said his article on MSM freedom was a little too late.
Just thinking out loud how will they use their blogs during the next GE13 campaign.
Toyol blog is also the same. When been asked why the shop owners in Port Klang are forced to pay a high amount for painting of their shops by the town council contractors, it was not published.
I sent Ali Rustam, my comment but it was not publish, from malaysiarevolution.blog.
TUAN Mohd Ali Rustam (MAR),
This letter is in response to your article (Pakatan Rakyat…. Untuk Apa?/ http://mohdalirustam.blogspot.com/2008/04/pakatan-rakyat-untuk-apa.html ) I am one of the rakyat that does not agree with your statement. It is unfair for you being a politician to make such a statement.
1. MAR Comment;
PAKATAN Rakyat yang dibentuk oleh PKR, DAP dan Pas hanyalah satu gimik politik untuk mengaburi mata rakyat kerana mereka cuba meniru konsep BN.
Response:
It is nothing wrong with the opposition to copy the concept or reuse the method of any political parties as long it is beneficial to the rakyat (people). The opposition does not blind the eye of the voter or rakyat, we choose them as we lost our confident with UMNO lead government or the Barisan Nasional.
2. MAR Comment;
Mereka sebenarnya tidak berkeupayaan untuk mentadbir negeri apatah lagi negara. Oleh itu rakyat jangan mudah terpengaruh dengan tipu helah permainan politik mereka.
Response:
You commented that the opposition “tidak berkeupayaan” to run the state and the country. The opposition just started their state administration government for less than 3 months. We rakyat are not stupid, we know how to judge what is right and what is wrong. If they do not perform we will vote them out in the next election. TIME WILL TELL. What I observed was the UMNO lead government is trying to create unnecessary obstacle to the opposition such as destroying document, demonstration and having the idea buried in your parties member to stop project in the opposition running state. Abang, your parties action is not benefit to the rakyat.
3. MAR Comment;
Pembangkang dilihat terdesak untuk menunaikan janji-janji manis mereka ketika berkempen pada pilihan raya umum lalu. Dengan ini jelas membuktikan pembangkang ketandusan idea untuk mentadbir dan memimpin rakyat dan negara.
Response:
If you are really sincere with your comment, you shall list out the janji-janji manis from the opposition. Your comment is pre-mature; it is very obvious you do not do your homework. The rakyat will be happy to know, if there is janji-janji.
4. MAR Comment;
Mereka juga seolah-olah tidak percaya dengan pakatan Barisan Alternatif yang dibentuk sebelum ini. Mereka juga tidak yakin dengan apa yang telah diputuskan masa lalu tentang BA.
Mereka sebenarnya tidak berani untuk berterus terang tentang kerjasama mereka kerana mereka sebenarnya tidak sehaluan. Pas tetap mengatakan DAP sebagai seterunya dan DAP pula masih tidak senang dengan Pas yang memperjuangkan Islam dan hukum hudud. Tapi mereka mahu bekerjasama.
Response:
I did agree with you that PAS and DAP does not have the same ideology but it is good for them to debate and to find a conclusion where it will be benefit to the non-Muslim and Muslim. Both of them DAP or PAS is trying to protect the rakyat right rather than like BN, when UMNO made comment, we very rare or maybe I shall said no comment from MIC and MCA. Why shall we have “YES-MAN” political paties or Member of Parliament in our country? We shall practice freedom of speech and learn to berkerjasama.
5. MAR Comment
Bagi saya, saya tidak nampak mereka boleh sehaluan dalam jangka panjang. Pas perlu mencari jalan supaya ahli-ahlinya bersetuju untuk menggugurkan perkataan Islam di dalam slogan "Membangun Bersama Islam" dan DAP juga perlu menunggu sehingga ahli-ahlinya boleh menerima perjuangan Pas. Apakah mereka sanggup menggadai fahaman masing-masing demi pakatan ini? Saya rasa tidak mungkin.Jadi pakatan tersebut hanyalah pakatan yang tidak akan membawa makna apa-apa kepada rakyat. Janganlah mudah tertipu.
Response:
The rakyat is giving them a chance to proof themselves, if you is really sincere, ask our respected PM to give them a chance to talk in TV3 and RTM. Your statement is one sided
Also posted in Malaysia-today
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