If the report of what some BN canvassers had been doing to the people of Bukit Badong in Ijok (85% Malays) is true, that they threatened, cajoled and misinformed the residents into not voting for PKR, then they are damn stupid because surely they know that the Melayu, especially the more traditional older folks, would only ‘makan lembut’ (receptive to politeness and courtesy).
Being rude to one’s elders would be ‘kurang ajar’ (lacks proper upbringing), one of the most shameful insults to one’s parents. Chinese also have the exact same saying, ‘boh kah see’ indicating a common ethical value of Asian society.
Therefore, the alleged BN's misconduct is likely to be counterproductive.
Mind you, it may be worth bringing up the fact, based on the results of the last election, that Bukit Badong is a PKR stronghold. PKR won just short of 2/3 of the total votes for this area. Would this be the reason that UMNO has cast caution and politeness to the wind, thinking as it would be losing votes here anyway, it might as well go for broke and apply threats and misinformation, to their supposed (in their eyes) advantage?
Does this act of reported UMNO bullying change my mind about rooting for PKR to win? Much as I’m lukewarm to PKR for reasons already explained in my previous posting, I would most certainly welcome an opposition victory.
However, on this aspect, two issues still grate on my nerves:
(1) Anwar Ibrahim – PKR winning would of course boost his standing which annoys me greatly. I think of him as a charlatan, but unfortunately, one gifted with incredible oratorical prowess, which, as I have said before, can talk the hind quarters off an ass. Anwar has a Rasputin-like magnetism which draws people looking for a political saviour. His silver tongue does the rest to marshal them to his banner.
The magnetism of Anwar was greatly (and undeservedly) enhanced by a gargantuan leap because of his enmity to Dr Mahathir. The Grand Ole Man was so disliked that his enemy (Anwar) by default became most people’s friend.
However, his once-shining star faded away rapidly when Mahathir left. The plummeting of Anwar's popularity rating was also expedited by the fact he frequently tap-danced away from committing himself to PKR and the opposition.
But the recent excesses of the AAB government have unfortunately rekindled Anwar’s standing as an opposition idol.
The saddest thing for his PKR followers (minus his inner circle) is that Anwar, unlike Lim Kit Siang or Dr Syed Husin, has no intention of remaining in the opposition.
For such an ambitious man who had tasted sweet nectar at the pinnacle of UMNO's hierarchy, and one probably with a super-ego, he wants to be, and reckons he ought to be PM, and the only way one can get to be a PM is to be president of UMNO. Poor PKR is nothing more than a mere convenient bargaining tool for him to pry his way back into his former political party.
(2) Abraham Lincoln said that “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time”.
It would appear that we need to bear this saying in mind when dealing with Anwar Ibrahim. I say this because it’s not so much the belief some lay people have in him that grates on my nerve, but those of bloggers!
I am not including PKR or pro-PKR bloggers (that's their decision and for them to find out the truth one day), but non-aligned bloggers who have been known to write erudite pieces (indicating their discerning minds), yet blindly jumped on his bandwagon to join him in making unsubstantiated scurrilous allegations of a scandalous salacious sleazy nature against Najib Razak.
It’s not that we shouldn’t attack Najib but why not use issues of corruption and others of a verifiable nature instead of resorting to dirty tricks smear campaign.
Another thing is that, apart from the Altantuya case being completely irrelevant to Ijok, I don't believe for one moment that Anwar is in the least concern about justice for the murdered Mongolian. Like PKR, Altantuya is just a convenient tool for him to ‘use’.
Anwar Ibrahim is always about Anwar Ibrahim. He attacks Najib not to win Ijok, but for his covert objectives [I’ll blog on this tomorrow].
I dare say that whether Ijok is won by PKR is irrelevant to his scheme of things. It’ll be a bonus if Khalid Ibrahim does but Anwar is more interested in rubbishing Najib. His people have been touting it as a Anwar-Najib battle, rather than a PKR (Khalid Inrahim)–BN (Parthiban) fight.
Coming back to bloggers, as I said in the comments section in another posting, if we do what Anwar did (i.e. resort to dirty tricks smear tactics using unsubstantiated allegations or gossipy rumours to attack/harass Najib), then we have dropped down into the gutter with UMNO.
But then, if anyone argues that we are merely doing what the Great Anwar does, we need to remember that he was forged in the cesspool of UMNO.
And don’t forget, Anwar didn’t leave UMNO to become a political reformer. He was expelled forcibly (probably leaving claw marks on the door sill of the UMNO building). Only after his eviction from the party, did he miraculously metamorphose from a dung beetle (or UMNO tebuan) into a reformist butterfly.
Also, don't buy the bull that he sacrificed himself in prison for several years because he refused to compromise on a principle - the fact was he had no choice; they locked him up and threw away the key.
But let's get back on track - on ethical behaviour, let UMNO/BN do their worst, but we ourselves must jaga standards as we demand the BN does. Yes, we must jaga our standards from imitating UMNO tactics (including those of ex-UMNO but wannabe UMNO again)
Jangan biar kita mempunyai double standards and join the devil - then, how would we be different from them (BN and ex-BN)?
Let's not be lemmings blindly rushing to plummet off the cliff of decency into a filthy cesspool.
KTemoc...I, too, think that Anwar is a BIG fraud! His claims of righteousness really sickens me! Between him and Mahathir, Mahathir is the lesser evil!
ReplyDeleteNice piece and well said - it's not wise to jump into the cesspool.
ReplyDeleteBut... the way I look at it, the mentality of the majority is still full of shit. So, above or below the cesspool, it doesn't really make much difference.
ya we should all just stay neutral as the political parties are full of shit. We cant clean these shit holes from the inside. It is a foregone conclusion anyway that BN is going to win.
ReplyDeletethis is part of the problem. we can blog till the cows come home but at the end of the day if no one is willing to give chance a chance even if the change is not the most ideal, would chance happen? Personally i feel that change will only come when the country has gone to the dogs. but there are those like syed husin, latheefa koya who feel that through keadilan they can make some difference. I've been with Parti Rakyat for as long as i can remember. It was a painful decision to merge with keadilan but i believe as many others that only by addressing the larger masses, would the agenda for change be able to reach the people.
You have done a lot of good through the blogs. I however would like to suggest u to open up to see how the election work is like. join (not as a member but a volunteer) in one of the keadilan campaigns and find out for yourself. I wont say go to siva's or tian's seats in the general election but any election seats and see if it is just talk or there are those who are really wanting to see change in the country putting their heart and soul into the process.
Maybe anwar will go back to UMNO, maybe 70% will join him but there will be the core group of 30% who would have gone through the process of self education, who would continue the struggle to see a better malaysia.
i'm with you, KT. i never trust that anwar guy too. he's a great opportunist.
ReplyDeletel know he is very ambitious and i also believe that he wanted to return to umno so that one day he can be PM!
to PKR members (excluding the hardcore anwaristas): I'm with you once that man leaves. He's just biding his time before he gets back into UMNO.
ReplyDeleteMay I take this opportunity to re-iterate my deepest respect for Dr Syed Husin, and hopefully when that man leaves, Chandra Muzzafar may return. Let's keep our fingers crossed that for the future of PKR, the bad goes and the good stays or returns.
hi ktemoc,
ReplyDeletemaybe once anwar leaves..ya.
i was never a hard core reformist nor am i an anwarista. i have my dislike for anwar being in Parti Rakyat and all.
I remember campaigning in penang election in the late 80's (?) (ok la i was in my early teens and only folded leaflets) and there was a leaflet condemming how PRM is communist circulated by the Penang UMNO complete with pictures of the then recently fallen romanian dictator.
My mom told me anwar was responsible and from then i had a dislike for the man. fast forward late 90's - i still had a grudge against the guy. 20th september, it seems the whole town went down to the streets. i remember saying to my family members going - ya la now jatuh baru la nak demo.
That evening got news that anwar was detained. syed husin was to speak at the house. I was to accompany him. I looked atthe crowd and saw something different. it was not just about anwar. the crowd truly believed it was injustice. it was then i started joining the demonstrations.
anwar as a man has his faults. warts and all (i threw away that leaflet in 99 - that is how much i dislike the man), i have chosen to stand along with him, with syed husin and others to seek for change. they wont be around for ever, syed husin is in his 70s and anwar in his 60's. if u want to wait, its your choice, it may not be a long wait.
when u do decide to join in, i would be one of the ones to welcome you with open arms. but as it stands, i potong jari la kalau u join. i think it is just cakap kosong...hahahhaha
sorry for the cynical remarks but like how u feel towards anwar that is what i feel about u joining keadilan - with or without anwar.