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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Bloggers' representative - an oxymoron!

Once upon a time two bloggers got into deep sh*t – the reasons don’t matter now, but then, most bloggers marshalled around them to lend support in their hours of need.

So from this brotherhood … oops … and sisterhood too ;-), there grew an informal mob of bloggers. Yes man, stir a bowl of water and centripetal forces will move the solid material ‘together’ towards the centre.

Instead of just maintaining that fraternity as an informal congenial social group, some thought it may be a good idea to have a formal group of bloggers, an organization so to speak, to look after bloggers’ interests at a time when the authorities were beginning to frown on them, and even to promote the activity/hobby of blogging.

As bloggers were from all walks of life and political affiliation, the approach and character of the proposed organization by commonsense and necessity had to be apolitical.

So the 'son' (or 'daughter') of that informal (very loose) mob of bloggers came into this world, though without a Kad Pengenalan for it was still an infant.

But alas, apolitical it wasn’t. For reasons unexplained till today, a small coterie of bloggers, purportedly the pro-tem committee of the proposed organization, took it upon themselves to showcase their introductory venture into public eye by visiting Malaysia’s most controversial (opposition) politician.

I don’t blame the politician for he was the one called upon, nor do I his ardent supporters who were in that committee, for it was only natural they wanted to promote their idol.

But the others, the leaders …?

Many were gobsmacked as I was. We wondered, if a politician had to be visited at all by a bloggers’ association for bloggers' interests, why wasn’t that person the Minister of Information or Communication, as surely the interests of the bloggers deserved lobbying with formal authorities.

From apolitical to very very controversially political. Why? What was the secret agenda? Don’t blame us for considering that the motive behind that visit stank to high heavens. I blogged on that in Embracing bloggers - Disgracing bloggers.

Additionally why should I register myself as the proposed organization had mooted for members? For the government to trace us?

Meanwhile, the original informal mob decided to have a social get-together. It was called BUM night. It was well organised and brought many bloggers together for the first time. I wish I could have been there but alas, …..… I missed the opportunity to meet many good mates who were also in that committee for the social function.

Unfortunately personalities in the BUM committee clashed just prior to BUM night because of post Ijok blues. Who was right or wrong also doesn’t matter. Due to high emotions, some accusations and insinuations were flung about. The dust eventually settled.

Time passed by and the GE happened with tsunamic shaking magnitude. The government decided that they had underestimated the bloggers’ impact. I must confess I too didn’t expect the bloggers to have such a significant influence. I believe the most influential blogger who made a difference surely has to be Raja Petra Kamarudin of Malaysia-Today.

Anyway, Malaysiakini told us that the BN government now wants to talk to bloggers, yes, including those 80% of them, who have been described by a former Minister (I like the word 'former' as applied to him ha ha ha!) as 'lying unemployed females'. Phew, guess that fortunately places me in the other 20% fully employed, truthful, sincere, innocent, wonderful male bloggers.

Anyway, someone saw an opportunity to resurrect the proposed bloggers’ organization, which I believe had been rendered moribund and in a state of severe comatose due to lack of support, and certainly not helped by suspicions of its motive.

He suggested the new Minister see a certain blogger, as if this blogger represents the interests or views of Malaysian bloggers. Maybe he did it out of loyalty to a compatriot. Well whatever, let me say this in no uncertain term, and it’s not personal, I don’t want to have that person or so-called organization represent me or my interests.

Minister, if you are reading this, believe me, many of us bloggers don’t support nor have faith in the so-called blogging association. And don’t believe anyone who claims he or she represents me in matters on blogging – please see my blogging mate Susan loone’s post Come on, kiss my blogger a.s.s where she wrote:

“…some blogger(s) is (are) already jerking off, hearing all this [the Minister’s voiced intention to meet up with bloggers]. One has even recommended the minister go and meet his buddy - thinking that he is the taiko of all bloggers. Puhleez lah.”

One suggestion to the Minister for a start – drop the PPPA. Yes, can you imagine trusting anyone, especially a blogger, who supports the PPPA? Sheeesh!

Also, leave us free spirited independent bloggers alone – we can and will act responsibly.

Unfortunately, associated with the attempted resurrection of the so-called blogger association, an old nasty bone was dug up, and poor Jed Yoong was attacked again, all because she had dared to question the legitimacy of that organization to represent bloggers.

Shamefully, in that particular mob’s well known modus operandi she was attacked ad hominen, like she had been post Ijok. This time there were even fabricated insinuations that she absconded with the BUM night’s collection.


So, was a police report made? Why not? because for the simple fact that the insinuation had been a false fabricated fib. Of course we know that in Malaysia, facts shouldn't be allowed to stand in the way of a good 'story'.

The sad poverty of a certain sector in the blogging community is its pathetic inability to handle intelligent debates, so their members are wont to resorting to argumentum ad hominen. I know, I have been called an UMNO lapdog, a MCA cybertrooper, etc ;-). As an example, the litmus test of the anwaristas' desperation showed a different colour when the normally civil kittykat 46 even alluded to kaytee being that - ha ha ha!

Regarding the vicious insinuations against Jed Yoong, my blogging mate Lucia Lai of Mental Jog, who was in the BUM committee, should be able to provide insider information on the shameless bankruptcy of those comments.

But alas, even far more shameful than those insinuations, had been the fact that they were allowed to be posted in a blog. I needed a bath after seeing those.

17 comments:

  1. Now what do you want? What should others do for you? Do you want to be made the BUM President or what? You call everyone desperate, pathetic, anonymous, silly and etc. Don't you think you are being desperate here? What is it that you are actually whinning about? Apart from blaming and belittling others, what's the wisdom in your words? I didn't get anything at all.

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  2. A blog reader's unsolicited opinion.

    I think BUM is NOT compelling all bloggers to join - just a difference of opinion only between 2 groups of bloggers, so can't really understand the unhappiness.

    Ease up-lah ... too much of this squabbling not good for your bp.

    P.S. Yea, maybe BUM 2007 committee foul-up without informing Lucia - give them benefit of the doubt. maybe its a genuine oversight.

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  3. Weird, everyone who went for BUM2007 enjoyed the event and only those who never set foot on it seems to be making lotsa noise. Still any publicity is good publicity. =)

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  4. I've been trying to figure out the deal with AllBlogs and PABS, so thanks for explaining the situation...

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  5. The beauty about blogging is the freedom to express... I mean absolute freedom. After all, the democratic process is that if you fart around in your blog, nobody would bother to visit you... and thus you fart and smell it yourself.

    The idea of having a loose association of bloggers whether it is BUM, AllBloggs, or what have you is good, given the socio-political climate of the country.

    The danger of any association is the tendency to GROUP-THINK or self-censuring.

    I for one would not condemn any loose association of bloggers. It is a forum to touch base, share resources.

    No, I would not go that far to condemn as some bloggers do.

    There are times when bloggers need to come together to confront the resource-rich MSM and the monolithic power-house of the Government machinery. In that sense the coming together is a fanstatic idea.

    In US, bloggers network among themselves through emails and influence the Presidential election.

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  6. from day 1, kaytee has been against this bloggers association. hey, you have your right not to join and stay independent. but why sullied it? just because you are not agreeable?

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  7. KT: "when the normally civil kittykat 46 even alluded to kaytee being that - ha ha ha!"

    Yo! Let's then hear a loud resounding NO!!! LOL!

    From what I've observed however, Kittykat46 is a rather sensible commentator.

    Wasn't BUM2007 somewhat sponsored with a roated lamb ;) ?

    Don't think Shabby Cheeks can sell. Why seek to engage bloggers(meaning - seek blogging renegades) when he could just free up the media, if it's really the Truth he wants?

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  8. mob (Chris) matey, no one's complaining baout BUM - in fact I praise it in my post.

    It's the other one ;-) the one which claimed to be apolitical but couldn't explain (till today) why its first venture into public eye was political, very highly political without any benefit whatsoever for bloggers - au contraire, it positioned the so-called bloggers association in a seemingly partisan stand, which has been why I and many others questioned, and still do, its unstated political motive, and in whose interests it had been for!

    But it sure as hell didn't and doesn't represent us.

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  9. Ha ha! Does meeting a politician make them (bloggers) or their association a political one? Don't you think you are being so naive here? Again, you say if they were going to meet a politician, why not meet the Information Minister. The temerity exhibited here is stupendous. You can't blame them for meeting any politician whether in the opposition or in government. Or re you pissed off that they met with the man who makes shit in your pants and give you nightmares for your own reasons?

    Moreover, no minister was ready to meet blogger back then or would have accepted that venture and it wasn't easy to secure any appointment unlike meeting opposition politicians. Can't you be simple here, rather than beating the bush and fuming at the mouth! Just say they met Anwar and that's why I'm angry and hitting my head against the walls. May be then people can sympathise with you, otherwise you will continue foaming at the mouth and no one will provide you water to clean.

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  10. KTemoc doesn't even live in Malaysia, right ?
    Why all the fuss and fruss ?

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  11. A bit of semantic change may make some sense here.

    Bloggers United is A loose association of Bloggers in Malaysia - and has every right to exist. Bloggers are free to join, or not to join.

    It is not THE associaton of Bloggers. As long as it doesn't purport to be that, I think Ktemoc should respect its existence, its members and its office bearers.

    Or is it another case of You Have No Right to Exist...

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  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  13. This post is not about anwar but about the motive of a supposedly apolitical organisation who made a political visit. And what benefit did that visit confer on the blogging community? Those are the questions.

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  14. kittykat was right about bloggers united. it is indeed a loose association where any bloggers can be part of it... or not. it is not an organisation or a body. when bum07 was conceived, we just picked the phrase out as a name/heading only, and nothing else - it was not a group or organisation.

    however KT was not talking about bloggers united but the other registered bloggers organisation.

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  15. Hell, why should there be any form of formal association for bloggers? Blogging is about giving our personal views, people read, while some agree to our views, while the rest hated it!

    Association NO, maybe get together coffee and teh tarik OK lah...

    Some of us gain nothing from blogging, unless some of us like to be MP someday...

    No need formal or registered body for blogging lah...

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  16. Wow..so much going on in the blogging community and I don't even know. Better to leave sleeping dogs like me just stay right where I am.

    Sure I've been around...commenting more than blogging..which I also do once in a while....and staying out of the loop for so long..until of course about 6 months ago or so when I declared myself to a few in the community.

    I think better go back into hibernation.

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  17. It is the Information Minister's fallacy if he believed any blogger representatives speak for the community as a whole. I believe he just wants some insights into the community.

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