The two weeks of Malaysia since the 13GE on May 5 is best described by Charles Dickens in the opening paragraph of his historic fiction of the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities (a book written 154 years ago and which has sold over 200 million copies):
“IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”
It was “the best of times” for Malaysia, when Malaysians, transcending race, religion, region, class, gender and age, were united in the hope of change of government and policies; but it was “the worst of times” when such hopes were crushed by the dirtiest general election in the nation’s 56 year history.
It was “the spring of hope” when Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, class, gender and age dare to dream the Malaysian Dream where there is an end to the politics of race, corruption, cronyism, abuses of power and all forms of injustices; but it was “the winter of despair” with one post-13GE drivel after another from those re-established in power about “Chinese tsunami”, “Chinese taken for a ride”, “Apa Lagi Cina Mahu” and the latest challenge to patriotic Malaysians to “Migrate elsewhere” if they are not satisfied with the country’s electoral system, demonstrating that the evil tentacles of the old politics of race, lies and fear are still very much alive and powerful.
The “Light” in the epoch of “Darkness”, when there is so much disappointment, outrage and anger in the country at the 13GE results that Datuk Seri Najib Razak could be sworn in as Prime Minister with 47% of popular vote while Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is denied the highest office in the land with 51% of the popular vote, is the accelerated political awakening of Malaysians, particularly the young generation of Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region and class, coming out in their tens and hundreds of thousands to demonstrate their commitment to bring about peaceful and democratic change in the country.
I feel hopeful and confident about the future for Malaysia when I see the sea of young, fresh, eager faces all over the country courageously taking a stand for peaceful and democratic change to save Malaysia from the old politics of race, corruption, cronyism, abuses of power and all forms of injustices and sending out the clear and unmistakable signal that Malaysians, particularly the young generation of Malaysians, would not allow the disappointments and setbacks of the 13th General elections to dim or undermine their commitment to see change in Malaysia.
In fact, the reverse is the case, as they are more resolved and committed to ensure that their future is not stolen away from them in the way that the 13th General Elections victory was stolen from them on May 5.
With Malaysia presently in “best of times, worst of times” – I call on Malaysians to keep faith and hope in moment of despair and to press on until victory is achieved for change of government and policies.
The time has come to fly high the standards of the Malaysian Dream, uniting Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region, class, gender or age, in a common national vision and destiny to build a great, democratic, free, safe, green competitive and prosperous nation for all Malaysian citizens.
At the Gelang Patah 13GE victory thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, 26th May 2013, we will launch the Malaysian Dream Movement, to be the vehicle for the realization of the Malaysian Dream.
I urge all like-minded Malaysians to support and join the Malaysian Dream Movement.
The Malaysian Dream Movement which will be launched in Gelang Patah next Sunday will be expanded all over the country and I look forward to the support of all Malaysians when it expands from Gelang Patah to all states in the country, particularly in Penang.
(Speech at the Pakatan Rakyat 13GE thanksgiving ceramah at Penang Esplanade on Saturday, 18th May 2013 at 10.30 pm)
My prophecy:
BR1M, BR2M will now be substituted with
BUM 1, BUM 2 – not BUM as in Bum ……………… but BUM as in Bantuan UMNO 1, Bantuan UMNO 2.
You see after the GE, they are now preparing for UMNO GE.
So taxpayers, there goes your coming GST and whatnots.
When Anwar was in government, he did not press for wakil rakyats in proportion to the number of voters. He was happy then; but now the system is disadvantageous to him. The FRU (tough fellows in those days – in Ferguson’s words, “tough as butchers dogs”) used to kick up student-demonstrators (girls as well as boys) in the 70’s. The citizens then said, “good, good”.Now everyone demands the right to demonstrate.
The lesson: Liberties are for all. Today your neighbour suffers; tomorrow, if you don’t watch it, it will be your children who suffer. Welcome to the liberty waggon.
Excellent idea!!!
All Malaysians moving on to a better tomorrow!
Support! Support! Support!
”….The Malaysian Dream Movement which will be launched in Gelang Patah next Sunday will be expanded all over the country…”
Yes. Looking forward to the Movement being expanded nationwide to such places like Jeli, Kinabatangan, Julau, Mersing, Hutan Melintang, Limbang, Titi Tinggi, Pensiangan and many other places so that the people there, who decide the fate of the government, will be awakened to the cause now favoured by a 51% majority. I am very sure tens of thousands will turn up at these places and become converted.
Dicken’s Quote depicts a pre-revolutionary French society crumbling at the foundations 80 or 90 years prior to but not so different from that of Dicken’s England at the time he wrote Tales of 2 cities. One must however remember that although England at that time had many people suffering and the privileged political elites wallowing in luxury out of touch with the common people’s aspirations and yet fearful of the revolutionary ideas blowing from France across the English channel, the fact is there was no corresponding upheaval occurring in England. No 2 countries and people are the same. The French witnessed royalty’s extravagance and excess of King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, and had Napoleon Bonaparte.
The French revolution that Dickens feared did not arrive in England. The English were different. Overcrowding, disease, hunger, long hours of work, and mindless, repetitive labor resulting from her Industrial Revolution were slowly reformed by interaction of peoples marches protests, parliamentary reforms eg 1832 Reform Bill. The English seem to believe more in piecemeal evolution of social justice than French tearing down the whole social political canvass by revolution that immediately resulted in mob rule and the Guillotine. Flash forward to our contemporary situation after 5th May. Is situation here anyway like late 18th century France or England? No. Admittedly we don’t know how things will play out henceforward with an incumbent govt that has lost the popular vote and an opposition that although broadly questions the legitimacy of GE 13 results is however not united (except on superficial level) on how to respond or go forward from this point.
Continuing from preceding post under current moderation: On the question of what to do next on PR’s front side in response to an election “allegedly stolen” there appears no common ground or united front except in rallies. For eg this Malaysian Dream Movement- what exactly is it? If Malaysian Dream means restoring to all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region, the fundamental right to safety and security whether in the streets and other public places or the privacy of their homes – which is the clarion call of DAP- I am not so sure that thee is agreement by PKR and PAS on the part “regardless of race, religion or region”. Indeed DAP is comparatively more satisfied GE 13 results than PKR and within PKR itself there is schism between Azmin & Khalid over mentri besar post and now between Khalid and DAP too on the no. of each representatives in S’gor State Exco. There’s probably no broad agreement on how exactly to go forward- rallies, street protest, or lobbying in parliament or recourse to the courts.
The real tale lies in the between the differences in the 3 races. The straw that broke the back of the unity of these races was the conversion of English medium schools to Malay medium ones. In one stroke, political opportunists after May 13 drove all the different races back to their vernacular schools and in the case of Malays, it was worse as they are now split between Malay schools and religious schools….
That little riot born in 1969 has now grown into a giant anaconda…..
Malaysian Dream Movement – hope no1 will announce DSAI as PM anymore! Lain kalilah!
YES. PR won the majority votes in GE13, this is mathematics, this is statistics, not the rule of forming goverment.