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Isis bombs and al-Qaeda papers make bin Laden seem soft touch

Geoff Dyer in Washington
Financial Times
May 22, 2015

A spate of massive car bombs in an Iraqi city and a slew of new al-Qaeda documents have pulled off the improbable feat of making Osama bin Laden seem like a soft touch.

Just as Islamist militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant were taking control of the Iraqi city of Ramadi this week, the US government released part of a treasure trove of material recovered from the former al-Qaeda leader’s compound in Pakistan.

The two events have cast a light on the fierce competition between the jihadi groups and help explain why Isis has been so much more effective than al-Qaeda at exploiting instability in the Middle East since the so-called Arab Spring.

While bin Laden wanted to play a long game and constantly fretted about alienating fellow Muslims, Isis has been happy to pursue its goals through indiscriminate violence against anyone—including setting off 10 huge bombs in Ramadi on Sunday before its forces made their final push to take the Iraqi city. Continue reading “Isis bombs and al-Qaeda papers make bin Laden seem soft touch”

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First Ramadi, then Palmyra: Isis shows it can storm bastions of Syria and Iraq

Martin Chulov
Guardian
22 May 2015

Terror group faced little resistance from local forces, prompting re-evaluations across a region that had sensed it might be in retreat

Islamic State fighters are celebrating their second major conquest in a week in Syria and Iraq as they pick through the ruins of the historic city of Palmyra.

The sudden advance of the militants into the UN heritage site in central Syria resulted in the rout of a national army, the exodus of refugees and a fresh pulse of regional alarm at the resilience of the self-styled caliphate force.

The UN said one-third of Palmyra’s 200,000-strong population had fled. And Isis militants used social media to show themselves posing amid ancient columns in Palmyra on Thursday. Other images displayed a more familiar theme: the summary slaughter of local men whose blood drenched the road.

Isis’s latest advance has prompted a re-evaluation across the region, which had earlier sensed it might be in retreat. From Beirut to Baghdad and as far away as Riyadh, regional actors are coming to terms with an organisation that can win most of its battles and successfully storm Syria and Iraq’s best-defended bastions.

The seizure of Palmyra followed the equally startling conquest of Ramadi in Iraq’s Anbar province last weekend. Both operations, around 600 miles apart, have become emblematic of a terror group that can have its way across two crumbling countries despite embattled state forces being propped up by global powers. Continue reading “First Ramadi, then Palmyra: Isis shows it can storm bastions of Syria and Iraq”

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The 11MP is resting on flawed foundations

— Lee Hwok Aun
The Malay Mail Online
May 23, 2015

MAY 22 — The just released Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP) strives to inspire, cajole and rally us toward 2020. I have no problem in general with slogans, catchphrases, cheerleading, even a dash of hyperbole. The document has to contain some of that.

But the mandate to tug at our hearts does not give license to toy with the facts.

This Plan handles some data in a bizarre, anomalous manner. The most prominent of the 11MP’s six multidimensional goals rests on flawed foundations.

And it is difficult to believe that errors and confusions – of a most rudimentary nature – are committed innocently.

I have confidence enough in the capability of our civil service to correctly and carefully present statistical analyses and projections. I suffer a confidence deficit with regard to the independence of this process from political influence. Continue reading “The 11MP is resting on flawed foundations”

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DAP’s Impian Kelantan project leads in rebuilding lives of flood victims

by Zulkifli Sulong
The Malaysian Insider
May 22, 2015

Despite being attacked by certain quarters in Kelantan over its hudud stance, many are unaware that DAP’s Impian Kelantan project has successfully rebuilt a village in Gua Musang that was destroyed in the floods last December.

Kampung Pasir Tumbuh was redeveloped by Impian Kelantan, a joint effort between PAS and DAP, PAS Youth, Ground Zero and other non-governmental organisations, to which DAP had contributed RM500,000 from its own pocket.

There are also other NGOs, corporate companies and individuals, apart from the Kelantan and federal governments, who have come forward to help the flood victims in this mostly Muslim state where hundreds are still living in tents as the fasting month of Ramadan approaches.

A total of 1,821 families lost their homes in the floods and are concentrated in four main districts – Gua Musang, Kuala Krai, Machang and Tanah Merah.

Impian Kelantan joined forces with a Kelantanese businessman and a state government subsidiary to complete 25 new homes to replace those washed during the floods, and also repaired 35 homes, project manager Mohd Fauzi Mohd Azmi said. Continue reading “DAP’s Impian Kelantan project leads in rebuilding lives of flood victims”

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11th Malaysia Plan made dubious history in being the first 5-year plan which could not even enjoy one-hour wonder as it was immediately overwhelmed and overshadowed by Muhyiddin’s call for heads to roll in the 1MDB scandal

The R260 billion 11th Malaysia Plan made dubious history yesterday in being the first five-year plan in the past half-century spanning six Prime Ministers which could not even enjoy one-hour wonder as it was immediately overwhelmed and overshadowed by the recording of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s call for heads to roll in the 1MDB scandal.

The glossiest five-year plan document in the nation’s history, which would have involved the greatest expenditures in packaging than in its content, was not able to bathe in the unchallenged plaudits of a “seven-day wonder” or even “24-hour wonder” as was the case with the unveiling of previous five-year plans.

Parliamentary and national attention was affixed not on the 11th Malaysia Plan but on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s reaction to Muhyiddin’s call for heads to roll in the 1MDB scandal – and the implication whether Najib’s head will also have to roll in the process.

In just ten days, all the false camaraderie after the UMNO Supreme Council meeting on May 11 have been torn asunder by the uploading of the recording of Muhyiddin’s speech at an UMNO meeting on Saturday, where Muhyiddin’s warning that the 1MDB scandal would cause the downfall of the UMNO/BN government was greeted with loud applause and even “Sack the President” calls.

Muhyiddin’s “the last straw to break the camel’s back” speech has now become the hottest property on You Tube. Continue reading “11th Malaysia Plan made dubious history in being the first 5-year plan which could not even enjoy one-hour wonder as it was immediately overwhelmed and overshadowed by Muhyiddin’s call for heads to roll in the 1MDB scandal”

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Would Muhyiddin propose the sacking of Najib as Prime Minister if Najib is responsible for all the major decisions taken by the 1MDB board in the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal?

(Scroll down for BM version of this statement / Terjemahan BM di bawah)

The RM42 billion 1MDB scandal and the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stole the thunder from the 11th Malaysia Plan and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak respectively when a video recording of Muhyiddin calling for heads to roll in 1MDB scandal circulated among MPs when Najib was presenting the 11th Malaysia Plan in Parliament this morning.

After Najib’s presentation of the 11th Malaysia Plan in Parliament, Muhyiddin stood by his speech at an UMNO gathering on Saturday calling for the 1MDB Board to be sacked for the RM42 billion debt scandal or it will bring down the Barisan Nasional government.

In the recording, Muhyiddin said this was his advice to the Prime Minister, adding he was not against Najib’s leadership. Continue reading “Would Muhyiddin propose the sacking of Najib as Prime Minister if Najib is responsible for all the major decisions taken by the 1MDB board in the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal?”

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As Najib has admitted in FAQ to a direct interest in Altantuya case, he should withdraw from all decision-making whether there should be a RCI into Altantuya’s murder to avoid conflict of interest

(Scroll down for BM version of this statement / Terjemahan BM di bawah)

What has not attracted sufficient notice in the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s FAQ on the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case is that it was a clear admission that he has a direct interest in the case, although it was couched in the language of denial, denying that he had anything to do with the issue and his Sumpah Laknat.

His direct interest in the nine-year Altantuya case was in Paragraph 3 of the FAQ on Altantuya issue, where he said:

“What is important is that the judgment brings justice to everyone, most importantly to the family of the victim, to the accused and even to me.”

Now the nine-year Altantuya case, which concluded in the Federal Court in January with the conviction and death sentence passed on the two accused, former police special commandoes, Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar is the subject of increasing public controversy both nationally and internationally because it had failed to deliver justice to everyone as well as to the family of the victim, the two convicted accused and even to Najib himself. Continue reading “As Najib has admitted in FAQ to a direct interest in Altantuya case, he should withdraw from all decision-making whether there should be a RCI into Altantuya’s murder to avoid conflict of interest”

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Is anger towards Hadi under Islam and any of the religions of the world permitted because he has been untruthful, insincere and dishonest in repeatedly violating PR Common Policy Framework and PR consensus operational principle?

(Scroll down for BM version of this statement / Terjemahan BM di bawah)

I am surprised and shocked that PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang has invoked religion to say that it is an obligation for Muslims to vent their anger at DAP for opposing the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.

This is a very dangerous, divisive and retrograde step which can only undermine the process of Malaysian nation-building to create an united and harmonious multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysian citizenry.

Is anger towards Hadi permitted not only under Islam but any of the religions in the world for being untruthful, insincere and dishonest in repeatedly violating Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Framework and Pakatan Rakyat consensus operational principle – which is why the Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council is in a crisis and has not met for more than three months as Hadi had unilaterally and arbitrarily disregarded the decisions of the PR Leadership Council or overruled PAS leaders who had attended in his absence, arrogating to himself a veto power over the PR Leadership Council?

Hadi first acted with utter dishonesty and insincerity during the May 2013 General Elections when he authorized PAS candidature to contest in six state assembly seats in the country which were allotted to PKR, resulting in three-cornered fights and the loss of PR in these seats. Continue reading “Is anger towards Hadi under Islam and any of the religions of the world permitted because he has been untruthful, insincere and dishonest in repeatedly violating PR Common Policy Framework and PR consensus operational principle?”

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Which one of Najib’s highly-paid consultants was responsible for the most contrived, damaging and tell-tale statement in the Prime Minister’s FAQ admitting that there is serious public perception that Najib is implicated in the Altantunya murder?

(Scroll down for BM version of this statement / Terjemahan BM di bawah)

I do not think I am the only one mulling over the statement in the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s FAQ on his blog with regard to “Allegations regarding the Altantuya issue”, as the more one thinks about it, the more one is astounded by it.

Which one of Najib’s highly-paid consultants was responsible for the most contrived, damaging and tell-tale statement in his FAQ admitting that there is serious public perception that the Prime Minister is implicated in the murder of the Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu nine years ago.

This is the statement I am referring to:

“What is important is that the judgment brings justice to everyone, most importantly to the family of the victim, to the accused and even to me.”

Continue reading “Which one of Najib’s highly-paid consultants was responsible for the most contrived, damaging and tell-tale statement in the Prime Minister’s FAQ admitting that there is serious public perception that Najib is implicated in the Altantunya murder?”

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Najib naïve to think that his FAQ would put to rest the queries about the motives for the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is very naïve to think that his FAQ on his blog would put to rest queries about the motives for the murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu nine years ago.

It would in fact have the opposite effect – firing up anew questions why there had been a “conspiracy of silence” in the past nine years by the relevant authorities and persons involved to avoid inquiring as to the motives for Altantunya’s murder.

The contention in Najib’s FAQ on Altantunya’s murder that the nine-year-old case had been “investigated, tried and concluded in the Federal Court” and two persons had been found guilty of the crime of carrying out the heinous deed of killing Altantunya can be no acceptable arguments as to why there should not now be a full-scale inquiry into two public interest questions:

• Who ordered Altantuya to be killed; and

• Whether there had been a nine-year “conspiracy of silence” involving the Police, the Attorney-General and the judiciary as well as others to avoid probing into the motives for the killing of Altantuya.

Continue reading “Najib naïve to think that his FAQ would put to rest the queries about the motives for the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu”

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If anybody should apologise, it should be those who are destroying PR in unilaterally and arbitrarily violating the PR Common Policy Framework and the operational PR principle of consensus, offering up to UMNO and Barisan Nasional a route to salvation

It is a week since my speech at the “Kukuhkan Pakatan, Hancurkan Barisan” Ceramah Perdana organized by PAS Kota Baru last Sunday, and I have still to be shown where I had “hina Islam, hina hudud, hina Muslim, hina PAS” in my speech although both the transcript and the video of my speech in Kota Baru are available on the Internet.

Instead, some PAS leaders have continued their heavy artillery over my speech in Kota Baru, culminating in the demand by the PAS Syura Council secretary demanding that I apologise to PAS members for my speech questioning the proposed implementation of hudud law in Kelantan.

I have been wondering in the past week why my speech at the “Kukukhan Pakatan, Hancurkan Barisan” ceramah had elicited such irrational, emotional and even panicky reactions especially by certain Kelantan PAS leaders.

May be some Kelantan PAS leaders believe that the issue of hudud implementation in Kelantan is the only trump card they have to save PAS from losing Kelantan after being power for six terms from the 1990 general elections, but it does not speak much for their democratic credentials and commitment for them to take the position that any decision taken by the Kelantan State Assembly is sacrosanct and cannot be debated or questioned.

Do they want me to be untruthful and even hypocritical in pretending that the hudud issue would be the saviour not only of PAS but also of Pakatan Rakyat – in Kelantan and in all other states as well as nationally in the next general election? Continue reading “If anybody should apologise, it should be those who are destroying PR in unilaterally and arbitrarily violating the PR Common Policy Framework and the operational PR principle of consensus, offering up to UMNO and Barisan Nasional a route to salvation”

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The hell refugees go through for freedom

by Syerleena Abdul Rashid
The Malaysian Insider
15 May 2015

Imagine this.

You are forced to leave your country, your home and everything you grew up with. As much as you would wish you could stay, you simply cannot.
The country you grew up in and the government entrusted to protect its citizens are unable to.

In some cases, it is the government itself that prosecutes its very own citizens because of some deeply rooted destructive bigotry or some horrifically oppressive regulation created by traditional warlords.

You’re forced to leave behind relatives apart from your intermediate family but of course, that is usually debatable.

If you’re well off, you can afford to escape with your loved ones; if not, you’re forced to leave them behind and pray that somehow you can return someday to rescue them.

You end up paying your “journey to freedom” with your life savings to someone who promised to take you to some far off land that can ensure economic prosperity, security and above all – a better life.

But as soon as you board that boat, you find yourself in a situation so sinister, all you want to do is escape. Continue reading “The hell refugees go through for freedom”

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Multi-religious society: Destructive or constructive?

Dyana Sofya
The Malay Mail Online
May 15, 2015

MAY 15 — Last month, I had the honour of being selected to participate in the Australia-Malaysia Institute (AMI) Muslim Exchange Programme Visit.

The purpose of the programme was for us, the participants, to discover different perspectives on current cultural issues in an increasingly multi-ethnic and multi-religious migrant society such as Australia.

Through the programme, we were also able to exchange ideas and experiences with various communities there.

As the main objective of the programme was to broaden our understanding of inter-community relations, the state of Victoria was an obvious place to visit. Victorians originated from more than 200 countries, speak more than 230 languages and dialects, and follow more than 130 religious faiths. While their origins couldn’t be anymore diverse, they all migrated with one aspiration in mind – to find a better life for themselves and their children.

A memorable highlight of the visit was when we had afternoon tea and lamingtons (a traditional Australian treat of sponge cake squares coated in chocolate and grated coconut) at a kosher café in Balaclava.

As interesting as the lamingtons were, we were more enthralled by the conversation we had with Abraham, a rabbi and Mohsin, an imam. Continue reading “Multi-religious society: Destructive or constructive?”

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I have been waiting for three days for proof that in my speech in Kota Bahru on Sunday, I had “hina Islam, hina hudud, hina Muslim, hina PAS” and none has been forthcoming, but I am prepared to wait for another 48 hours

(Scroll down for BM version of this statement / Terjemahan BM di bawah)

I have been waiting for three days for proof that in my speech at the “Kukuhkan Pakatan, Hancurkan Barisan“ Ceramah Perdana organised by PAS Kota Baru on Sunday, I had “hina Islam, hina hudud, hina Muslim, hina PAS”, but none had been forthcoming.

But I am prepared to wait for another 48 hours for such proof to be furnished.

In fact, the transcript of my speech in Kota Baru is available on the Internet, on blog, tweet and FaceBook, and it should not be too difficult to point out where I had “hina Islam, hina hudud, hina Muslim, hina PAS” if I had in fact done so.

I thank Malaysians who have encouraged me with their comments that it was clear from the transcript that I had not been guilty of anyone of these three misdemeanours in my speech in Kota Bahru, for instance, the following comments on the DAP Facebook: Continue reading “I have been waiting for three days for proof that in my speech in Kota Bahru on Sunday, I had “hina Islam, hina hudud, hina Muslim, hina PAS” and none has been forthcoming, but I am prepared to wait for another 48 hours”

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MAIWP lawyer’s contention that Islamic Law is above constitution raises disturbing question of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s commitment to the fundamental constitutional principle that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land

(Scroll down for BM version of this statement / Terjemahan BM di bawah)

The contention by the lawyer of the Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP) to the Federal Court today that all Islamic enactments are excluded from fundamental liberties in the Federal Constitution raises disturbing questions of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet’s commitment to the fundamental constitutional principle that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land.

While the Federal Court has set August to hear the arguments on “a new point of monumental importance” in the case of lawyer Victoria Jayaseela Martin’s appeal in the Federal Court, seeking the right to practise Islamic law in the Shariah Court, the questions about the Prime Minister and the Cabinet’s commitment to the fundamental constitutional principle that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land must be asked and answered.

The MAIWP is a government body, whose Chairman is Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic Affairs; the Deputy Chairman, Dato Othman Mustapha, Ketua Pengarah JAKIM and ex officio members include the Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail, the Datuk Bandar and representatives from the Chief Secretary and the Inspector-General of Police.

It is reported that the postponement of the Federal Court hearing of the case today to August will also give the Attorney-General’s Chambers time to decide which position to take.

This is most ridiculous as the Attorney-General is an ex-officio member of MAIWP. Continue reading “MAIWP lawyer’s contention that Islamic Law is above constitution raises disturbing question of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s commitment to the fundamental constitutional principle that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land”

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Fivefold increase in GDP if every Malaysian teen educated, study claims

The Malay Mail Online
Thursday May 14, 2015

KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 ― A new study claims that Malaysia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) could multiply by as much as 500 per cent if the country is able to ensure that every single 15-year-old achieves a basic level of education.

The study on global school rankings by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates Malaysia’s growth potential at 505 per cent of its current GDP, indicating a direct correlation between education and economic growth.

The report, jointly written by Stanford University’s Eric Hanushek and Ludger Woessman of Munich University, said that a country’s standard of education is a “powerful predictor of the wealth that countries will produce in the long run”.

It also warned that countries that maintain poor education policies and practices will remain in a “permanent state of economic recession”. Continue reading “Fivefold increase in GDP if every Malaysian teen educated, study claims”

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What stories will Najib leave behind?

By Eric Loo
Malaysiakini
May 13, 2015

I don’t know how she died, but I remember how she lived her life. I still feel her cheery presence from her Facebook posts and emails, the last one I received a month ago. It’s surreal. Which got me thinking. What stories will we leave behind after we’re gone? Then, I thought about our prime minister. What public memories will he leave when he passes on, from the values he lives by to the political decisions he has made since 2009?

In the documentary ‘A Leader’s Legacy: Tun Abdul Razak’, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak says of his father: “I have a sense of pride knowing my father passed away in the service of the nation. There can be no other service greater than that.” Indeed.

Najib proudly presented his reformist agenda when he succeeded Abdullah Badawi in 2009. To the United Nations in 2010, Najib projected a globalist moderate persona. His realpolitik at home, however, shows a Janus-faced figure, Machiavellian even, in reaching his political ends, amoral they may seem in the public eye.

These keywords hence come to mind when I think of Najib’s administration: Altantuya, Scorpene submarines, Abdul Razak Baginda, government executive jets, Rosmah Mansor’s lavish lifestyle, 1MDB debts, and other scandals listed in the Sinar Project.

Wealth accumulation from mega business deals through political connections has hence ranked Malaysia third in The Economist’s Crony Capitalism Index 2014 after Hong Kong and Russia. Continue reading “What stories will Najib leave behind?”

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Transkrip Ucapan Lim Kit Siang semasa Ceramah Perdana di Padang Perdana pada 10 Mei 2015

Terima kasih MC YB Baihaki dan YDP PAS Kota Bharu, YB Cikgu Rahim, Timbalan Presiden PAS YB saudara Mat Sabu, S/U Agung PKR YB Rafizi, YB Zuraida dan pemimpin- pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat, saudara- saudara dan saudari, selamat malam salam sejahtera dan salam ubah.

Dalam dua tiga hari ini apa menjadi tajuk berita besar, dua tiga hari ini, skandal 1MDB dan masalah skandal penjualan tanah di KL kepada Lembaga Tabung Haji bukan? Itu tajuk berita besar dan selepas itu pun ada lagi satu dua tajuk besar.

Hari ini nampaknya ada satu blog yang ditulis oleh Zaid Ibrahim, bekas Menteri. Dia kata daripada Jepun dia dapat maklumat bahawa ada satu perjumpaan sulit di Milan. Kenapa di Milan? Siapa ada di Milan? Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin sekarang berada di Milan Itali. Dia ikut Zaid Ibrahim, dia dapat maklumat bahawa ada satu mesyuarat sulit Tan Sri Muhyiddin dengan Tengku Razali mengenai kemungkinan untuk menjatuhkan Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri.

Benar tak benar dia kata pun tak tahu. Dia tak tahu, saya pun tak tahu lah. Tapi apa yang kita tahu ialah Perdana Menteri kita di Tawau Sabah hari ini malam ini. Dan dia sudah mula berperang dengan Tun Dr Mahathir. Dan dia cabar Dr Mahathir bahawa jangan kacau dia, dia rela lawan balik. Mungkin esok apabila dia jumpa dengan Ketua Bahagian Umno akan perkembangan yang berikut.

Tetapi dengan perkembangan- perkembangan semacam ini, bolehkah kita tumbang Umno dan BN di masa depan? Bolehkah? Mungkinkah? Kali yang pertama dalam sejarah Malaysia 58 tahun. Kali yang pertama kita lihat kemungkinan bahawa kita boleh tumbang Umno dan BN. Dan ini kita boleh lihat daripada keputusan PRU13 di mana parti- parti Pakatan Rakyat, PAS, PKR dan DAP. Kita memperolehi majoriti pengundi- pengundi sungguhpun kita kalah daripada segi kerusi parlimen oleh kerana persempadanan kawasan- kawasan pilihanraya tidak adil dan tidak demokratik.

Dan bukan sahaja di masan depan, kalau kita ikut trend ini, mungkin kita boleh sampai ke Putrajaya. Tetapi ada tujuh negeri pun mungkin boleh jatuh. Betul? Kedah boleh jatuh? Terengganu boleh jatuh, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka dan satu negeri sampai PRU2013 dilihat sebagai satu negeri tak mungkin parti- parti pembangkang untuk pecah.

Johor, Johor sekarang sudah dekat, kita boleh pun memerintah di Johor mengikut keputusan PRU13. Betul? Tetapi prasyarat ialah bahawa Pakatan Rakyat kekal. Bolehkah Pakatan Rakyat kekal? Teruskan. Kalau saya ditanya saya pun tak tahulah. Sama ada Pakatan Rakyat boleh kekal atau tak boleh kekal. Lagi satu bulan akan menentukan masa depan sama ada rakyat Malaysia boleh tukar tumbang Umno dan BN dalam PRU yang akan datang. Continue reading “Transkrip Ucapan Lim Kit Siang semasa Ceramah Perdana di Padang Perdana pada 10 Mei 2015”

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We thought we could tweet our way to a socialist paradise. The election changed that

Suzanne Moore
Guardian
11 May 2015

As the Labour bubble burst amid a volley of disbelieving posts on election night the echo-chamber limitations of Twitter and Facebook became all too clear

One of the biggest shocks of this election is the realisation that you can’t get a socialist paradise on Earth by tweeting. Or even by putting up really angry statuses on Facebook. Who knew? Actually, as people who do this kind of thing all follow each other, it seems that many of them still don’t realise. In the echo chambers some of us inhabit online, everyone not only votes Labour but crows about it in 140 characters.

I love social media and think it is brilliant in all kinds of ways for connecting us, but its limitations have been clearly shown in this election. Declaring one’s allegiances is fine if you understand who you are declaring them to. No one really does. Hope soon changed on election night into disbelieving, angry tweets. Is there an emoji for howling? All of this happened in self-selecting universes.

We all of us inhabit bubbles, and in the current postmortem at least we can see more clearly what some of those bubbles are. Continue reading “We thought we could tweet our way to a socialist paradise. The election changed that”