How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Protecting an empty square with razor wire, tear gas and water cannons

After Bersih 3.0 and its numerous pictures, videos and reports, do we look back in anger or sometimes, with amusement?

Just because Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) was mentioned as the place to have Duduk Bantah (Sit-in Demonstration), the Mayor of KL was chosen to be the representative (or fall guy) of the government (PM and DPM were busy in East Malaysia, while Home Minister tried to be nice (no security problem) but actual left it to the Police), to issue a statement that Dataran Merdeka is out of bounds and anyone who enters on that day will 'face the music' and we knew later, what that phrase, as well as Hishamuddin's 'police acted with restraint' meant. This was aptly put by Bernard Khoo:  http://zorro-zorro-unmasked.blogspot.com/2012/05/orchestrated-and-brutally-performed_02.html

As someone mentioned, the security was disproportionately tight (with razor wire and many policemen armed with batons, tear gas and water cannons) for the purpose of disallowing (there was even a court order!) people to get into an empty piece of land, as though it was filled with gold! Now, there are arguments over who made the signal or order telling the people they could get into the square, and Anwar and Azmin are expected to be made scapegoats for the breach. Why didn't the authorities allow such a simple request to sit in for two hours? Why did the authorities attack the unarmed people like they were criminals when they were there to express their support for a universally acceptable cause - for a clean and fair election? Why are the authorities afraid of pictures and cameras?

To put it simply, either our leaders could not learn from past mistakes or they are afraid of a clean and fair election which is likely to put them out of office.
Link

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