Friday, October 03, 2008

Can We Mind Our Language

CAN WE MIND OUR LANGUAGE!




Nathaniel Tan said in his blog posting "I applaud the surprising restraint showed by the police."



Malaysiakini carried its report on that same night by Andrew Ong and Rahmah Ghazali thus, "About 2,000 people staged a peaceful march through the busy streets of Kuala Lumpur tonight calling for the abolishment of Internal Security Act and freeing detainees under the Act"



On Badawi's Open house on the first day of Hari Raya, The Star had reported with the following headline:"Hindraf commotion at govt’s Raya open house"



Further in that report it had the following statements from various Ministers:
Ayed Hamid Albar: " “This is not the time, this is not the correct venue. They can come to wish Selamat Hari Raya and shake hands, but the rest of it, different time, and different date.
“If they come in peace and harmony there shouldn’t be any problems,”



Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal "Hindraf members should have known their limits and not turn up at an open house “like this”.
“There are platforms for you to make your submission. This is not the proper way of doing things. I mean, it’s a Raya do. Today is Hari Raya, it’s got nothing to do with memorandums."



Tourism Minister Datuk Azalina Othman "such behaviour would reflect poorly on Malaysia’s image to tourists.
“If you are here as a guest, then behave as one. Parliament will convene on Oct 13. They can do so (submit their memorandum) then,”



Can you see how in our writings we all commit a common cardinal sin?



Nat want's to applaud the polices' restraint. What would have caused them to lose that restraint? Malaysiakini suggested that the rally was peaceful. But aren't all the rally's by this multi-faceted movement peaceful? Why the need to make this redundant statement?



On the Open House, The Star attempts to discredit "the commotion" by suggesting that it was an HINDRAF affair alone. Well, I guess the reader is supposed to assume that this would be typical uncouth behaviour of Indians. They completely ommitted the fact that along with the HINDRAF crowd there was also Haris Ibrahim and the Anti-ISA crowd. In any case if it was such an auspiscious occassion why all those men in blue in any case? Why did Haris not suggest that there was any commotion in his posting? Neither did Zorro! So, maybe Haris and Zorro are spinning as well?



And then those statements by the Ministers!



Like as if they can tell you when it ever was that the "protestors" referred to have ever caused disharmony or been violent or had contributed towards any kind of racial or religious disharmony. And obviously they are also suggesting that it is quite normal for them to receive memorandums of this nature on gentlemenly kiss on the cheeks basis. And where is that platform they were referring to? How so quickly they forget that they had water canons and FRU's tear gassing when little children wanted to hand the Prime Minister flowers at the Parliamet House.



They want to continue to suggest, subliminally, if necessary, that any such assembly, being illegal because they do not have a police permit, must naturally be "not peaceful" and a "threat to the security of the nation"



Nat applauded the police for their restraint. But why? Was the rally boisterous, noisy, threatening, unruly, destructive, or made up of thugs who carried weapons with them so that the polices' restraint deserved or earned them an applause? Was it even necessary for the police to have been there if indeed their presence was to stop the rally turning to become a threat to the security of the nation?



Malaysiakini found it necessary to prefix the rally with the adjective "peaceful". Are they suggesting that rallies otherwise are not peaceful? Or are they suggesting that the peacefulness of this rally was something unique? I thought Bersih and Hindraf's rally of 1011 and 2511 were also peaceful. The water canons and the tear gassing only tried, oh so hard, to define those rallies in terms that provided satisfaction only to the UMNO led BN.



You see when you have pictures of water canons and FRU men shooting tear gas, of course it suggests the necessity for such devices being used. To the vast ignorant majority who confine their information source to MSM only, these rallies must have been totally unthinkable threats to their usual way of life. And that is how the UMNO led BN wants the people to view these rallies, protests or demonstrations or even attempts at handing over memorandums.



But what are we doing ourselves in trying to paint a different picture?



Obviously in all this we are painting the police and the FRU as the frontline enemy. But really they are not. They are only carrying out orders. So were the KGB, East German Secret police, and Romania's secret police as well. But can you recall the indignity of the fallen dictators and the regime that held all that power on the day it all fell? It seemed all so sudden didn't it?



I still remember Christmas day 1989. Nicolae Ceauşescu appeared indestructive and strong in the morning. I guess his armoured guards were still protecting him. By late afternoon he was shot dead together with his wife like a dog by the enraged people and strewn on the streets. Where were his secret police? Why did they abandon their post? Certainly it was not because the people were better armed or that their voilence was overwhelming.



I would like to think reason finally got to them and the inevitable was upon them.



Are we, in our approach so far, going about it on the presumption that the police are a homogenous lot acting according to the wishes of the IGP, and/or those at the top, for whom perpetuation of UMNO's rule is a compromised goal?


Maybe its about time we consider addressing the men in blue at the front. Do they necessarily know that national security and the perpetuation of UMNO led BN's rule are not exactly one and the same thing? Wikipedia has it that as part of the programme for the National Service one module - the Nation Building Module (Kenegaraan) - Classroom based. Nation's history, sovereignty and dignity, Malaysia and international affairs, Defence and National Security and Citizen's responsibility to the nation, and loyalty towards the current government, Barisan Nasional - has it that loyalty to Barisan Nasional government is a necessary attribute of a good Malaysian citizen. Do the Malaysian police see the perpetuation of the UMNO led BN is synonymous to national security and national perpetuation?



May I suggest that in our writings too, reference to the government be very specifically addressed as the UMNO led BN government. What we all really want is the over-throw of the UMNO led BN. The government then becomes a PR ruled government. This needs to be repeatedly said so that those who form the instruments of government or are part of the apparatus of government once again retrieve for themselves their professionalism and become impartial to the political shenanigans to which they presently dance to. It is imperative that this be achieved immediately even before PR takes over.



The Star's report on the government's Raya open house at PWTC was mischievious. By their willful omission of the presence of the anti-ISA group they have tried to confine any protestations to HINDRAF only. Adding "commotion" to their attempts to access the premises where, they too were invited, The Star carried out Joseph's Goebel's instructions to the letter. After all to non-Indian Malaysians this Indian crowd is looked upon as belonging to the estates with no sense of decorum and city slick ways. They are supposed to be an uncouth lot and certainly a little less civil for the occassion.



The Star has certainly inherited Joseph Goebel's legacy for how a corrupt and evil propaganda machine should be. How they should write so that they define each and every event and happening according to what favours their leaders.



The problem in our circumstances, we too, the bloggers, the alternative press and the NGO's that may be opposed to the evil in this UMNO led BN government are quite careless in the use of our language. We may not even be saying it when we say ,"the rally was peaceful". Yet in what we did not say, we have suggested a whole lot more. Personally I think to even say that it was a peaceful rally is redundant. Why is it, when we read of a 50,000 people rally in London we do not even think of anything that might suggest insecuity?

7 Comments:

At October 3, 2008 at 11:02 AM, Blogger Thurai said...

Beautiful post. Something to think over. Thank you. :-)

 
At October 3, 2008 at 12:06 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ah, so I see you've written on the points we talked about yesterday! Good on you! And you even linked some pages up!

Cheers

 
At October 3, 2008 at 12:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

My symphati to those being detained. I just hope they are fighting for the right cause. Life is always beautiful and peaceful for those who choose to live in it, no matter where u are. To me living in harmony by abiding the law is the answer. I pray for their early release.

 
At October 3, 2008 at 12:33 PM, Blogger Old Fart said...

Hi Michelle, Yes. I was not even thinking of it actually..and then I was reading Nat's posting...and this started off as a comment there...and it was getting a little too long so I put it up here.

Anon 12.19 I agree. We all want to live by the law and to follow the law. But what happens when the law has been hijacked by those who can? What happens when the law is not applies as it was originally intended or envisaged? Ahmad Ismail is not subject to the law. The reporter Ms Tan and Theresa Kok are. Khir Toyo and utusan Malaysia are not subject to the law, but Theresa Kok spent a week because of a law.

So can you tel me which law it is you are talking about?

 
At October 3, 2008 at 12:34 PM, Blogger Old Fart said...

Michelle, as for the links , got to thank AnnCharlotte for it. Of course she had a good laugh over my silliness!

 
At October 3, 2008 at 1:10 PM, Blogger DR SURESH said...

It is with utter disgust that I wish to comment here regarding Azalina's statement.
She seems to be worried about a few thousand tourists' opinion with regards to the presence of Hindraf for the open house.She has conveniently forgotten that millions of people around the world are laughing at her govt's action of throwing innocent people into prison without trial.
If she can take some time off and watch the youtube clip during the 25th nov peaceful demonstration of hindraf,she can see for herself how a foreign tourist a lady,tried to stop those police men from manhandling one of the protestors,and how she was pleading with those police thugs to release that victim.Azalina,this itself speaks volume and how you and your ilks have disgraced the nation and became a laughing stock to the world.
Come on you leaders you are so afraid to face even a group of peaceful citizens comprised of mothers,kids,students and senior citizens who came with love to see the PM to wish him and to request him to release their fathers and husbands.
What `proper channel'you fellas are talking about?In parliament,when Datuk Sothinathan raised the question of why,Crimes state medical university was derecognized all of a sudden,you fellas showed him the exit door for 3 months,we know because there were too many indian students there,when many western countries recognize Crimea university,you found it to be of low std.
When MP Devamany issued a hard hitting statement with regards to the demolition of the 100yr old temple in Kg Jawa just before Deepavalli,you fellas `turned' him over within 24 hours and made that coward to issue a statement that he `regretted'his statement.
When those children wanted to present the PM with roses,you low lifes again used the full might of the police thugs to disperse them with water cannons.
Hundreds of letters and memorandums handed over to the PM's office by Hindraf,before they took to the streets have been ignored.So what `proper cannels'you fellas are talking about?
Please think out of the box and don't sit on your brains,Azalina.

 
At October 3, 2008 at 2:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

MALAYSIANNIGER HAS THIS TO SAY....
DO NOT BLAME THE HINDRAF MOVEMENT TO ACT AS, YOU HAVE SAID DURING THE PM RAYA OPEN HOUSE,IN THE PAST YOU HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE OF ALL COMMUNITY......YOU ELECTED FOOLS TOOK YOUR ELECTED MANDATE AS GRANTED FOR EVER,NOW YOU FOOLS FILL THAT YOUR MANDATE IS SHAKY...
IF YOU ELECTED FOOLS WOULD HAVE LISENT AND GIVEN DUE RESPECT TO THE HINDRAF MOVEMENT WHEN THEY NEEDED YOU,YOU WOULD NOT SEE THIS HAPPEN DURING THE OPEN HOUSE.....

THIS IS JUST THE OPENING,TO SHOW YOU FOOLS,THAT WE WILL BE READY FOR ANYTIME FOR ANYTHING TO COME TO SEE THAT YOU FOOLS WILL BE REMOVED TO FORM A NEW CLEAN,CLEAR,TRANSPERNT,NON CRONNY MALAYSIAN GOVT.......
BOLDY SYED HAMID,AND LASBIAN AZLINA SPEAKS ALOT.........
PLS DO NOT FORGET WHAT GOES OUT MUST COME BACK......AND IN YOUR CASE IT WILL BE VERY SOON.....
AS AN ELECTED LEADER OF THE COMMUNITY,FIRST LEARN HOW TO RESPECT ALL RACE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND LEARN WHAT TO SAY WHICH WILL NOT HEART THE FILLINGS OF THE DEAR COMMUNITY......
JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ELECTED DOES NOT MEEN THAT YOU CAN SAY AND DO WHAT YOU WANT.....
THE LAST 25 YEARS THE COUNTRY AS DISTROYED THE WORD UNITY BETWEEN THIS COMMUNITY.....THAT IS THAT WORD PERPADUAN THAT THE BN GOVT DO NOT WANT TO SEE,,,,,,,,,,

I CALL YOU TOTAL REJECTED FOOLS OF BN............

MALAYSIANNIGER.........

 

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