• pigduck
• Feb 18,2008
• In: Nation Madness

GE 2008: History Repeats, Cheapskate Bloggers, Manipulating Children and Other Stories…

So, Malaysia’s next general elections will be held on March 8, 2008 - might I add that this is my first time flexing my voting muscles. I’m excited!

I was reminded today to read some Malaysian history before commenting on the current state of affairs. I scoffed at the idea initially, being a young person, but it has been at the back of my mind the whole day. Maybe I should. Before the General Elections 2008. I encourage all of you to do so too and to recommend some books if you can. I was told to read some of Lee Kuan Yew’s memoirs. I found two - “The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew” and “From Third World to First“…

After all, history repeats itself and we should get a varied understanding of our Malaysian history rather than opinions from blogs or from politicians or campaigning individuals. Propaganda and what not.

We need to be objective about this. Our future is at stake.

What I don’t get is how cheapskate our “political bloggers” are. Instead of using free blog sites like blogspot.com or wordpress.com, can’t they just go out and purchase a domain name for USD$15? You can from Aducators.com. Seriously. If you want to be heard, you have to make a statement and going through Blogger.com doesn’t give you much credibility. You have so much to say but can’t put a small monetary value to your words? Buy a frickin’ domain name for goodness sakes! It ain’t that expensive first of all. I might start a “cheapskate and credibility” blogroll…

So I’m just reading up on what our Information Minister, Zainuddin Mydin, said about the Internet being used mainly to book budget airlines tickets and to read entertainment news. He said that blogs and forums are pointless and will not add value to the upcoming general elections campaign. We’ll have to prove him wrong by first, registering domain names so that the status is elevated to websites rather than just blogs…:P

 The Obnoxious 5xmom said we use the internet to search for Edison Chen sex scandal pictures and Chua Soi Lek videos and I have a feeling our dear Information Minister may be right this time.

I’ve spoken to a myriad of different people over the last week and I myself use the internet to source out entertainment gossip. Hollywood celebrities, mind you. I find local and Asian gossip a bit boring. I will not lie.

Anyway, the people I’ve spoken to all talk about downloading the Edison Chen and Gillian Chung pictures and others I’ve spoken to on a whim speak of buying tickets off Airasia.com. Now… I suppose I can’t say that my discussions with these random strangers prove that Malaysians are perverts and cheapskates… Of course, we do read blogs on the side but our general usage of the Internet is really to find sex pictures and buy $0 air tickets. You may beg to differ but really now… don’t be so righteous and say you only go on the internet for political news.

Also, there’s the whole manipulating children at public demonstrations. I’m sorry but HINDRAF has lost my respect for fielding children as front liners in their demonstrations. In the old days, armies used their poorest, most insignificant men as front line barriers or human shields, so those die first. It is sad that Malaysia’s peaceful demonstrations have resorted to such underhanded tactics. It is not right to drag children into adult games. What are you teaching your children? Where are your morals? When the child, barely able to fend for herself and still under your guardianship, when she is not even eligible to vote (!) and you drag her into your selfish fights?

I am reminded of pictures I saw in a Time magazine once of little kids, who have not reached puberty, dressed in camouflage and carrying machine guns. This was in Cambodia or East Timor and they were talking of these children’s armies and how it wasn’t right for them to be doing that in the first place and of their lost innocence.

Kids are meant to have a care-free childhood where their parents protect them… not send them out to be ravaged, not fighting for causes that they do not understand or are brainwashed to understand. They can’t be objective. They normally just do what you tell them to do. It’s got nothing to do with the police but it’s all got to do with the cowardly parents who can’t stand up for themselves and have to send children in their place. Despicable.

Therefore, if anything, I suggest the authorities send welfare officers to save these children from their parents. There are some things that are just inappropriate for kids to partake in. Rallies are one and midnight previews at the cinema, second. I still don’t get parents who bring their toddlers to watch the late night cartoon screenings and then have the tots sleep in the cinema. What’s the point?! Is it to clear your conscience that you’ve brought your kids out to watch a movie?

What I don’t get is how some bloggers can agree that it’s ok for children to be in the front line… that their conscience is clouded by their political judgement that they forget morality in the process. Bless those children… I hope their innocence is still somwhat intact.