May 02, 2012
KUALA
LUMPUR, May 2 — Where do I start? How about when I saw the protesters
surge towards me as the tear gas canisters fell! It was a sight to see: a
sea of humanity coming towards you as you’re pinned against a lamp post
and a drinks van in front of CIMB Bank about 50m from the barricade. I
did not join in the mêlée and was able to usher the masses past me and
remind them to stay calm and move away from the area in an orderly
fashion.
Exactly when the s*** hit the fan, I do not know. But what riled me
up was how a supposed peaceful mass gathering with a noble cause quickly
turned ugly and violent. I guess it was wishful thinking of me thinking
that this act of civil disobedience would end up uneventfully! I should
have known that some anarchists amongst us would not let this pass
without a physical fight with the authorities. After all that was and
always will be their raison d’etre —to create chaos when there is none!
But there I still was. In the sweltering midday heat with thousands
others because we wanted to be there, to send out a clear and
unambiguous signal to the powers that be that we will no longer be cowed
and controlled and play by “their” rules.
The author on Saturday.
And
that is the fundamentality of what we as citizens of this country and
perhaps humanity crave for. Our freedom to be where we want to be, when
we want it to be, without restrictions being placed on us. This self
awareness, self awakening is what we need to encourage ourselves and
others who are perhaps still “slumbering” amidst the mismanagement of
this great country of ours by the government of the day. We must realise
that we are the ones who put the government in power and we have the
right and ability to remove them through a clean and fair electoral
process, if they misbehave. Unfortunately this process is currently in
disrepute, hence the purpose of this latest round of mass protest.
But will the current executive take heed of this “message” and reform
itself voluntarily? My gut says NO because when you have had a taste of
absolute power for so long, distinguishing what is right from wrong
becomes blurred. That is the nature of the beast, the human condition in
all of us, me included. However, we must never let that be an excuse to
allow the current sorry state of affairs continue unabated. There has
to be checks and balances to ensure, nay, demand that the government
works for the people and not against it. And we are, and should be, that
check and balance. Because we want freedom back in every aspect of our
lives, freedom of thought, freedom of movement, freedom of choice and
most of all freedom from tyranny and injustice. And THIS is where it all
starts... in the sweltering midday heat with thousands others who want
the same thing.
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