This should be an interesting and colourful Olympic-like demonstration as each of them will have their own colour T-shirt – Bersih’s yellow, Royalti’s red, Anti Lynas’s green, Anti Felda’s orange. The objective – to gather 1 million demonstrators at Merdeka Stadium that has a capacity of 30,000 seats.
This will be the last demonstration of such size before the next mother of all elections is called – Malaysian’s 13th general election, which must be held latest by 27th June 2013. #KL112 must generate nothing less than 250,000 participants tomorrow. Anything less than this, a figure generated during Bersih 3.0, is considered a failure. Besides not wanting to anger more people than it already has, the present BN-regime under PM Najib Razak was also interested to see the crowds that opposition-PR can attract.
Anything less than 250,000 would mean the support for the opposition is declining, literally speaking. Anything more than 250,000 could send Najib administration back to the drawing board about new strategies to fish for support.
Now that the police has kindly promise to assist the demonstrators and pledged to facilitate the mammoth event despite eleventh hour attempt by certain quarters within UMNO warlords to create havoc by forcing the organizer to use Bukit Jalil Stadium instead, there’re more reasons for the 250,000 record to be broken.
Heck, the police had even pledged not to use FRU to happy-spray chemical-laced water and tear-gas while forming a special squad – media police – to escort and protect journalists. When was the last time you see such a darling police serving their duties in protecting innocent citizens (*grin*)? But will 250,000 turnout guarantee a new government taking over post general election?
We’ve written about the farewell party for PM Najib Razak. Unless he secures two-third majority, which is unlikely, he’s toast as far as UMNO warlords are concerned. Now, how does the UMNO Godfather, Dr M, knows the party he created can win the next general election while at the same time continues to weaken Najib’s powerbase? Simple – Dr M knows the Chinese voters are back to the present federal government’s lap, although not in a huge percentage. Yes, as much as it hurts, the Chinese voters will again help the corrupt BN secures its position come next general election.
When old dictator Mahathir Mohamad declared his supposedly retirement many moons ago, everyone seems to be rejoicing. There was this famous radio DJ who was attached to a local Chinese radio station who was very popular because he used to advice listeners with marriage or relationship problems.
Almost everyone who called in listened to his advises as if it was Gospel of Truth. Over time, the arrogant radio DJ learnt his lesson after confronted by angry guys whose wife were ill-advised to divorce their partner. When this DJ ran a radio talk for peoples opinion about newly Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi taking over the throne, he openly declared Badawi was Chinese Justice Pao.
Boy, when a listener called in to offer his piece of opinion – that leaders from UMNO are equally corrupt – this DJ whacked the poor caller left, right, center and whatnot. This DJ who was a master in marriage counselling suddenly found a newly God to worship. Amusingly, this same DJ was spotted attending Bersih 3.0 together with his wife, 10 years after he (almost) pledged his soul to Badawi.
If only this chap knew the God he worshipped was actually a Sleeping God, he would have been a little humble (*tongue-in-cheek*) and wise. Now, how successful is the marketing ploy – 1Malaysia – in brainwashing the Chinese voters?
Couple of months ago during a radio talk, some Chinese listeners offered their cup of praises to Najib’s 1Malaysia. They were in love with 1Malaysia marketing strategy so much so that they actually sympatize with PM Najib’s noble sloganeering that attracted criticisms. They even asked the Chinese to give the 1Malaysia some time to prove its sincere intention.
And why do you think Mahathir commented that there should be nothing more the Chinese can ask from the government? Mahathir was sending signals (or rather threats) that the Chinese will be punished economically, if BN does not win the next general election handsomely. While the government’s scare tactic using racial riots doesn’t work, the economic scare tactic works flawlessly.
Last year, when I asked my Chinese friends to attend Bersih 3.0 together, just for the fun of it, most of them chickened out due to the possibility of getting arrested. This year, when I asked my same pool of Chinese friends to go for #KL112, they said if the opposition takes over, stock market will collapse, property market will tumbles, FDI will suddenly disappear, crimes will shoot up because the police will not care and tons of grandmother justifications.
So, are the Malaysian Chinese voters a bunch of cowards? Looks like it. Are the Malaysian Chinese voters a bunch of selfish and ignorant people? Absolutely. Are all the Malaysian Chinese voters hopeless? Fortunately not all of them. Will we ever see the same percentage of Chinese voters who voted for opposition in 2008 to vote in the same pattern again? Unfortunately they won’t.
And to think most of my Chinese friends are professionals with tertiary education yet to have such mentality is certainly alarming, at least to the opposition. No wonder BN warlords are still arrogant and still plundering the nation’s fortunes. With Chinese voters flocking back to BN’s arm, who cares if tomorrow’s demonstration can attract 100,000 or even 200,000 of same pool of die-hard opposition fans?
But if it can attracts 1,000,000 people, then it would be another different story. And we’ve not even talk about UMNO (or rather Mahathir) dirty tactics to stay in power even if the opposition wins with slim majority. But again, this article may be a reverse psychology attempt to provoke the Chinese, so go figure (*evil smile*).
