Official blunders and the social media

(Borneo Post) In 2009, as befitting a change at the top, the new PM (or, rather, his PR machinery) came up with the slogan to symbolise his dream of 1Malaysia. The slogan, Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan (People First, Performance Now), especially the BM version, may have been a mouthful for some, but it somehow managed to stick.

Now, a couple of years later, it still sticks for many – like a fine fishbone, annoyingly sticking in one’s throat.

Indeed, for these Malaysians – and the numbers are definitely increasing – the more well-known phrase, Cakap tak serupa bikin (akin to ‘all talk and no action’) has become more pertinent.

Despite the many explanations about potential transformations channelled through the mainstream media and the official boasts about KPIs set and targets met, many ordinary Malaysians are still concerned about the future, particularly their ricebowl.

And these concerns are amplified when the authorities talk about the need to tighten belts, yet unhesitatingly announce plans to do the exact opposite. Like erecting humongous monuments, such as the much-criticised RM5 billion, 100 storey Warisan Merdeka.

Or, as in the case of the Tourism ministry last year, spending a few million ringgit of the rakyat’s money for purported official trips to faraway places when such spending, for many, was uncalled for and, seemingly was more to help satiate inflated egos.

And these instances evidently have not stopped. Most recently, the Tourism ministry again has come under fire, this time for spending a whopping RM1.8 million to manage its Facebook accounts.

Now it’s reported that the minister herself has not been able to appease some of her Cabinet colleagues with her ‘explanation’.   Indeed, whatever may be said about additional outlays on contests and prizes, spending RM1.8 million on six Facebook pages is a bit much in a time of hardship for many.

But what’s noticeable about these evident blunders is the fact that people are using what’s now called ‘social media’ to respond.

And, of course, to register their protest.

Indeed, that’s precisely what they’ve done with numerous issues, these included, setting up and signing petitions online.

In protest against the Warisan Merdeka tower, for example, a group called ‘1M Malaysia Reject 100-storey Mega Tower’ set up a Facebook page, now with more than 200k supporters.

Now, in the light of the latest disclosures about the Tourism ministry, yet another Facebook campaign has begun.

According to one news report, within a couple of days, the campaign, cynically called ‘Curi-curi Wang Malaysia ’ had the support of nearly 90,000 Malaysians.

In comparison the Tourism ministry’s Facebook page, set up in May, has only drawn just a little over 35,000 fans.

It would appear that social network media, such as Facebook, are the digital age equivalent of ‘weapons of the weak’.

Some commentators, the recent one being a contributor to the news portal, Malaysian Insider (MI), assert that protests of this nature have very little impact.

Indeed, despite all the assertions about the new (social) media being at the centre of the changes in Egypt, Libya, Syria and Tunisia, the jury is still out.

Such assertions were also made of the momentous changes in Malaysia in 2008 – and the anticipated ones not long from now.

But only a fool or an eternal optimist – or even the previous prime minister – would give that much credit to the new media, especially the internet, when the Net’s penetration rates in various parts of the country remain pretty low.

Also, such a belief isolates and ignores wider social factors, such as increasing prices of essential commodities, corruption, abuse of power and assaults on personal liberties.

These were indeed factors in 2008 and, clearly the new media’s impact then has to be seen in this wider context of increasing and widespread disaffection.

But despite the rubbishing of the impact of the internet, given unfavourable penetration rates, dismissing it as the MI commentator does, is equally unwise.

It is, indeed, a weapon of the weak. Perhaps many who sign these petitions will do no more than that.

As the MI writer cynically puts it, “we love a battle when we are not part of it, especially when there is someone else to fight it out for us. We are good only at scrapping in the cyber world.”

But there are numerous impacts that we need to note here.

First, the fact that more people are now willing to put down their particulars to register their protest online is an indication that the ‘fear factor’ (of being monitored and perhaps punished for dissenting) is affecting us less and less.

Second, the fact that many of the officials targeted, named and, often, ridiculed respond, indicates that there is some concern on their part. Indeed, the very fact that more and more of these people are embracing and actively using the social media indicate their concern with its potential.

Granted, many have grown thick skins and will carry on their evil ways regardless. But, I’m sure they are aware that, in the final analysis, credibility these days plays an important role.

This is, indeed, what the poor, harassed anti-Lynas residents in Pahang believe.

They have been physically threatened by louts linked to a dominant political party for voicing their objections and protesting.

So, these concerned Malaysians, who are at the brink of having a radioactive plant located where they live, have gone on to the net (just Google ‘Lynas’ or check Youtube) and other channels to fight their cause.

As they put it: ‘The only way to get the government to act is with votes. So we will increase public pressure to indirectly force the government to act. No more direct engagement.’

So you can bet your bottom dollar that there’ll be more of their voices on the Net. And let us do remember –  whatever we may say about Internet penetration rates in Malaysia, the Net, nonetheless, stretches way beyond national boundaries.