Come on brothers and sisters, we need to band together to get rid of the BN!

LET'S HAVE A PLAN! In recent months, many groups have risen to stake their claim on the reform movement now sweeping through Malaysia. No doubt, having more voices speaking out against injustice, corruption and promoting civil liberties is a good thing, yet too many heads singing their own tunes may in fact cripple rather than help the reform movement here, or anywhere else in the world. As they say, too many cooks spoil the broth.

The issue is one of coordination and cohesiveness of information. All members of the reform movement have to speak and think the same agenda. There is no point speaking of reforms when each component is on a different page and speaking in their own language.

The activation of groups like the pro-opposition bloggers calling themselves “Aktivis 901” is a good sign that concerned citizens are banding together of their own volition to push the agenda of reforms forward.

Welcome Aktivis 901

And while we have groups like the Bersih coalition showing success in pushing the agenda for clean and fair elections in Malaysia, both locally and international, “Aktivis 901” has set it’s sights on countering the Barisan Nasional (BN) cyber-troopers on the Internet turf.

Its coordinator Azura Aziz added that “Aktivis 901” would also ensure Malaysians abroad are kept abreast of the current political scenario in their home country. “We decided to build a group, a non-governmental organisation to bring forward all pro-PR bloggers … to bring out issues and also to counter what the pro-BN bloggers are doing.

“We are working with bloggers overseas — from Perth, the United Kingdom and Jakarta — to spread the word,” she said during a recent press conference with Wanita PKR chief Zuraidah Kamaruddin.

Band together

No doubt, faced with the non-stop onslaught from the main stream media, the Pakatan camp needs all the help it can get and Aktivis 901 is a sure welcome ray of sunshine. Its enthusiasm is infectious and priceless in a war that is bound to be intense, prolonged and uphill all the way..

But the real deal is in winning the hearts and minds of those residing in Malaysia. And though working with bloggers overseas is good, Pakatan could also do with bloggers that work the home-front too. And for a majority of Malaysians, reading news off the Internet may not be the norm.

And to tackle this, groups like “Aktivis 901” and the Anything But UMNO (ABU) movement should work together. ABU is helmed by a coalition of citizen initiated groups. who have tasked themselves with ensuring that the voter community in Malaysia vote Pakatan into government.

In the 2008 elections, Pakatan Rakyat garnered close to 50% of the popular votes. BN only managed to hold government by virtue of winning the larger number of parliament seats, which is something it accomplished due to its successful use of gerrymandering. The Malay vote alone, requires a tip of 5% in Pakatan’s favor to clear a path to Putrajaya.

For this to work, all these pro-Pakatan groups have to ensure that more voters come out on polling date. Out of the 15 million registered voters, only 11 million turned out to vote in 2008. So it would be far more advantageous to Pakatan if these groups could help to encourage more voters to come out and vote. And of course, to vote Pakatan.

Walk together

Already, the BN government has taken notice of these pro-opposition groups. With the likes of Nazri Aziz already issuing warnings that if Bersih 3.0 takes to the street; action will be taken against them.

This is a government that is scared if its citizens banding together. In their minds, anyone that subscribes to an agenda other than the one BN allows, is the enemy. And this is the out-dated song BN is singing.

What is so deadly wrong if citizens band together to speak their mind? What rationale does BN subscribe to that allows it to turn on its own people?

Thus, for the reform movement to be successful, a coordinated effort by all those striving for change in Malaysia is needed.

A band of brothers and sisters who will walk together to dismantle the rot within the nation. It is right, that the government should fear the people and not the people fear the government.

Malaysia Chronicle