Look Anifah, protesters SHOUTED at Najib in London because of his racist & corruption-riddled regime OK?

Should you join a peaceful protest march and fight someone else’s cause, even if you don’t know him or her?

If demonstrating is demeaning, then why did people join peaceful marches for Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Aung San Suu Kyi?

Across the globe, Malaysia’s reputation is taking a dive. The Malaysian government is holding its breath. It hopes Malaysians will not march in the main capitals of the world and bring more attention to the injustices which they have suffered for decades.

A few readers contacted me after they attended a talk by Foreign Minister Anifah Aman last Saturday at the Malaysian High Commission in London. Anifah claimed that it was demeaning to demonstrate.

One person said, “Anifah mentioned that protestors in London had yelled at him and Najib. He said this was demeaning to the protestors and their children. He suggested dialogue, discourse and discussion to resolve issues.

“He also remarked that people should not protest because of articles they have read in the on-line news.”

Why did Anifah say this? The reason is that Umno-Baru is afraid. Its grip on power is slipping in Malaysia. Najib Abdul Razak’s failing fiscal policies, the unanswered questions about his personal wealth, the corruption and the injustices meted out to individuals are just the tip of the iceberg.

More worrying are the questions asked repeatedly in the British Parliament about Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction, the independence of the judiciary and the integrity of the rule of law in Malaysia.

Britain and Malaysia do a lot of trade together. British investors pump their money into Malaysia, and vice versa. Many British universities have twinning programmes with Malaysian institutions and their lecturers report their perception of life in Malaysia.

Anifah is afraid that more protests in London, especially those in unison with the marches in Malaysia, will increase the pressure on Putrajaya. Just imagine the damage that would be done if the BBC, The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Telegraph and the Independent covered Malaysian protests in London.

Out of touch

PM Najib and Anifah

Anifah is out of touch with reality. Najib’s government does not use dialogue, discussion and discourse to help the rakyat.

Do you have to experience social inequalities before you fight for the underprivileged? Do you have to be poor before you protest to pressure the government to do more to reduce poverty? Do you have to suffer sexual abuse before you demand justice for the Penan women who were raped? Do you have to be thrown into jail and be denied a proper trial before you march for others who have suffered this injustice?

The government alone cannot be held responsible for the problems which beset Malaysia. Our own apathy and our parents’ indifference have contributed to the current mess in Malaysia. We have allowed the government to use fear to frighten us into doing nothing.

The government does not want a thinking rakyat who expose all the wrongdoings of the people in power.

Are you reluctant to go on a march because you want to protect your “periuk nasi” (rice bowl)?

Perhaps you are a student and you do not want to lose your scholarship. If you fear that, do you really want the sort of “bully” government that you know we have? Are you making the right connections at university because knowing the right people now will guarantee you a trouble-free career? When you were given a scholarship, was it based on your political allegiance or your educational attainments? You are entitled to an education. You are also entitled to manage your own thoughts.

Do you think the people who join protests are irresponsible? Do you think they don’t care about their families and are not interested in protecting their rice bowl or the chance to bid fairly for a government tender or to hold onto their scholarships?

If you think that the people on the marches are layabouts and irresponsible citizens, then the government has won. They win hands downs because they know you are motivated by greed and selfishness.

Will you only join a march when your child has been snatched by your husband who quietly converted to another religion? Will you protest only when your holy book is going to be torched? Or will you help to uphold the Constitution of Malaysia, which accords every Malaysian the right to choose his religion?

Are you prepared to be a brave and make a stand for your country, your children and grandchildren?

Who knows, one day you could find yourself a victim of an injustice or prejudice and would like as many people to be aware of your plight and help you? - FMT