Wednesday 14 November 2007

Can we really “not be part of it”?

If reading about how some people selfishly criticised the rally is astonishing, then this has got to the mother of it all… someone told me this today…

“Ya’ know, I was caught up in a bad jam last Saturday. Dunno why the traffic was so bad”

I shall skip the part about how I royally admonished that person. At the end of the conversation, I got the usual remark…

“Oh, I am not involved in all these politics and I am not going to be part of it”

Friends, honestly speaking… can we really entirely distant ourselves from politics? Is that truly possible? I would like to think otherwise.

The fact that my friend was caught up in a massive jam on 10-eleven was because of a rally which carried a political propaganda. My friend was part of the population who suffered from it.

The fact that you have to fork out extra amount of dough to pay whatever expenses today or tomorrow, you are part of the community who suffers from poor economic planning. And who are those doing the economic planning?

The fact that you curse the existence of mat rempits and how they are allowed to roam the streets… The fact that you are afraid to let your children go out at night due to poor level of safety… The fact that you have to pay through your ass to drive a proton… The fact that you have to save hard for your children’s future education… The fact that you are still waiting for your refund of your taxes, or your salary is too low to even pay taxes… The fact that you cannot seriously say that this is a great country… and the fact that you are still reading this post… you are directly or indirectly part of politics. You are just not a front runner, but still…

Fellow blogger Jamy said that
politics and religion are blood and culture of the country. Some of the things mentioned there are quite real. And I must add that politics and religion is the blood and culture of any country. Why are the Indonesians poor and the Singaporeans rich? Is it not because political decisions?

Perhaps I may have been too extreme there, but if the people at the very top have been making al the right moves, I can't help but think that a lot of things could have been better, a lot better.

I am not saying that people at the top of the political quadrant must always make the right moves; but I am saying that the people at the bottom, by virtue of being at the bottom…can never entirely say that they are out of it.

53 comments:

LX said...

Always so many comments in your blog.. honoured to be the first!

Helen said...

You'll be surprised at the extent some individual ensure they live in ignorant bliss. :-)It is a choice really.

Yes, if a country is going down the dumps, everybody will be affected. It's not a choice. You don't have a choice.

But then some people prefer not to acknowledge the fact and live in denial.

Well, whatever rocks their boat. It has nothing to do with facts or reality.

Rashikaps said...

I have been in that 'Oh, I am not involved in all these politics and I am not going to be part of it' phase too.. only to realize later that if we, educated, young citizens don't take interest in who we're voting to form the government, we have no business cursing politicians or cribbing about their warped ideologies.

kyh said...

politics shud not be ignored. but i'm more interested in foreign politics than our very own country. it's the situation that makes me having no interest in learning them, but that doesnt deter me from keeping up with some really hot issues in the country.

religion is not always the blood of every country. secular countries dun gv a damn about religions, wat's more an atheist communist state like North Korea and china. the most religious nations r those islamic ones, but too much religion in politics can result in man manipulating the dominant religion to their own benefits.

izso said...

Careful. The all-mighty ISA may just come after you. XD

And I don't think Singaporeans are rich at all. Just that their economy is strong. But most of them are living borderline existances. Any downfall will kill them.

myop101 said...

I sense a great deal of frustration in you. Don't worry as I share the same frustration too and so are many others. Which is why, in unprecedented prosperity, many accept the wrongs of others so long as their comfort is left untouched. I guess when the system implodes, then they will decide to act. But of course, with little or nothing left, pointing fingers and killing one another off is kind of too late.

This morning I wondered what if those who are ignorant bliss should just be denied with any decision making? Then I reminded myself a second later that to be a true democracy, it is not a matter of whether someone is entitled because he/she has more assets, knowledge, interest or wisdom but rather it is about everyone having equal common human rights / choices. Again, only those ignorant and arrogant lot would believe majority is right (for example kindly refer to Hitler, Nazi and Germany willful selection of them in the 1930s to political supremacy).

Observer said...

The issue has always been we do not have a relevant minister who is bold enough to do any sort of radical form, instead of breaking out, they opt for the "trial and tested" so so policies....

As long as racial based parties exist, the same issue will just be on forever.

Like Obama's recent speech : Leader should talk about what the people need to hear, not what they want to hear...

If any of our top guns can speak half like his, we may have some hope...

Angie Tan said...

We cannot afford to be "Not involved" anymore.

Our education system has failed us. There are many countries where the right to vote is either non-existent or revoked. We have failed to learn what is our civic duty.

Perhaps a ploy all along to keep us from being "dumb" so that we keep some of these monkeys in power?

If the country is going to hell, we only have ourselves to blame because we chose "not to get involved".

Anyway, we're not alone, the big police cop of Democracy - US of A does not have a high voter turn out each election but the candidates, free press and other lobby groups are urging people especially the young people to go out and vote.

Horny Ang Moh said...

The fact is made sure u poke the right hole.....eh...I meant the right box cum erection time!
Have a nice day!

Huei said...

Ugh! i just heard that petrol will increase by 70cents...70 bloody cents! my pay won't even increase 70cents! blegh!

geez..y don't some people wake up? open their eyes and see how screwed we all are to be living here, f*ck them mat rempits!!!

aih..me so sleepy..shouldn't get my blood boiling yet >.<

Anonymous said...

This reminds me of one my colleagues response on how he could not care less on what was happening at the office by remarking that "...all I care is to save my butt".

How contradictory right? If one really wants to save his butt, then he just got to be proactive and react to things that are happening. Otherwise, before you know it, you would not even have the option to save your butt.

Similar to the remarks "Sek pou mo yeh chou" that we hear about the rally. C'mon, if something is not done, soon, we don't even have things to eat. By then, it is too late to do something.

Y.E@eevet said...

You are right, we are part of it no matter what.

LuciusMaximus said...

people who said politics got nothing to do with their life should experience iran in 1979, bosnia 1992, rwanda in 1994 or perhaps pakistan today...
yes things may still be okay now in malaysia but are we going to wait till its too late to do something?
corruption is rampant, the income disparity has widened, the police force is a joke and the country is being sold out to illegal immigrants just because some govt officers and politicians are making quick bucks out of it.
and any average malaysians should be able to notice the election has been rig again n again...

Sharon said...

well, all in all, I'd like to think it takes 2 hands to clap.
ignorant citizens ==> the powerful ones start abusing their powers

it's still not too late.. i hope

Anonymous said...

rightly so...

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee (Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, #17).

JamyTan said...

Zewt,

Thanks for the link.
Hope this is the beginning of a new era for Malaysians.
I am so far away and cannot be involved as much as I wanted. I will do whatever part that I can for the people who left behind.

Jamy

Anonymous said...

if the person is not malaysian, then the person is not "part of it"...

"not be part of it"... the person has to leave malaysia... hahahahaha...

Jorji said...

i chat with my frens yg komplen about the jem..and they dunno about the rally.so,i bagi yr url for em to read.

lynn-w said...

i believe it's mainly because the mainstream media are not showing enought..it's always being covered up and people dont know what is really going on behind....
maybe that is why ignorance is there.....

i guess this is a step to one part of development in our country for freedom! ekekeek....

The Pisces Man said...

To summarise your last 3 entries:

Dude, if didn't need to baby sit last Saturday, or let's put it this way, if I were still single/bachelor, I'd have joined the rally. Yes, fear (rational one I hope) that for some reason, I got caught, charged and be separated from my family had prevented my to join in the peaceful march/gathering.

Really, I hope Agong would play his role for once, and let those who run the government get some really good slaps in their faces (including physically being slapped by Agong) that there is a higher power in the government.

It's surprising that some of us choose to be ignorant, even far more surprising for them to criticise/be selfish.

Guess they don't mind forking out extras for the stuffs they need to buy, and this includes this one particular f**king a**hole son-in-law of this one so-called leader, who blatantly suggested that the government subsidy on oil should be scraped off.

If you don't mind me asking, which particular greener grass do you plan to go?

mr jp said...

time to wake up , sleepy malaysians ....

SuLee said...

you know what i find? bottom line is.....ppl are greedy, they will complain no matter wat..really sad but true...if we could just appreciate things around us instead of looking at it in a negative ways, there will be less complains and also help in self satisfaction.

speaking of which, that is a small reminder for myself too.

Pak Zawi said...

zewt,
The police created the traffic jam to prevent people from going to KL. For nothing they created bottlenecks by making 3 lane traffic into single lane. Tell them to blame it on the police la.

Anonymous said...

Another question to ask is why Singapore can do better than Malaysia after breaking off from the constitution. It is all down to some of the policies undertaken by our government.

sharlydia said...

couldnt agree with u further!

Azlan Zed said...

we're always gonna be part of it. haih...

DaphStar* said...

You know...there wasn't much coverage on Star about this event eventhough it was really massive. It didn't really have any impact on the gov huh....sad.

xonar said...

fear factor is what makes a person spewed stupid answer like i don't want to be part of it or zam interview with al-jazeera.
most of us(nons) dare not admit it but rather sweep under the carpet.
we are so numb after being bullied that we think its o.k to live in fear.
why are we migrating?because we don't want our children to be bullied and live in fear.
don't mind me asking,why are you migrating?

zewt said...

lynnx01 - :) thanks for your support.

Helen - denial is everything. govt deny the ppl... ppl deny themselves. sad.

rashikaps - indeed, those are pure hypocrites.

kyh - bet you're following the following in pakistan?

izso - yeah man, ISA just might. think singapore is easy to rule and manager. an advantage and disadvantage.

myop01 - welcome mr anomymous... haha... majority may not be wrong... but the minority should never be ignored.

freethinker - yup... at the end of the day, it all bogs down to race. even the africans are racially divided.

zewt said...

Angie Tan - looks like it's happening everywhere. a worldwide evolition might be at the horizon.

hor ny - yup... agreed.

Huei - 70 cents... still ok la... i said 1 buck also ok mah... hah!

Babbles - another phrase is...'nothing better to do'... indeed, there is nothing better to do.

Y.E@eevet - glad you agree.

Lucius Maximus - boss, tak komen dengan bahasa ibunda ke? :)... indeed... the country is going down,and we must do something about it.

Sharon - it's not, but we must act now, before it is.

zewt said...

anon @ 11.11am - wow... that's deep.

kayatan - i hope so too. you're welcome. you deserve it.

k.h. - but if that person has not left... means still part of it, right?

j or ji - you should hantam them kau kau first hehe...

l y n n w e i - the people should also do something in wanting to know more. and i see that happening. which is good.

The Pisces Man - one of my friend told me... if we're not going to get married, we will be drenched with chemical waters now... and that is damn true. yeah, the Agong must act... NOW!

Jason Phoon - maybe they really need some water cannon.

zewt said...

SuLee - well, is the reminder working?

Zawi - salam pak zawi. yalah... tapi orang asyik blame rally, sebab takde rally, takde polis ler...

jam - maybe also becos they are easier to manage. but still...

sharlydia - there's another walk. call your hubby to join me :)

alan zed - no way out really.

DaphStar* - nope... the govt is so afraid they covered it up.

penang-kia - cos i want a better future for my children. but also mainly, i hate the modern slavery lifestyle here... capitalism... i hate it.

Arena Green said...

If all that has happened lately in this country does not wake up the voters come election day, I'd be so so sad.

Maverick SM said...

This is the sad truth. Many citizens just do not understand their responsibility and influence till they get deep shit.

Anonymous said...

i think i join in the company of those who complain alot but stay away from "real action"...

office blocked all blog portals, even kennysia and 5xmom is not spared... so i wont be able to blog hop anymore :(

Anonymous said...

“Oh, I am not involved in all these politics and I am not going to be part of it”

this is the line that always get on my nerve. like that's possible. your car, your salary, your tax, your kid's education, your mom and dad's pension, your medical fees and benefits, your neighborhood security, your internet connection.. actually most of the things around us directly or indirectly part of politics. your country make all the plannings for you as a citizen to stay, who if not the people you elected through political process directly involved in all these planning? where are the roads to be built, where the shopping centres allowed to be constructed, how many lanes of highways, how much you need to pay for your petrol, your water, your electricity bla bla bla.. anyone that says that should be spanked hard to knock some common sense into him or just shove his head down his ass to smell for himself how his words stinks...

the line above only applied to those staying in a remote island, the island owned by him, so he can do whatever shits there by himself, happily forever in his own utopia.

myop101 said...

true, true... my only hope is history don't repeat itself...

Anonymous said...

Well said! We're a part of it whether we like it or not. A person should say "I choose to ignore it" instead of choose to not be a part of it.

narrowband said...

Good morning Zewt. It's 8.25 on a Thursday morning and I was highly tickled by our comics this morning. Have you gotten yourself a copy?

Quotable quotes "I am shocked and I want answers" - Hmm. Haven't we heard this one before?

"We will study the details of the contract and see who should be monitoring the project.". I wonder who will be made the scapegoat.

Anonymous said...

I would like to quote from the movie V for Vendetta:-

"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."

Anonymous said...

Vote Wisely!!!

Shopaholicfern said...

geez...i guess u're rite..i don't like politics too...and always stay out of whatever it is..
but now, u've got a point :-)
thanks for making me realize that..

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

well what to do..the top always gets influenced from the bottom..n the bottom always screw up..how to save like tat??

zewt said...

anak merdeka - i wont be surprise is that comes true.

Maverick SM - i think we should just give up...on those ppl.

evelyn - your company is oo much la.

bongkersz - yeah man, they are all living in denial. no man is an island by himself... if only ppl are aware of this.

myop101 - the al jazeera channel eh? hehe...

zewt said...

adrian - indeed... ignoring is is a more accurate approach.

narrowband - the irony is that the whole country is not shock... only he is.

gina - so many ppl know that quote... yet so many never put it to practice.

jemima - much wisdom needed indeed.

shopaholicfern - glad many ppl are coming into realisation.

constant craver joe - looks like we're screwed from top to bottom.

Winn said...

we are learning. but slowly..

J u n e said...

So true..It was only recently i realize you cant really get out of it..

Dan-yel said...

Rightly put Zewt. Whenever, wherever, however matter-of-factly someone mentions the word "politics", "government" and worse "opposition", more often than not, you get greeted with either a shudder or a complete ignorant scorn, or they'll try their very best to change topic. Well, it's not that I wanna intrude their lives, and I never thought I did, but it's extremely sad that not a single soul is talking or complaining what the government is doing. They're so interested in taking care of their own bowl of rice, that should he venture into politics, immediately stigma kicks in or if not than, it's ISA. It baffles you how irrational people can be. The more they choose to remain ignorant, the more they willingly let the situation aggravates further. I always think that Malaysia hasn't achieved independence yet, for the people's mind are very much still "colonised", not empowered, not free, stuck within that old paradigm that has transcends many generations since before "Merdeka"

treal said...

That is call democracy...nitwits..the majority decide yours issues are non issues. Probably becuz you all are losers that's why you are bottom of the heap. Ask Robert Kuok with RM20 billion does he want a rally? Ask Goh Tong..god bless his gambling soul..does he want traffic jam to genting...if you hear thunder that means no...

So now you are learning.. slow learners and dont for a second the Agung will support the losers...

Anonymous said...

Jam, Singapore is a penal island. That is why it perform better than malaysia. It is so small that it can fit into a lake in the peninsula...so how to compare apple to orange..

zewt said...

winn - the learning curve have to be steep now.

angryyoungchild - it's good to know that you know... :)

dan-yel - cant blame them really. the mere mention of ISA is enought to send chills down our spine. and now, our DPM just used that to 'warn' us. it's just so sad. but it's good to know that many are coming into realisation that one can only take so much shit.

treal - hi and welcome to AZAIG. are you Vincent in disguise?

jam2 - well... how about comparing singapore to just KL alone?

muststopthis said...

zewt, like I was saying, can't imagine that there are people out there who condemn the rally which demands for free and fair elections.
Sheeesh!

zewt said...

muststopthis - hypocrites... they are everywhere.