Sunday, March 9, 2008

People Power

Stayed up till 4am this morning to follow the election results. Was tuning in since 8pm the night before. I don't think I've ever done a 8 hour sitting of telly in one go before. But this time it's different. It's an event that warrants such a sitting. Also because I voted in it and I want to see what it has created.

As the night goes by and the numbers kept coming in from the voting centres, one thing was for sure. My heart was racing as if a new wave of change is dawning. Indeed, at the end of the night, the wave has swept almost all Malaysians who were tuning in.

It's not the loss of BN or the wins of the Opposition that was exciting. It was the collective voice of the people that was so loud, no one can ignore. Finally, the rakyat has managed to made their anger and dissatisfaction heard, loud and clear. The aftermath...5 states lost to the Opposition and old timer rejected. When Samy was defeated, I let out a scream only most Malaysians can understand! YES!!!

It's still too early to see what will come out of this but I'm optismitic about this change. But I know it's a change long overdue. A change that every Malaysian (except those govt. cronies of course) was looking forward to. This historic event sends a clear message to the people in power that they cannot bully its citizens because it is we who put them in power. And it will be us who will take them down just as easily. So, to the politicians who's reading this...don't ever bite the hand that feeds you.

Okay, now...back to business...let's abolish the import duties for cars. Let's abolish the NEP. And let's make Malaysians proud to be Malaysians regardless of race or religion. Let's be equals.

A vote and a car

Yesterday I woke up excited, at the fact that I'll be going to vote in the general elections. This will be the first time I'm doing it. I understand the responsibility that comes with it and I thought about it's implications. I thought to myself, "I want to be heard! It maybe one little vote but it counts." So off I went to SK Bukit Lanjan.

Arriving there with ease and without any commotion (relatively calm and quiet actually), I walked right into the school compound and casted my votes into the ballot box. I was staring into the transparent ballot boxes and thought to myself, "Wow, this is the thing that will decide the future of this country." As that little piece of paper dropped into the box, joining the other hundred or so, I can't help but feel a little proud of what I've done.

And herein lies the end of meaningful contemplation for the next few hours...because it's Fuzzy's frenzy, once more.

Fuzzy, just like me, wanted to make a difference by voting. But the problem is, she's just lazy enough not to register herself to vote. So while having dinner on the eve of election day, I told her to check the electoral roll online. You'll never know...you may find your name in there maybe. And still she did not...until the morning after of course. Then it hit her...right in front of her face, staring at her from the laptop screen was her name and voting station info. She was so excited, she worked up a frenzy, all excited at the fact that she can finally fulfill her duty as a voter! What created the frenzy was 1) She didn't even know she was registered. 2) She's registered in LEMBAH PANTAI!!...where Shahrizat and Nurul Izzah is contesting. Lagi lah minah kecoh!

So off we went to cast her vote. She was so worked up, she had a child-like exurberance about the whole affair. And just like me, she too had made her voice heard. Sempat lagi minah ni suruh aku ambik gambar of the historic event!

And then, in all her new found feeedom and excitement, she went and bought a new car!


That's what I call liberating.