CAKAP CAKAP...Do they know what the Net does?

In the times that we live in, information, news, truths and untruths, innuendos, outright lies, spins  - all this moves at the speed of light into the public domain through the Internet. From where I sit here in Adelaide I can follow in real time almost anything unfolding in Malaysia or if I care, in any part of the world. If it is in the public domain my access is immediate. What happens in the Malaysian Cabinet might take a bit longer. The indiscretion of Ministers and other notable Malaysians would be a bit more difficult to know but not impossible.


When I have something to say, an opinion I want to express or a comment I want to make on any issue – in the time it will take me to switch on my PC, get onto the Net and post my thoughts on my blog – fifteen minutes at the most- those thoughts will be available on the public domain for anyone to read. And by the same token I too have access to the thoughts of others who ever or where ever they may be. We read what others write and they read what we write. We discuss, debate, agree or agree to disagree and exchange our thoughts without regard for race, religion, gender, age or country.

This “freedom to connect” is a phenomena that countries like China, Iran, Egypt and Malaysia are grappling hard to ‘manage’ as it empowers their own people with what they want most to control to ensure their political survival - Freedom of speech and assembly. Predictably to these countries “freedom of internet expression” and “freedom of internet connectivity” would best serve their interest if it could be managed the same way as the traditional media have been done: i.e. license or permits to print or broadcast. What they and we must realize is this: The Internet does care if the person that uses it supports a repressive government or an open government. It is there to be used and your ability to use it to your advantage decides the usefulness of the Internet to advance your own agenda or to use the Internet against a sworn enemy. And here lies the dilemma of our BN government.

Just as the BN government have used the Internet to carry its message of 1 Malaysia and what they have achieved to the people - that same Internet can be used as a weapon against the BN government. So now I want to ask the BN government this:

“Do you understand the implications and repercussions of what you are now doing while in Government?”

Your attempts at controlling the media in all its form, banning public assembly without permit, the ISA – how effective will all these measure be in the times that we live in when all it take is a PC and a few minutes of anybody’s time to post anything on the Net to make it available on the Public Domain?

All I can say is this. Najib and all you BN people – come and join us in the 21^st Century. No we do not want to convert you to our way of life, to our way thinking or to make you anti anything. We want you to understand the realities of the world we live in.

If Altantuya was taken away by Najib’s security detail and later blown up with C4. It will come out.

If the Trengganu Stadium collapses because the contractor failed to do their job, it will come out.

If our Judiciary is being manipulated by the BN government to serve it’s own selfish purpose. It will come out.

If the Police are corrupt. It will come out.

If Pemuda UMNO are hoarding weapons and covertly harbor a contingency plan to create havoc and mayhem to allow UMNO to declare a national emergency and continue to rule by decree. It will come out.

If you put away some one under ISA for your own selfish reason. It will come out.

If you allow Police murder and consent to the murder of suspect under MACC custody. It will come out.

Like the tide that ebbs in and out everyday without fail. Like the Sun that will surely rise in the East and sets in the West everyday. Like the inevitable coming together of all of us regardless of race, religion or color – simply because we all want to live together as one people sharing the same aspiration of living a good life with our family and each other…all this you cannot expect to change through legislation, government policies or anything that you do. So if UMNO thinks that race and religion can be used to divide and rule the people in Malaysia just so UMNO can stay in power – perish that thought now!

Whether I work to undermine the BN regime or to promote Pakatan Rakyats agenda of an open government I have no doubt that just as I use the Internet as a tool to advance my cause – I cannot and do not have any ability to make the people that read what I write to agree with me. For better or for worse all I can do is to raise the flag for PR – the rest is up to the people to decide and do.