The True Story of 10-Eleven - Part II

(Updated 17 Nov 2007)

Pathetic attempts have been made by various parties in the government to discredit the BERSIH rally held on 10 November 2007. These misinformation, lies and intimidations were reported and even highlighted in the compliant and politically-controlled mainstream media. In the face of these, one only needs to access the many other sources of information on the BERSIH rally available online to get a true picture of what really happened on 10 November 2007.

To facilitate this, the following is a compilation of a list of detail commentaries which I have found. I am sure there are others. My apologies if your commentary has been left out.

A big thank you to all those who have shared their stories enabling all Malaysians to get the true story of 10-Eleven.

(The following is a continuation of the list from the earlier post The True Story of 10-Eleven )


Rehabilitation for whom? - Farish A. Noor NEW!

"Unable and unwilling to accept the new realities on the ground the political elite of Malaysia has resorted to the same worn out clichés and the call to rehabilitate the younger Malaysians who were present at the demonstration reveals the extent to which this ruling elite is so thoroughly bankrupt of ideas. No, it is not the younger Malaysians who are in need of rehabilitation- In fact the activist in me would say that activism and civic responsibility should begin from our school days and that every young citizen should be made aware of her and his rights and responsibilities as early as possible, as a rite of civic membership.

If anyone is in need of rehabilitation, it is the politicians and ruling elite of Malaysia themselves, who should learn that this diverse and plural society of ours happens to be a complex nation undergoing a slow democratic transformation and that the future of Malaysian politics should reflect this multicultural diversity. So I strongly suggest that the right-wing communitarian leaders of Malaysia sign up for their own rehab courses as soon as possible, for their and our own good,"...

Wake up Malaysia! - KJ John NEW!

"This past weekend more than 40,000 people marched for what seems to be a justified and good cause of freer and fairer elections.

Why should the government even seek to stop such an avowedly stated peaceful march?

Resistance of this mode creates even greater desire for change. If the government is not watchful or careful, the next movement of people may be even bigger and greater; for truth cannot be hidden or kept a secret.

Truth has a life of her own, unprotected or uncontrolled by any human person; she will reveal herself at the right times and in the right ways; as the Lingam tapes have so evidently demonstrated."


A Wake-Up Call for the Government: Malaysians Want Their Country Back - Farish A. Noor NEW!

"That elections should be free, fair and transparent is perhaps one of the most basic requirements of any workingdemocracy, and to demand that elections should be free, fair and transparent is perhaps one of the most fundamentalrights of any society. When citizens demand such things it can and should be seen as an act of civic responsibility andthey should be commended for it. Indeed, it ought to be seen as a test of civic participation and citizenship that allcitizens should demand that their state works and functions properly and accountably, to serve the interest of thenation as a whole and not a select coterie of landed elites and entrenched class interests."
...

"For a nation that has always been cast in a passive light as docile and apathetic, Malaysians defied their own stereotype by coming out in huge numbers and braving the rain from above and the tear gas and batons on the ground. Contrary to the scare-mongering campaign of the government, the rally proved to be ordered and peaceful. What does this say about Malaysia today and where the country is heading?"
...

"There is no telling how the Malaysian government and the UMNO elites will react to this clear demonstration of public disquiet in the once-sleepy streets of Kuala Lumpur. But what is clear is that Malaysia at least is no longer the kingdom of the blind that it was once made out to be."

Observing the Bersih rally - Yeo Yang Poh (former Bar Council chairman)

"Some ministers and politicians have said that there is no need for public assembly in a country that conducts elections. By their argument, it would follow that democracy is complete as long as citizens are allowed to vote once in a few years. Voting in a government would amount to giving it a blank cheque to do as it pleases (since it has “obtained the mandate of the people”). If anyone is dissatisfied, he or she can only wait for the next occasion of voting to express dissatisfaction. The ballot becomes the only permissible means of expression.

The absurdity of that argument is obvious. It is nothing more than a crude political exercise in insulting the people’s intelligence."
...

"In a true democracy, in order for stability and prosperity to last, people must be allowed to express their views freely, and to choose the manner in which they wish to do so, including choosing a public manner by way of peaceful assembly or procession. Allowing the weak to publicly speak out against the powerful is one of the hallmarks of a democracy. Smothering the voice of the minority is the trademark of dictatorship.

In political reality, however, the public expression of views by persons in large numbers, especially if coupled with a free media, is often a real threat, not to public order or security, but to the continuing maintenance of control by those currently in power."

Misinformation reigns on the Nov 10 march - Gayathry Venkiteswaran

"The attempts in the media to brush off the largest public rally in recent years is reflective of the government's lack of respect for the public's freedom of expression and the right to know. By tying the hands of the media with legal and political tools, the government has only tarnished its own reputation as the public sees clearly how information is distorted. The print and broadcast media will lose their relevance because of these controls. As it stands, they are fast overtaken by online and offline technologies like blogs, video sharing sites and mobile phones that disseminate images and text from the scene to thousands of people in real time."

Open letter to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi - Beth Yahp
(recommended)

"Prime Minister Abdullah, one of the reasons we marchers, men, women, children, and even incapacitated old folks, braved confrontation in the streets of Kuala Lumpur last Saturday was to call for “equal access to the media” as part of BERSIH’s push for electoral reforms, including the use of indelible ink, clean electoral rolls and the abolition of untraceable postal votes."
...

"With all due respect, Prime Minister, your admonition on the eve of the march: “Saya pantang dicabar,” (Utusan Malaysia, 9 November 2007) is rather an odd thing for the leader of a democratic nation to say, given that the basic rule of democracy is the right of all citizens to challenge, and to defend against challenge. Everyone is entitled to this right, whether in their living rooms or in Parliament.

Challenges and debates also constantly take place in the media, whose fundamental role is to provide factual information and objective viewpoints by journalists and editors, as well as to allow equal access to publication and broadcast by proponents from either side of any argument.

Only in this way can we, ordinary citizens, partake in democracy. Only then can we weigh up differing statements and opinions against accountable facts. We may be allowed to vote, yes, but how can we choose effectively without freedom of media access and information?

When this integral pillar of any democratic system is obstructed, and belittled, as it is in Malaysia, we cannot claim to live in a democracy. Our mainstream media then becomes merely a tool of the State, used to hoodwink, brainwash and intimidate the people it should rightly be serving. Instead, we, the people, are spoon-fed, led and expected to go quietly like sheep to any foregone conclusion."

The time for change has begun - Mohd Kamal Abdullah

"The Bersih protest rally on Nov 10 witnessed the awakening of Malaysians from an illusion that only the Barisan Nasional can deliver every time. With more that 40,000 people participating without fear of police brutality and the on-going heavy rain that afternoon, these people had demonstrated the true meaning of democracy.

From now on, people will stand up to this ineffective, inefficient and corrupt Barisan Nasional government. The climate of change has prevailed and it is hoped that this will continue until the welfare of the people and the nation is managed according to the wishes of the people."
...

"The time for change has just began and I hope this ray of light will continue until we can be proud of a Malaysia where the welfare of every citizen and our nation is taken care of."

On Nov 10, the skies wept for the rakyat - JD Lovrenciear

"The Nov 10 rally for justice and democracy by tens of thousands of rakyat was embraced by the weeping skies. The torrential downpour echoed the rakyat's cries for a greater nation through better governance.

Unfortunately, as peace-loving men and women from all races and walks of life marched in fervor, the blockades and extraordinary presence of police only further drove home the widely-held perception that justice and democracy are at high risk in a nation that was often seen as a model nation not too long ago."