I went for a walk yesterday, amid the pouring rain accompanied by my best friend and tens of thousands of Malaysians dressed in shades of yellow. A walk of less than three kilometres yet every step I took, striding determinedly side by side with fellow Malaysians near (Petaling Jaya) and far ( Kelantan, Terengganu even Perak), able and disabled (wheelchair, on crutches with one leg?? ) made me feel more of a Malaysian than any celebration of our Independence Day.
As we approached KL, yellow shirts tucked safely in a backpack and cover story intact in case we were questioned (” baru balik kerja kilang di Shah Alam, Datuk”), traffic was slow moving and only one road was closed . Then the first road block behind KTM – the police ignored us and we managed to park in Dayabumi. At the entrance facing the National Mosque, we put on our yellow shirts and looked around for compatriots – fellow yellows only to be disappointed.. It was almost 3 pm and rain poured steadily. We looked at each other and others sheltering from the rain, wondering whether this had all been hype and the anticipated crowd had dwindled when faced with FRU’s water cannons and tear gas when we caught sight of a straggly crowd in yellow marching from Dataran Merdeka. We watched, awed as the crowd grew in strength , like an progressively fat yellow column of people of all ages, moving steadily towards the National Palace. Shouts of “Rapat, rapat” came from men dressed in maroon with the word “Unit Amal, Malaysia” written behind their shirts, as they sheparded the crowd along making sure the crowd didn’t obstruct traffic. It was this line of maroon shirts that I saw at the front line between the marchers and the police later in front of the National Palace. (I discovered that they were summoned from Terengganu).
We walked, oblivious to the rain that soaked us to the skin, and the threat of police, tear gas and what can water cannons do when we were already wet! Ebullient and enthusiastic, we followed the chants of “Bersih, Bersih” and “Hidup, Hidup Rakyat”. I was more hesitant when it came to the takbir and “Hidup Islam” and BN or UMNO taunts because they were out of place, I felt, in a non-partisan march representing the hopes of all Malaysians for clean elections. I kept looking back to see how long did this column of people in yellow stretch – it seemed never ending and more seemed to be joining us. The march ended with all of us sitting on the roads that so recently we drove on – a crowd of at the very least 30,000 – not the paltry 4,000 crowd reported by the mainstream media.
We smiled and exchanged stories of how we managed to make it into the city – one drove from Perak, parked at Rawang and came to KL via the commuter train. Others came in buses the night before. Many came via LRT and those from out of town had to face police road blocks to get into the city. There were whole families (couples with siblings and mother in tow), youths and children too young to vote and Makciks and Pakciks who had valiantly kept up with the crowd. Our stories were tame compared to what our fellow yellows went through in Masjid Jamek and Jalan TAR. The tear gas was fired upon them without any warning to disperse and chemical-laced water from the water cannons caught them full face. The marchers dispersed quickly, avoiding the shower and gas, only to converge again, from behind pillars and out of shops – bursts of yellows that gave heart to others until they converged again and moved towards their goal, passing out salt among themselves to recover quickly from the gas.
Twice gassed and showered, thrice they came back, more determined and resolute, my sisters and brother-in-law among them.
Who are they, this group, this honoured few? After all, the memorandum was signed by only “a few thousand people” whose voices are unimportant to the ruling alliance. 30,000 people forming the sea of yellow are a drop in the bucket of 27 million Malaysians. Well, they are concerned citizens who want a better future for their children. Those who were there are disillusioned with the state of affairs of the country as well as those who went along riding on the wave of political rhetoric. Many were first timers – not Reformasi veterans. Many were supporters of the opposition and some were even UMNO members.- the middle-class silent majority have in essence spoken with their feet and their presence. What we all share is a deep sense of urgency of the need to stop the rot that the current election system would reinforce. Even if the current government wins, at least it is by assuredly fair means rather than election results accompanied by a distinct odour of malfeasance.
I ended the day in hope only to discover to my dismay that those I met later were unimpressed with the sea of yellow march. What memorandum? Malaysians are either unconcerned, apathetic or ostrich-like in their regard to swallowing the media version of the march uncritically and unthinkingly. Why should they bother? Their businesses / careers / families/lives are doing fine – in fact they benefit greatly from the current status quo. The fate of others struggling to live their lives honestly, safely and with integrity does not register on their radar. What is voting but an inconvenience to them? Malaysia is just a context for their lives – like a parasite living off their host. When times get tough – their catchword is “Let’s migrate!” I will be the first to wish them goodbye.
To those gassed, showered, arrested and released – I salute your courage and I pray for your safety. Your sacrifice allowed others to see through the façade. I like to think that what matters to my fellow yellows is the King’s commitment to us as his subjects and the hope that this has shown the powers that be that Malaysian have it within them to control their own destiny. We are not lemmings who will obediently and unquestioningly jump off a cliff just because we are told to do so. Please treat Malaysians with the respect and honour that we deserve as tax payers, citizens and patriots who have learnt the hard lessons of the past, are working to improve the present and will do what it takes for a better Malaysia. – we who choose to stay in this country of our birth..
