Looks like the more the local Malaysian mainstream news has little information and commentary, the internet is swarming with it. Fascinating! Here goes … a special word of thanks to Carbon Copy for the links from foreign media.
Malaysia’s Badawi under pressure after protests
Concise summary approach.
Protesters, Police Clash in Kuala Lumpur
Eye catching title … but the little analysis is worth checking out:
“Analysts say the large turnout is a sign of growing resentment against Abdullah’s perceived failure to curb rising crime, corruption and racial and religious divisions since taking over in November 2003. “They came out not just because of election reform but also to highlight a host of other grievances,” says James Wong, a political analyst for the Malaysian news website Malaysiakini.com. “Clearly the government is shaken by the turnout.” Another observer, a political science lecturer at the National University of Malaysia who declined to be named citing university rules, noted that many of Saturday’s protesters appeared to be young, working-class Malays, as opposed to the members of Malaysia’s English-educated elite who turned out to support Anwar a decade ago. “It is significant that the urban Malay poor is protesting,” he says, noting it could be a sign of dissatisfaction with the New Economic Policy (NEP), the four-decade-old affirmative action program to help ethnic Malays that critics charge now mostly benefits the country’s ruling elite.”
Malaysia lives under state of emergency – EU envoy
A diplomat with edge. Hmm … Looks like he’s going to lose some friends and gain some. 🙂
BERSIH: Demonstration Malaysian-Style
Tricia picked up something which was itching in my mind, i.e. the whole “this isn’t our culture” argument by the established powers.
“… To say that street demonstrations are not part of Malaysian culture is absolute hogwash. Our very national fabric is woven and spun out of protests and demonstrations. It is so historically essential to what
Malaysia is today.In 1946, the Malayan Union was formed by the then British Government. This was vehemently opposed by the Malay aristocrats as it restricted powers of the Malay rulers, and reduced special privileges of the Malays through looser citizenship requirements. In fact, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) was formed out of this very opposition to the
Union .
It was due to widespread public protests orchestrated by UMNO in 1946 that the British relented and achieved a consensus with the Malay rulers and UMNO to replace the Malayan Union with the Federation of Malaya. If not for these street demonstrations, special privileges of the Malays would not have been preserved.”
Looks like a “yellow” revolution is underway?
During a chat last night, one church member told me even his most “blur” apolitical friends are waking up after last Saturday. For non subscribers, check Issues in the BERSIH Memorandum.