Silencing Our Freedom

Just a few days ago, I was watching a news report in Perth regarding the supposed Anwar take-over on the 16th of September. One of the main interviewees of the entire report was Raja Petra, lead blogger of Malaysia Today. Another was Anwar Ibrahim himself. The last was PM Badawi's son-in-law [whose name honestly and most unfortunately skips me].

Fast forward to my thoughts: I wondered what kind of news report would be shown over in Malaysia.

I watched an Australian perspective of what is happening in Malaysia. And it's pretty much unlike anything I've seen yet in Malaysia. Usually Malaysia makes all their programs very patriotic, and happy and sunshiny, and, of course, very Malay. This new report did show quite a few Malays, yes, they are Malaysians. But at least I was able to get the viewpoints of the Indians and the Chinese as well whom, lest we forget, are Malaysians too.
For the first time ever, I was able to find out the platform from which Anwar Ibrahim is building his campaign. I am understanding what he's standing for, and why he's doing it.
I'm almost willing to bet that Malaysian TV programs have banned anything coming from Anwar Ibrahim.

I listened to Raja Petra's view on the media, and of how Malaysia Today got blocked from the cybernet in Malaysia. Recently, I opened up the papers today, and saw that Malaysia Today had been put back online, but that Raja Petra was being arrested under the International Security Act. I'm rather disappointed that such a thing has happened. What happened to democracy? What happened to free speech? The news article in the West Australian mentioned that Raja Petra had been writing slurs about Islam and the government. If we are as civilised and as democratic as we would like to believe, then why do we need to censor all these things about Islam and the government? Critcism is good. Insults are good. If we didn't have them, we wouldn't be able to be held accountable. The article has also said that the government would be doing this to all other radical bloggers.

Anwar was also detailed about in the news report, and how his sodomy trial has been going and such. While I am none to keen that this is yet another Malay contesting for power and not some other race, I am happy that at least SOMEONE is contesting. Anwar has been charged again and again and again with sodomy, all to ensure that he does not campaign, all to ensure that he does not take over. Yet, all evidence points to the fact that Anwar Ibrahim is not guilty of sodomy. In fact, the doctor that examined his so called 'victim' has stated that there were no signs of entry or tearing. Scarier news is that the doctor has actually run away to Myanmar because he feared for his safety in Malaysia after the report broke.
The doctor ran away to Myanmar.
Myanmar, which is having all sorts of problems with human rights, the UN and the house imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi and all that jazz.
People run away from Myanmar to come to Malaysia for safety, not the other way around!
Although if this is what the doctor has had to do, then this is probably a very good indication of where things are currently headed in Malaysia right now.

We've been silenced. Our speech has been taken, and the government is using any means they can to keep us quiet.

My question is: Why keep us silent, if there is nothing to hide?

Anwar Ibrahim is building his campaign on his accusations that the government are corrupt and racist. The government is doing all that it can to stop Anwar's rise to power. Sending 50 MPs over to Taiwan. Bringing in illegal immigrants to vote for BN, but when the protestors brought them to the police station to be arrested, the protestors instead were arrested.
The way things are going, looks as though Anwar is right.

Mishy <3