JANUARY 29 — So the movement is growing big enough that a news portal reported that Lim Guan Eng of the DAP has asked the #UndiRosak bunch who make up largely younger votes (note they are a significant segment of voters in our nation) to give him their Wish List.
Wan Azizah has dismissed this growing movement as “haters of Mahathir” when many of them were not adults during his time as prime minister. Mahathir himself used the word “sham” on the forthcoming GE 14 two weeks ago, as reported by another news portal.
Most articles on the forthcoming elections patronise or even insult us with “you must vote.... for the lesser of two evils at least.” Or worse “vote for CHANGE.”
To be considered:
1. How is “change” effected by participating in and thus endorsing the current system that to all intents and purposes seems thoroughly rigged?
Note, I am referring simply to what has been exposed in the media about what our Elections Commission and others have done: and raised in Parliament, and by researchers who worked on redelineation, and by Opposition cases before the courts (some have failed already). Frankly are these indicators of massive “rigged” elections just the tip of the iceberg to ensure Barisan Nasional wins GE 14?
2. So... good of you Guan Eng, but why tell us you will try and get us what we want? Can you actually do that, Pakatan Harapan (PH)?
We tried our darndest (huge voter turnout) in GE 13. The Bersih Tribunal with international panel participants indicated strongly that we were actually cheated of our vote. And how is GE 14 going to be different?
3. The Opposition was considerable in Parliament after GE 13. They tried their best most of the time. But NO significant CHANGE was effected by using this system again.
Even Parliament — from reports of its proceedings — appears to be biased towards the incumbent and the perhaps government to be. The Opposition has had many tactics and rulings against them... nothing much has changed.
4. This PH is not the same as the one we welcomed and voted for in GE 13. So those luminaries insulting us as “betrayers”, “delusional” “hopeless and giving up”, for #UndiRosak (I have had to personally endure such abuse on a long-term basis) are themselves delusional.
Malaysians can figure things out for themselves... and we are now cynical, angry, disillusioned, frustrated. Among other possible reasons.
5. Articles sanitising Mahathir or calling on us to “forgive and forget” and intimate or actually tell us to “choose the lesser evil” horrify me.
I have never knowingly settled for evil, so why should I, when I vote?
Conclusion
Many months ago, I called out through Facebook for us to vote, but to spoil our votes. Election law requires that these are counted and declared, so a spoiled ballot is provided for, and can be deployed for significant power.
I suggest the political Opposition and civil society strategically join us at #UndiRosak in rejecting the flawed electoral system itself that will keep on giving us the same old outcomes.
A tsunami of more spoiled votes than ones for BN or any Opposition party make the elections a mockery. Bersih can take it to court.
Come on, think about it. Get out of the vicious cycle we are all trapped in. Please? After all, remember the leader of the Opposition used the word “sham” about GE 14.
Oh and yes, I expect much bashing again, so do your worst. Been there, done that (written with a smile).
* Dr Patricia Martinez reads Malay Mail.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail
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