Reading Johan Jaaffar's article in New Straits Times (Saturday, 5 May 2012) somewhat confirmed my belief that the Bersih rally which was intended as a peaceful assembly seeking for a clean and fair election had been hijacked by politicians. Politics took the centre stage, he argued.
Johan said Ambiga should have known the crowd has no face until you paste that of Anwar Ibrahim. "Ambiga must be driven by some ideals but she was just another person among the thousands."
Prime Minister Najib also said on Friday that there were two groups which participated in the rally: one the participants of peaceful assembly; and the other who wanted to turn the whole thing into a political gathering. The group, Najib said, had the intention of taking over Dataran Merdeka and turning it into Tahrir Square in Egypt. It was an attempt to topple the government, he added.
One thing for sure the rally had tarnished the image of our country abroad. It somewhat showed we are still very far from a civil society and a matured democracy.
Johan's analysis is enough to sum up the current state of mentality or mindset of our people.
He said: "Watching some one stomping on a car like a madman possessed is not our idea of helping to reform the electoral process. Witnessing our young becoming thugs is not pleasant. Mob psychology is always an unpleasant thing to talk about and it leaves a bitter aftertaste about the maturity of our people. Perhaps it is true as some people have argued that we are a long way from a civil society. Further still from positing a mature democracy."
Johan said Ambiga should have known the crowd has no face until you paste that of Anwar Ibrahim. "Ambiga must be driven by some ideals but she was just another person among the thousands."
Prime Minister Najib also said on Friday that there were two groups which participated in the rally: one the participants of peaceful assembly; and the other who wanted to turn the whole thing into a political gathering. The group, Najib said, had the intention of taking over Dataran Merdeka and turning it into Tahrir Square in Egypt. It was an attempt to topple the government, he added.
One thing for sure the rally had tarnished the image of our country abroad. It somewhat showed we are still very far from a civil society and a matured democracy.
Johan's analysis is enough to sum up the current state of mentality or mindset of our people.
He said: "Watching some one stomping on a car like a madman possessed is not our idea of helping to reform the electoral process. Witnessing our young becoming thugs is not pleasant. Mob psychology is always an unpleasant thing to talk about and it leaves a bitter aftertaste about the maturity of our people. Perhaps it is true as some people have argued that we are a long way from a civil society. Further still from positing a mature democracy."
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