Don't Panic
"In many of the more relaxed civilizations on the Outer Eastern Rim of the Galaxy, the Hitch Hiker's Guide has already supplanted the great Encyclopaedia Galactica as the standard repository of all knowledge and wisdom, for though it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it scores over the older, more pedestrian work in two important respects.
First, it is slightly cheaper; and second, it has the words DON'T PANIC inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover."
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
It's becoming evidently clear to Walski what's really going on.
It's desperate moves by desperate people. The People's Parliament wonders, however, who's orchestrating these manouevers in the dark. Nevertheless, as the pieces of the puzzling pie start to fall into place, it's becoming apparent where the problem lies.
The real problem here is UMNO, and what's happening here with the threats against the three dailies and the arrests of RPK, Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily News reporter Tan Hoon Cheng under the Infernal Security Act (misspelling intended), are nothing but desperate measures to keep UMNO afloat and to regain Malay/Muslim support for the party.
This conclusion is quite easily deduced.
Any lifeguard will tell you just how dangerous a panicky person about to drown can be. The wild flailing of panic can potentially cause any rescue attempts to end in watery tragedy - you'd literally have to knock the person out cold so that you can rescue him or her.
It's high time we put our beloved Malaysia out of her misery, caused by a drowning UMNO. Lest it drags the entire nation down with it, to its murky, watery and inevitable doom.
(UMNO? Just say NO, and more, in the full post)
So, what makes Walski think that all this is about UMNO? Allow him to elaborate.
- One (1) police report made by JAKIM/JAWI/MAIWP/YADIM is all it takes for swift response from the authorities to place Raja Petra Kamaruddin under ISA arrest, for allegedly insulting Islam, the Prophet, and Muslims. Nevermind that the ISA is as un-Islamic as any law can get... Hypocrisy is only a means towards a "nobler" end, so these folks must think it's okay. God, on the other hand, would probably beg to differ.
- Report, without fear or favor, on the blatantly inflammatory speech made by Ahmad "Pendatang" Ismail, and what do you get? Sin Chew, among others, get show cause letters, and one of their journalists arrested under ISA. The culprit, by virtue of being in UMNO, gets off scott free, for all practical purposes. A three-year suspension - a mere slap on the wrist. For Tan Hoon Cheng, she gets cuffs slapped on her wrists.
- Lord Toyol, with assistance from UMNO mouth-off piece Utusan, purposely create false accusations against Teresa Kok, claiming that she pressured the mosque to not sound the call to prayer. Shit-stirring, as blogger Aisehman puts it. Theresa gets her pretty butt incarcerated under ISA for doing absolutely nothing wrong. In fact she didn't do anything, contrary to what was alleged by the dark lord and the trusty herald. Meanwhile, a police report against Khir Toyo (via Malaysiakini) has been filed over this incident. And probably no action whatsoever will be taken. Why? 'Cause the feller's in UMNO - any idiot can tell you that.
- Police reports have also been made against Azhar Ibrahim, Penang UMNO state secretary and state assemblyman, who made the infamous "shoot the journalist" statement (via Malaysiakini). The journalist in question? Ms. Tan Hoon Cheng. Azhar Ibrahim, too, gets off scott free, despite the fact that what he said (and it's a matter of public record) can be construed as criminal intimidation.
UMNO has to be seen to be "defending" Melayu-ness and Islam. So, spare the guilty, punish the innocent. Especially if the guilty is UMNO related. And is Walski angry about all this? You betcha - stark raving mad kinda angry. But in an intelligent way.
Walski sees this as a baiting exercise. Notice what ethnicity Theresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng are? RPK aside, the two have been detained to elicit a knee-jerk response, in hopes that folks take to the streets, giving the Government a perfect excuse to impose emergency rule. And once that happens... well, rule of law gets suspended, and the Government has absolute power. Not something that anyone would look forward to.
Walski's advise, echoing what The People's Parliament has advised, as has The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Don't Panic.
Remain calm. Voice out your anger the intelligent way, via your blogs (if you have one), and by alerting your friends and family as to what's really happening, and most importantly - to call for calm. Let's not be rash and fall into the trap that's as obvious as neon pink on a bright summer's day.
Nope - let's be more intelligent than that. In fact, if you really want to do your part, The People's Parliament has provided its recommendations (read here, here and here). But most importantly, don't knee-jerk - and give you-know-who the excuse they're looking for.
In the meantime, for tomorrow (Sunday) Walski has been informed that a ribbon campaign is under way to show support to the detained Sin Chew journalist. Wear or tie black-yellow ribbons to show our solidarity and support against the injustice that has been perpetrated these past few days.
Enough, as they say, is Enough. Let's not be stupid and give the fuckers any further excuse....
