A massive split in opposition parties! Fong Po Kuan’s down for the count, opposition leaders can’t get their acts together and fight over seat allocations! Hindraf is split down the middle of nowhere! Oh, wail! Wail!
Hahaha.. I love the sort of shit the newspapers and the media like throwing up during the elections. Much worse than yesterday’s lunch, these masticated snippets of news are spun to sound like the cheapest melodrama, it’s a wonder Malaysian newspapers don’t put Bollywood scriptwriters to shame. The national media, as should be expected, has decided to interpret that EC Chairman’s call for space and air-time to all parties with their own slant. You know, I was pretty shocked when that EC fella did that? I waited a few days for things to kick in - I was thinking, “now Badawi’s gotten so arrogant, he doesn’t mind airing opposition propaganda!” It goes to show: even cynics can be taken in, now and then.
On the flip side, Malaysiakini’s gone off the deep end and if there’s any doubt that it supports the opposition, let its recent offerings put paid to that notion. The “Vote for Change” banner is bit annoying, and God knows I’m voting opposition this coming elections, but blatant support - it’s the sort of thing that’d plaster a fixed grin on my face; I still don’t know what to make of it. On the one hand, it could be argued that the best way to counter government spin would be to oppose it completely with one’s own spin (the sort I mean is Lim Guan Eng’s damage control reported by Malaysiakini). I suppose more experienced armchair generals will declaim stoically: in war perception is everything.
On the other hand, it may bring Malaysiakini a long way toward establishing itself as a well of credibility if it reported fairly on both sides of the pond without fear or favour, you know what I mean? Then again - and I’m objecting to myself - the odds are stacked so unfairly against the side of the angels, it’s no surprise that this sort of sentiment ends up being utterly, completely, meaningless. I suppose my rule of thumb is, if you can’t separate the truth for fiction, you might as well pick a side and swallow. And I really do mean that in the most unreasonable, Kierkegaardian way.
But I guess for those who want a more reasoned response, the fundamental truth should always be clear: this government has devolved from an ultra-nationalist movement into a feudal empire and has slipped firmly down its own obscure, baroque sort of dotage; inscrutable, out of touch with the people and still able to dazzle those few clinging to a misguided, Hang Tuah sort of mindset. At this stage of the game, the pluses and minuses of each individual opposition party means very little, and has currency only in the hands of those out to convince you that they are the better choice - no guesses who’s doing this in the mainstream media.
At this stage in the game, I’m saying, the least one can reasonably conclude is the fact that the opposition - whatever they are - are the lesser of two evils.
And I believe firmly that once we have concluded the above, and only when we have concluded the above, do we have the wherewithal to demand that these opposition parties (who may not be opposition parties come March 9th - I’m wildly optimistic) toe the Rakyat’s line.